Exploring Design Debt

Through the introduction of UX discovery research, an antiquated enterprise application is given the opportunity to be redesigned and developed

Company

A growing credit rating agency posed to compete against legacy companies.

Problem

Due to years without a UX team, the company has accrued a significant amount of design debt.

Solution

Use UX research methodology to understand, prioritize, and address design debt.

Role

UX Researcher and Designer

Achievements

32

User interviews conducted, 2-3 from each sector.

750k

Projected savings from redesign enabled by discovery research.

100%

Buy in from users and stakeholders for core enterprise redesign
Discovery

Identifying the gap

To support the efforts to integrate UX, I conducted user interviews and surveyed the technology department to see how well we understood our users. The discovery research allowed the UX team to share what we had already known: products were being built according to user wants, but not responding to user needs

Developers are maintaining legacy applications, without a clear understanding of the purpose of their work. Due lack of cross product team communication, teams have become siloed in their work and efforts are unknowingly replicated. The lack of collaboration costs us time, labor, and efficiency.

Simplifying workflows

At this organization, there are 12 sectors. Each sector reviews a different debt - so while every sector is rating a debt, the debts are composed of different assets. In order to understand the ratings process for each sector, we talked to at least two analysts from each sector to understand their workflows.

After completing interviews, we realized that all of the ratings processes could be simplified into one workflow. While there are bespoke elements in each sector, the steps are the same in each sector.
Redesign

Identifying a consistent pain point

During our discovery phase, Thunderball—an integral compliance tool that captures every step of the ratings process—emerged as a consistent pain point. Given its widespread use across the organization for collecting essential information, we obtained approval to conduct an in-depth exploration of Thunderball's user experience.

Identifying the gap

To support the efforts to integrate UX, I conducted user interviews and surveyed the technology department to see how well we understood our users. The discovery research allowed the UX team to share what we had already known: products were being built according to user wants, but not responding to user needs

Developers are maintaining legacy applications, without a clear understanding of the purpose of their work. Due lack of cross product team communication, teams have become siloed in their work and efforts are unknowingly replicated. The lack of collaboration costs us time, labor, and efficiency.

‍Advocating for a redesign with research

Our UX research has highlighted the necessity to transform Thunderball into a solution that aligns with the evolving needs of our expanding application. Initially designed for a smaller organization of fewer than 50 users, the organization has since outgrown its original capabilities.

A redesign to shorten the workflow

A redesign was approved after the research was presented to stakeholders. The main objective of the redesign is to revise the workflow to be more fluid.

Current workflow

Redesigned workflow

High Fidelity

Reducing loading times

The streamlined user interface results in fewer screens for navigation, leading to natural improvements in loading times.

No more audit risks

Allowing users to upload information in a less rigid workflow eliminates the need for workarounds, preparing the company for successful audits.

No more delays

While the tasks remain the same, users will no longer be delayed because they are waiting for another person to upload information.

Innovating instead maintaining

Instead of working reactively to maintain legacy code, the product team can now focus on building out the application for bespoke matters.
Testimonial
These workflows make the work I do look so simple. I promise it isn't so easy! Loving the redesign; it will make working with Thunderball so much easier.
Analyst, Business Team
I am looking forward to the peace of mind that will be granted when our teams stop using workarounds.
Senior Director, Business Team
Seeing the workflows has been so refreshing. I don't know how much longer I could work on Thunderball without the rework.
Software Engineer, Thunderball Product Team