Getting the lay of the land
To initiate this project, I conducted a comprehensive audit of the existing navigation schemes for each Nexus Dashboard service. This audit revealed significant inconsistencies in terminology, labeling, and structure, painting a picture of navigational chaos. Some services used a simple 2-level menu structure, while others employed a multi-level structure with a tree-menu. Many services had an overwhelming number of menu items, making it difficult for users to find the information they needed. Additionally, similar tasks, such as backups, firmware management, and inventory management, were scattered across different services, creating confusion and inefficiency.
Marching toward cohesiveness
Next, I actively engaged key stakeholders from engineering, product, and marketing, fostering collaboration and alignment. Their involvement was instrumental in ensuring that the project goals were in harmony with the broader objectives of the Nexus Dashboard platform.
To gain a deeper understanding of user preferences and task categorization, I conducted comprehensive card sorting exercises. Participants were asked to group related items and tasks, providing valuable insights into user mental models and navigation patterns. This data was invaluable in designing a navigation structure that resonated with users and facilitated efficient task completion.
Finally, I conducted rigorous usability testing to evaluate the proposed navigation design. By observing users interact with the new navigation, I was able to identify potential pain points, areas for improvement, and opportunities to further enhance the user experience. This iterative process of testing and refinement ensured that the final design was both intuitive and effective.
