Project Dashboard

BACKGROUND

As part of a new dashboard launch and bigger project re-designing a DeltaV Distributed Control System Logbook, I was tasked to design an “intuitive dashboard.”
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The DeltaV Distributed Control System (DCS) is an easy-to-use automation system that simplifies operational complexity and lowers project risk. DeltaV Logbooks helps operations teams collaborate during a shift and facilitate more effective shift handovers.

"How did we balance the need for a visually appealing interface with the functional requirements of a logbook dashboard?"

ROLE                                                        UX Designer, UX Visualizer

TIMELINE                                                December 2022 - March 2023

TEAM                                                       1 (UX Manager)
                                                                     1 (Data Analyst)
                                                                       1 (UX Designer)

ACTIVITIES PERFORMED                    Contextual inquiry, User interviews, User-flows,                                                                        Mid-Hi Fidelity prototypes, Usability Testing

PRIMARY GOAL

With Logbooks, users can record information about daily operations, view a prioritized task list, and access a shift change dashboard that includes shift status and summary reports. Achieve this in a visually appealing way which prompts action and engagement, and doesn’t overwhelm.

IMPACT

PROCESS OVERVIEW

RESEARCH

I conducted contextual interviews with four operators to gather insights. The interviews with operators aimed to understand how they efficiently utilize DeltaV Logbook at work, their pain-points in using Logbook and what they expect from the Logbook functionality

Fig 1: DeltaV Distributed Control System Operators logbooks

The key findings from the interviews include

USER INSIGHTS

The user flow diagram proved instrumental in visualizing the interaction between operators and the "DeltaV logbook".

User Flow Diagram

DESIGN

Research into data visualization graph types
Research into color best practices for data visualization
Validate my hypothesis(goal) and designs with other members of the design team during a weekly crit.

I feel a common pitfall of other dashboard designs I see is showing too much information at once. The focus on what is important or actionable is then often lost. A graph without proper consideration and poor choice of color, or a graph for the sake of showing a graph is not useful and can actually be counter-intuitive and confusing.

USABILITY TESTING

During the testing phase, primary objective was to assess the users ability to comprehend tasks status and easily able to apply filter and view the changes.

Hi-Fi Prototypes

Based on valuable feedback received from 6 operators during the usability testing phase, second round of iteration on design and implemented significant changes. The following are the major modifications made to the design based on user feedback:

Before & After Designs

MAIN FEATURES

RETROSPECTIVE

Choosing the right color palette
I found my data sets were simple and therefore didn’t require the complex palettes of 12 or more colors or the mathematical approaches of some of the other resources I looked into. I ended up creating the palettes for our visualizations from scratch as they needed to include brand colors as well as consider color blindness and accessibility.
Prototypes play a crucial role in the design process
‍Prototypes helped to bridge a gap between conceptualization and implementation allowing me to refine the ideas and create user-centered solutions.

My research into data visualization was eye opening, and I learnt a lot, especially about how hard choosing what graphs for data viz is.

Boosting Engagement by Redesigning the DeltaV Dashboard