ESdat is intuitive and user-friendly software that helps scientists and engineers manage environmental and earth-science data from laboratories, field programs, data loggers, sensors, historical sources, and regulatory standards. All in one place.

• Client: ESdat
• Project duration: July 2022-May 2023
• Roles I assumed: UX Designer, Visual Designer
• Project goal: Redesigning a software that helps scientists and engineers manage environmental and earth-science data.
  

Introduction

In this case study, I will explain the process of designing an improved software solution for data management. The goal was to enhance the existing data management capabilities, streamline workflows, and provide advanced features to meet evolving user needs.

Design process

‍1. Evaluating Existing Software and User Feedback

To begin the design process, it was important to evaluate the existing data management software and gather user feedback. This involved conducting user surveys, interviews, and analyzing user reviews. My evaluation focused on identifying pain points, usability issues, and areas for improvement in the current software.

Here is a list of potential user requirements:

• Intuitive and user-friendly interface
• Support for multiple data types (text, numbers, dates, etc.)
• Customizable fields and form layouts
• Improved data visualization and reporting tools
• Advanced search, filtering, and sorting options
• Scalability and performance enhancements

2. Low-fidelity mockups and Prototyping

Creating wireframes and prototypes can help visualize the improved software's user interface (UI) and interactions. Team feedback and iterative design refinements are vital during this phase.

3. User Interface Design and Usability

Once the wireframes and prototypes were approved, the focus was on UI design and usability enhancements. This involved improving the visual appeal, ease of navigation, and overall user experience. Key aspects which I considered were:

• Streamlining workflows and reducing user friction
• Intuitive data entry forms and data visualization techniques
• Color schemes, typography, and visual hierarchy
• Consistency in button placement, navigation, and labeling
• Visual hierarchy and information organization
• Responsive design for various devices and screen sizes

ESdat is a very vast product which includes 8 different modules, One important task was to make the navigation consistent and scalable across the platform. Some options I presented for the navigation.

Choosing a colour palette

4. Final prototype

5.Continuous Improvement and Feedback Iteration

The design process doesn't end with deployment. Feedback from users, analytics data, and emerging trends should drive ongoing improvement. Regular updates, bug fixes, and feature enhancements should be prioritized based on user feedback and changing needs.

6.Conclusion

Designing an improved software for data management requires a thorough understanding of user requirements, identifying pain points in the existing solution, and implementing enhancements to streamline workflows and provide advanced features.