Accessible Delivery Management Tool

Stage 1. Usability Audit

In the Usability Audit phase, I gathered key insights to ensure the tool would meet user needs and be intuitive for senior directors and project managers.

• Stakeholder Interviews: Conducted interviews with senior directors and project managers to understand their workflows, challenges, and expectations, helping to define the core goals and pain points.

• Competitor Analysis: Analysed existing project management tools to identify strengths and gaps in the market, helping to inform the design direction.

• Task Analysis: Mapped out typical user workflows to ensure the tool would effectively support tasks such as project tracking, risk analysis, and financial monitoring.

• Accessibility Research: Reviewed WCAG 2.1 standards to ensure the tool met accessibility guidelines, focusing on colour contrast, typography, and navigation for users with disabilities.

• Personas and Use Cases: Developed user personas and specific use cases to guide the design process and ensure alignment with real-world user goals and needs.

Stage 2. Design Strategy

In the Design Strategy phase, I translated insights from the usability audit into a clear and actionable plan to guide the tool’s development. The focus was on creating a user-centered design that aligned with both user needs and business goals.

• Defining Core Objectives: Based on the research, I identified key objectives for the tool, including providing clear visibility into project health, enabling quick decision-making, supporting efficient workflows, and ensuring accessibility for all users.

• User Flows and Information Architecture: I mapped out user flows to define how users would interact with the tool, such as viewing projects, filtering data, and tracking milestones. This informed the information architecture, ensuring a logical layout that minimised cognitive load.

• Wireframes and Low-Fidelity Prototypes: I created wireframes to lay out the structure of key screens, focusing on navigation and core features. Low-fidelity prototypes allowed me to test user flows and gather initial feedback before refining the design.

• Design Principles and Aesthetic Considerations: I defined design principles to ensure consistency, clarity, and accessibility. This included a focus on visual hierarchy, intuitive interactions, and meeting WCAG accessibility standards for colour contrast and readability.

• Iterative Process: The design strategy was iterative, allowing for continuous refinement based on user feedback and stakeholder input. This ensured that the final product would meet user needs while aligning with business objectives.

Stage 3. Prototype Development

In the Prototype Development phase, I focused on bringing the design strategy to life by creating an interactive and functional prototype to test with users and stakeholders.

• Wireframing: I began with low-fidelity wireframes to establish the basic layout, structure, and flow of key screens. This helped me ensure the interface prioritised essential features, such as project tracking, filtering options, and key data visualisations. Wireframing allowed for early-stage user testing to refine navigation and layout before moving to more detailed designs.
  
  

• High-Fidelity Prototyping: Once the wireframes were validated, I developed an interactive, high-fidelity prototype, integrating detailed visual elements such as typography, color schemes, and icons. This version closely mirrored the final product, enabling users to interact with realistic features like portfolio health metrics, project milestones, and the release calendar. The high-fidelity prototype allowed for more refined user testing and feedback on the usability of the tool.
  
  

• User Interface Design: In the final phase of prototype development, I focused on perfecting the UI design, ensuring the interface was visually appealing, intuitive, and accessible. I incorporated a user-centered approach, paying particular attention to WCAG accessibility standards to ensure the tool was usable for people with varying abilities. Key elements like color contrast, button placement, and visual hierarchy were carefully considered to enhance the overall user experience, making it both functional and aesthetically consistent.