Meta
The product: Release calendar is a tool for project managers. It helps them manage projects of different types. It works on Salesforce and can be accessed on the web
Client:
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Meta
My role:
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Interaction Designer
Team:
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UX designer x1
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Developer x2
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Project manager x1
Date & duration:
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2021, 7 months
Responsibilities:
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Wireframes
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Prototypes
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Usability testing
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Design strategy
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Market research
The problem:
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As a user, I'm having trouble managing projects of different categories because I have to switch between projects to work on each of them
The goal:
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Develop a web version of the Release Calendar on Salesforce, allowing project managers to easily manage projects on one board without switching between multiple projects. The transition from the internal project management system to the new Release Calendar needs to be completed within 10 months
Understanding the user
User research: Summary
I conducted research, including online surveys, to understand the problems and challenges faced by Heads of project management departments. What unites all these people is that they don't have much time but need to juggle many tasks at once. In this regard, it was important for me to understand the requirements that the Release calendar should meet and how to design it for maximum efficiency during use
User research: Pain points
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Difficulties sorting projects by multiple parameters
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Difficult calendar navigation due to choppy scrolling
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Unclear current project statuses, insufficient information
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Lack of visual differentiation between projects based on fixed and flexible release dates
Group of personas
Heads of project management departments
The main and only focus group includes heads of project management departments. Employees work both remotely and from offices worldwide. They all have a unique ability to handle and track multiple tasks simultaneously. The outcome of their work is timely product releases used by millions of people worldwide
Persona
Michael
Michael leads the project managers department at Meta on the Oculus Quest VR headset project. He interacts almost daily with C-level executives and over 12 project manager leaders. Michael uses the Release calendar to track the effectiveness of work on each project. He also creates reports for senior management based on data from the Release calendar. Michael needs to work efficiently and be able to easily track project statuses because the speed of project delivery and deployment for millions of people worldwide depends on it
Refer to the appendix for more details
User journeys
Many variations of user paths were developed, and through an iterative process of testing and optimization, the most optimal options were identified. All of them are listed below
User journey map
The user journey map is designed to visualize his experience and interactions with the Release calendar tool throughout typical workflow. By mapping out journey, I can identify pain points, areas of improvement, and opportunities to enhance the usability and effectiveness of the Release calendar. This will ultimately help optimize workflow, improve project management efficiency, and contribute to the successful delivery of projects
Michael
Goal: Track the status of all projects, use filters to easily search for a project by category and filter by manager name, find a problem with any project, draw up a report and report to C-level management, then transfer feedback and adjustments to the project manager through the Release calendar
Refer to the appendix for more insights
Starting the design
Paper wireframes
The task was to create a signup and account creation process. After collecting feedback from a focus group, I started working on the first version
Raw-fidelity prototype
View project status
Change calendar view
Identify project issues
Adjust calendar settings
Search and learn legend
Use filters and find a project
Find the right project
Draw up a report
Usability study: Findings
Project status
Round 1 findings:
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Project status is not visible on the board with all projects
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There is no visual indication of different project statuses
Round 2 findings:
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Project status is displayed directly on the project card, making visual prioritization easier
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Each project status has a corresponding color code, making it easier to sort projects
Change calendar view
Round 1 findings:
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The switch to display the calendar by days or months is located in the settings menu, making it complicated to use
It's difficult to understand which day or month is currently displayed; it would be better to make it more noticeable
Round 2 findings:
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The switch to display the calendar by days or months is now on the main calendar page, improving usability
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The current user position in the calendar is clearly visible in the header, helping navigation speed
Identify project issues
Round 1 findings:
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Not all task statuses in the project have a visual indication
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There is a lack of tooltips that could explain what each task status means
Round 2 findings:
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Each task status in the project has a unique visual representation in the form of an accompanying icon, making interaction with the calendar easier
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Tooltips with brief explanations of task statuses significantly facilitate prioritization on the calendar board
Adjust calendar settings
Round 1 findings:
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There's no option to hide the legend
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It's impossible to apply multiple calendar settings simultaneously
Round 2 findings:
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The option to hide the legend looks beneficial and increases the useful area of the calendar by 10%
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Applying multiple settings at once helps to personalize the calendar more flexibly
Learn legend
Round 1 findings:
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Too many information, easy to get lost in them
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The legend doesn't hide while scrolling
Round 2 findings:
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Only the most important information are displayed in the legend, reducing visual clutter when viewing projects
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The legend hides while scrolling, increasing the useful area and allowing more useful information to be displayed
Use filters
Round 1 findings:
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There are no quick filters; it takes a long time to find the right one
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There's no option to reset all applied filters
Round 2 findings:
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The main filters are moved to a different module, making them easier to use
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The added option to reset all applied filters speeds up project filtering and allows for quick changes to the selection
Refer to the appendix for themes
Refining the design
High-fidelity prototype
Projects review
Calendar view
Adjust settings
Search with filters
Accessibility considerations
Proper toggle switch placement:
