The first version, the Mid-Fi, and the Hi-fi prototype of the proposed new UI.
About MCX Skövde
Material ConneXion (MCX) is one of the world’s leading material databases today and consists of around 10 000 innovative and sustainable materials. Other than guiding other companies through all of their materials, MCXs service also consists of a licensing agreement which gives companies access to MCXs complete database of materials, as well as manufacturer information.
The challenge
The purpose of this project was to create a HiFi-prototype of the MCX Skövde internal database, highlighting improvements that could be implemented on their User Interface. To be able to have as firm a foundation as possible, well-known web guidelines and design principles were applied in the prototype, which also was based on findings from a literature study of scientific papers pertaining to this project.
The suggestions for improvement are clearly described with a clear basis in heuristics, demands, interviews and literature. It is good that you refer to the respondents’ needs and your own discoveries all throughout. - Marie Schnell, Supervisor
The process
Mobile first was an important term since the product owner wanted to be able to walk around the material showrooms and not be hindered by the lack of a laptop or a PC, a mobile phone had to suffice. Andy Budd's heuristics were used in a heuristic evaluation, and the findings were categorized on a priority scale, where findings listed as a 1 was in dire need of fixing, whilst a 4 was considered cosmetic.
Concepts from the early stages.
From left to right: Childrens book, carnival & restaurant.
The concept that was eventually chosen was the cards-concept. The cards-concept was the concept that most complied with the users mental models, and it’s one of the most used concepts because the shape is easily recognized by users, which in turn lower the users cognitive cost when using the UI.
The outcome
With the data gathered and the basis for the design choices confirmed, a hi-fi prototype was created. The prototype included materials that were on display in one of MCX Skövde’s locations. It also allows for easier navigation throughout the whole system, and the users have the option of either an abbreviated or a detailed description of each material.
The different steps in the Hi-fi prototype of the proposed new UI.
Takeaways
The main takeaways for me during this project are threefold:
Communication is key!
Straight forward communication with the product owner will allow for the design to be even more aligned with what the product owner has in their mind.
Be flexible!
Everything was planned in detail for this project and then the Covid-19 pandemic hit, and a lot of changes had to be made, but that is ok.
Teamwork equals dreamwork!
Do not take things personal, move on from designs, and do it as a team.
