Hardware Diagnostics
UX/UI Design
The Hardware Diagnostics project was one of my favorites and a significant milestone in my career as a UX Designer. Spanning 24 months from 2018 to 2020, this was my first international project and a pivotal moment that marked my transition to a mid-level UX Designer role.
Despite having only two years of experience, I embraced the challenge and led a team of two designers, alongside 8 engineers, 3 QA testers, 1 Product Manager, and 1 Project Manager. Our mission was to overhaul the Lenovo Diagnostics tool, enhance its usability, and integrate cutting-edge technologies. Frequent alignments with the Chinese project owners presented initial communication challenges due to accents and cultural differences, which were overcome through collaboration and understanding.
This project not only honed my skills in UX design but also exposed me to the intricacies of working within a culturally diverse, international team.
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Client
Lenovo
Role
Middle UX Designer
duration
24 months
Year
2018
location
USA - China - Brazil (Remote)
Brief
Revitalizing Lenovo Diagnostics in a 24-month UX project (2018-2020), improving usability, and integrating new technologies. Led a diverse team, addressing global usability challenges and cultural nuances.
Challenge
The main challenge was improving the user experience of the Lenovo Diagnostics tool, which faced significant usability barriers in various manufacturing locations worldwide. The interface had become outdated and was not adapting to new technologies. Additionally, integrating with a parallel project required adherence to specific style guides and cultural sensitivities, particularly for the Chinese market. Frequent communication with Chinese project owners introduced initial difficulties due to accents and cultural differences, further complicating the alignment process. These challenges demanded a meticulous and culturally aware approach to redesigning the interface and ensuring a seamless, user-friendly experience for a global audience.
What I did
In the Hardware Diagnostics project, I set goals and objectives, conducted stakeholder interviews, and performed a heuristic evaluation. I conducted competitive research and benchmarking, visited the Lenovo Brazil repair center, and carried out extensive UX research. This included establishing key audiences, building personas, creating scenarios, user journeys, and stories, as well as creating site maps. I developed wireframes, mockups, and a robust design system, producing both low-fidelity and high-fidelity prototypes to iteratively test and refine the user experience. Each step was meticulously planned to address usability challenges and ensure the new interface met the needs of a global user base.
Objectives
- Improve and preserve the user experience of the Lenovo Diagnostics tool used in manufacturing plants worldwide.
- Ensure the interface effectively communicates with users, considering cultural differences and adhering to specific style guides.
- Integrate new technologies to update the outdated interface and enhance overall functionality.
- Address and overcome usability barriers impacting users globally.
- Foster seamless communication and collaboration with Chinese project owners, overcoming initial challenges related to accents and cultural differences.
Approach
1. Research
- Scope of Research:
My journey began with a deep dive into the existing system, aiming to understand its complexities. This led to a bold expedition to a bustling factory in São Paulo, Brazil. The research was exploratory, identifying real stakeholder pains, desires, and needs.
- Research Planning:
We started with desk research, studying the existing interface and Chinese culture. We adjusted our plans due to time and budget constraints, defining extreme and quota sampling.
- Data Collection:
Initial data collection included interviews with team members, engineers, and stakeholders. We identified user profiles (proto-personas) through online meetings.
2. Ideation
It was a burst of creativity and collaboration. We organized brainstorming sessions at Lenovo, bringing together diverse perspectives to reimagine the interface and user journey. The insights from our ethnographic research guided these discussions, leading to the development of detailed wireframes that outlined the new design.
3. Prototyping
Prototyping was where the magic began to take shape, starting with low-fidelity prototypes to test concepts and gather feedback. As ideas refined, high-fidelity prototypes brought the new interface to life. Usability tests and continuous validation with engineers and stakeholders ensured each iteration improved. Creating a comprehensive design system was crucial for consistency and streamlined development. Implementation required close collaboration with developers, integrating new technologies, and improving usability, while maintaining constant dialogue with Chinese project owners to align with cultural sensitivities. Rigorous testing cycles provided insights to fine-tune the design, resulting in a user-centered solution that exceeded stakeholder expectations and transformed the Lenovo Diagnostics tool.
The old Lenovo Diagnostics UI was outdated, cluttered, and unintuitive, making it difficult for users to navigate and perform tasks efficiently. It lacked modern aesthetics, did not support new technologies, and had a poor visual hierarchy. The interface was not designed for internationalization, failing to meet the needs of a diverse global user base, especially in the Chinese market. It used technical jargon, creating a steep learning curve and ongoing frustration. These issues led to increased support requests and longer resolution times, impacting operational effectiveness. Revamping the UI required a user-centered approach to create an intuitive, efficient, and globally adaptable solution.
The new Lenovo Diagnostics UI is a modern, intuitive, and user-friendly interface designed to address the shortcomings of the old system. It features a clean, organized layout with a well-defined visual hierarchy, making navigation straightforward and efficient. The design incorporates support for new technologies and diagnostic tools, ensuring the system is future-proof. It is also culturally sensitive, with internationalization considerations to meet the needs of a global user base, particularly in the Chinese market. The interface uses clear, accessible language, reducing the learning curve and improving overall user satisfaction. This revamped UI enhances usability, boosts productivity, and aligns with Lenovo’s brand identity, providing a seamless experience for users worldwide.
Design Decisions
- Conducted extensive research, including heuristic evaluation, card sorting, contextual interviews, and ethnographic studies.
- Created personas and wireframes based on research insights.
- Developed a new UI that balanced usability and brand identity, considering cultural nuances.
Solution
We adopted a user-centered design approach, informed by extensive research, including interviews, focus groups, and ethnographic studies in a factory environment. The collaboration with another designer ensured the new interface improved user experience while aligning with Lenovo's brand values.
Opportunities
The project opened opportunities for the bank to innovate further in digital services and provided a framework for ongoing adaptation to changing customer needs.
Learnings
The project enhanced my ability to lead a UX project from concept through to execution, teaching me valuable lessons in handling user feedback, aligning with business goals, and managing design under tight deadlines. I also gained insights into the specific needs of younger banking customers, which will inform future projects in the financial sector.
Other Projects
Global Personal Care Cosmetics Group
A 15-month UX overhaul for a global cosmetic leader, focusing on user-centered solutions, aligning stakeholders, and addressing key pain points for a seamless digital experience.
Magalu Cloud
Leading a multifaceted team to design, develop, and launch foundational cloud services and a corporate website, setting new standards in the Brazilian tech sector.