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After testing sessions with a focus group, it was decided to move the toggle switch to the main calendar page. This allowed target users to reduce the number of clicks and monitor projects more than 50% faster
Visual cues and icons for project statuses:
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Over 80% of users faced problems understanding project statuses. It was decided to introduce unique color accents and icons for each status. This change satisfied over 87% of respondents and reduced task analysis time by over 2 times
Improving filtering:
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While observing the focus group, I noticed a recurring problem: users took a long time to find the right filter and couldn't quickly reset applied parameters. I implemented 4 quick filters and added a "Reset all" button. These solutions received a positive response from the focus group, with over 90% of respondents noticing a significant increase in their productivity
Going forward
Takeaways
Impact:
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The implemented changes, such as changing flow for the calendar, adding visual cues for statuses and filters redesign significantly improved user experience and user productivity
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Recent changes have positively impacted release speed and reduced significant delays, according to information from the audit and quality control department
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The platform has been successfully launched and replaced the old version within Meta's internal ecosystem. According to corporate surveys, most employees are satisfied with the new tool, which speeds up the completion of routine tasks
Lessons learned:
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Initially, only one user suggested implementing the "Hide Weekends" feature. I didn't pay much attention to it, but later I put it up for a vote, and 90% of the focus group participants said they would like to see this feature in the product. The lesson here is that even one person's opinion can carry weight and have a significant impact in the long run
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Initially, project card colors were unified, but in later versions, two colors were introduced to denote specific project statuses. Despite approval and release, users with color vision anomalies found the colors indistinguishable. Due to time constraints, the design remained unchanged, leading to accessibility issues. Moving forward, I'll include users with vision impairments in earlier interviews
What I could do better:
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At the project's outset, I didn't spend enough time testing various hypotheses about the most important feature - the calendar display. In the future, I should allocate more time to the core product
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Our focus group was from Meta, which makes sense since I was creating an internal product for a specific team. But for similar projects in the future, I should expand the pool of respondents and conduct user interviews with teams from competitor companies
Next steps
Implement UI enhancements:
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Incorporate the insights gained from user testing and usability studies to enhance the user interface. Focus on improving project status visibility, calendar view modes, and filter functionalities to address user needs and preferences effectively
Iterative development:
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Adopt an iterative development approach to gradually introduce and test new features and updates. Continuously gather feedback from users, conduct usability tests, and analyze user interactions to refine and optimize the platform's usability and functionality over time
Appendix
User empathy
Project status
Change calendar view
Identify project issues
Adjust calendar settings
Affinity diagram
Overall app
Goal statement
The Release calendar tool for web will let users efficiently manage projects of different categories within a single interface, facilitating seamless project tracking, clear communication with stakeholders, and timely decision-making
I will measure effectiveness by evaluating user satisfaction, project delivery timelines, and the frequency of communication breakdowns within project management teams
User story
Michael, as an experienced employee, wants to effectively track project status, use filters for easy search and sorting, promptly address project issues, create detailed reports for senior management, and ensure smooth communication with project managers using the Release calendar
Problem statement
Michael is a project manager who needs an efficient project management tool because he finds it hard to handle various types of projects well, making it tough to keep track of project progress, spot problems quickly, create detailed reports for senior managers, and make sure communication with project managers goes smoothly
Navigate back to the main presentation
Competitive audit report
Competitive audit goal:
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To assess the competitive landscape and identify strengths, weaknesses, gaps, and opportunities among key competitors in the project management software market
Who are the key competitors:
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Asana provides a comprehensive project management platform known for its user-friendly interface and collaboration features
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Trello offers a visual project management tool that organizes tasks and projects using boards, lists, and cards
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Monday.com is a versatile work operating system that helps teams manage tasks, projects, and workflows in one centralized platform
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Jira Software is a powerful project management tool tailored for software development teams, offering agile project tracking and issue management
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Wrike is a cloud-based project management software known for its flexibility, automation capabilities, and real-time collaboration features
What are the type and quality of competitors’ products:
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These competitors offer cloud-based project management solutions with varying degrees of customization, collaboration, and automation features. The quality of their products is generally high, with intuitive interfaces and robust functionality
How do competitors position themselves in the market:
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Asana: Simplify teamwork
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Trello: Organize anything, together
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Monday.com: Work, simplified
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Jira Software: Plan, track, release, and report your workflow
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Wrike: Transform the way you work
How do competitors talk about themselves:
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These competitors position themselves as streamlining teamwork with ease, simplifying project organization and collaboration, making teamwork more productive and enjoyable, empowering teams to deliver great software confidently, and revolutionizing team collaboration and project management
Competitors’ strengths:
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Asana: Intuitive user interface and extensive integrations
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Trello: Visual and flexible task management system
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Monday.com: Customizable workflows and automation capabilities
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Jira Software: Advanced agile project management features and issue tracking
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Wrike: Dynamic request forms and real-time collaboration tools
Competitors’ weaknesses:
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Asana: Limited customization options for project workflows
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Trello: Lack of advanced project management features for complex projects
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Monday.com: Steeper learning curve for new users due to its extensive customization options.
