PROJECT BACKGROUND
Konica Minolta’s printer has been largely purchase and used in various places include companies, schools, libraries, governments and convenient stores. The client had received many complaints about their printer products, and asked us to improve their printer management system experience. Contrary to dashboard panel embedded on the printer, the printer management system can only be accessed via printer IP address just like routers. Compare with dashboard panel, the management system has much more features for complicated operations which is vital to Konica Minolta as their customers are mostly business customers who need to manage their printers instead of just printing.
Design Process and Deliverables
As we were requested to make a preliminary design, i used a user-centered design process: creating personas, conducting expert evaluation, ideating based on findings, creating prototypes, hallway usability testing and high-fidelity visuals for our proposed design solution.
The project has been divided into two phases. The first phase includes creating personas, conducting expert evaluation, and visual directions. I created 5 personas, reviewed over 100 screens of current system, created an information architecture diagram and I also wrote a 32 page report that outlines the process and summarize all our findings and recommendations. After first phase, we had a review with client and got their approval on our report, then began phase two where we could complete full wireframe and visual designs.
Personas
Although the client knew where their products were using, and who the users were, they didn’t fully understand users’ behavior and motivation. I was unable to identify optimization direction without understanding target users. Therefore I created user personas and scenarios together with the client to form a common understanding.
Expert evaluation
Every page of the system had been evaluated and usability issues were identified with recommendations for optimization provided.
Optimization Directions
Layout Analysis
System Info and Supplement Info occupy too much vertical space, users have to scroll to see more important information.
The information in Supplement Info Area are separated, similar information are too far from each other.
The logout, refresh, support icons look similar visually, and belong to the same group, but they are placed upper-right, lower-right and left 3 positions.
Logout button next to user name will build nature connections to its purpose automatically.
Menu space is not enough especially in admin’s view, it is more difficult to use in a tablet .
Optimized designs
For different user groups, I try to let them focus only on what they need without unnecessary information interruption. Therefore the information on the screen would be clean and tailored for the specific users and save overwhelmed space.
Based on “What you see is what you get" philosophy, I try to make user aware what they are actually operating, especially action in management system involves a lot of remote work.
Visualized information increases the efficiency of understanding the information considering the system is full of data.
For complicated setup process, clear instructions and tips can improve the efficiency and accuracy. I made clear process instructions in each user flow, simplify the process, increase the possibility of user self-correction and error prevention mechanism, to ensure users can complete tasks timely.
Final Thoughts
This project was a good example to demonstrate how to utilize the user-centered design process when there were constraints to conduct user research. I was surprised to know there were needs of using a web management system of printer. However, after diving into this project, i realized there were many scenarios that we might not see often but the needs existed for a large groups of people you just didn’t know.
I was glad that we went to the final phase so we could present our complete designs to the client. It could only be done if the client acknowledge the output from the first phase. It was important to keep close connection with client especially when they located far away, which helped us understand client’s thoughts and get them approved.