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Jira Software: Complexity and rigidity for non-software development teams
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Wrike: Pricing may be prohibitive for small teams or startups
Gaps:
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Limited integration with other popular software tools
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Lack of robust reporting and analytics features
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Inability to scale effectively for larger enterprises
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Limited support for specific project management methodologies
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Absence of mobile app functionality for on-the-go access
Opportunities:
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Expand into new markets or industry verticals
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Enhance user experience through continuous improvements and updates
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Develop partnerships with complementary software providers to extend functionality
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Offer specialized solutions tailored to specific industries or niches
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Provide comprehensive training and support resources to onboard new users effectively
Competitive audit table
Research study plan
Usability study: User notes
Michael
Additional notes:
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Suggested incorporating a search bar for quicker project search
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Recommended adding indicators for urgent updates to grab attention
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Proposed adding customizable themes for personalization
Navigate back to the main presentation
Themes
Change calendar view
It was observed that 7 out of 9 participants found switching calendar modes in settings uncomfortable and slow. This suggests I need to move the switch and improve how people interact with it
Most participants agree that switching between release calendar display modes needs improvement
Supporting evidence from the usability study:
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7 out of 9 participants generally found switching the calendar display in settings is uncomfortable
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4 out of 9 participants suggested their ideas to improve the toggle switch and suggested other minor enhancements for different parts of the application
Participant 1 - Michael:
“Overall, I like how the calendar looks, but sometimes the user experience is confusing. However, I suggested improvements and hope they will be implemented in the new release.”
Search with filters
It was observed that 8 out of 9 participants had trouble quickly filtering projects. This means I need to review the filter structure and offer users a new layout
Most participants agreed that the filter component needs improvement
Supporting evidence from the usability study:
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8 out of 9 participants noted the lack of quick filters as a major issue
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7 out of 9 participants said they needed a button to clear all filters for faster performance
Participant 1 - Michael:
“So, I applied multiple filters in each available category, and to change my selection, I have to delete each parameter manually. It takes a lot of time, so I suggested adding a button to reset all filters at once.”
Navigate back to the main presentation
Insight identification
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Based on the theme that there's no visual indication of different project statuses, an insight is: implementing a unique color code for each status will help users visually sort projects more easily
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Based on the theme that the switch between daily and monthly calendar view is in the settings menu, complicating interaction, an insight is: moving the calendar view switch to the main page header will significantly speed up interaction with the calendar
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Based on the theme that there's no tooltip to explain project status, an insight is: adding a tooltip with a brief explanation of task status will help managers reduce the time spent identifying tasks
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Based on the theme that it's impossible to apply multiple calendar settings simultaneously, an insight is: introducing the feature to apply multiple settings at once will help users more flexibly personalize the calendar
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Based on the theme that the legend is too bulky and doesn't hide while scrolling, an insight is: keeping only the most important symbols in the legend and hiding it while scrolling will improve the overall user experience
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Based on the theme that there's no function to reset all applied filters, an insight is: adding a function to reset all applied filters will speed up project filtering and allow users to quickly change their selection
Insight-based enhancements
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Enhanced project status visibility: Users want a clear way to see project statuses on project cards. Adding color-coded labels or badges would help them prioritize tasks better
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Streamlined calendar view navigation: Participants had difficulty switching between daily and monthly calendar views in settings. They recommended moving it to the main calendar page for easier access and clearer navigation
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Enhanced task status representation: Users found it hard to see task statuses in projects, so they suggested clear icons on project cards and tooltips for task prioritization
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Improved calendar settings functionality: Users want more calendar customization options for better productivity
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Improved filter efficiency: Participants want filtering to be simpler. Adding quick filters and a reset option would help them find projects faster
Overall research insights
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Design focused on users: Insights from user testing sessions highlighted the importance of designing for users' needs. Changes from user feedback improved the app to better meet user expectations and enhance usability
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Satisfactory calendar functionality: Users like how simple and smooth the main calendar features are, making project management more efficient
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High degree of personalization: Users appreciated the calendar's customization options, which let them tailor it to their needs and work effectively
Recommendations
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Gradually introduce and test new UX for project cards, then implement the highest-rated solution
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Implement a new calendar view mode for better project viewing, including by hours
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Improve filters using feedback from new focus groups for better project filtering
Loved what you saw?
Review CV, connect on LinkedIn, or email me at s.malchanau@7tam.net