Streamlining Enterprise Data Lake Platform

Marketplace- Enterprise Data Lake Management platform, 2019

IBM Internal Project, Chief Data Office Department

2 years

UI Design Lead and Design Mentor

A global team of IBMers; Developers, 2 UI Designers, Data Scientists, Scrum Master, Product Owner, and Business Stakeholders

Agile

Sketch, Invision, Zeplin, Mural

IBM's Carbon Design System 

High fidelity wireframes, Mockups, Prototypes, and Design Review

The enterprise data lake platform posed significant challenges due to its complexity and reliance on manual user intervention. Users encountered difficulties with data onboarding, data governance, data discovery, and ensuring proper data access and security. The objective was to streamline these activities and create a more intuitive and user-friendly experience for data management within the platform.

One of the key focus areas was to streamline the project discovery process, which previously relied on manual steps, lacked visibility, and led to confusion for users regarding the status and progress of their projects on the CEDP data lake.

Having some of the stakeholders who were also users of the platform was a double-edged sword in my opinion. The stakeholders brought firsthand experience and insights that greatly contributed to the design process. Their involvement helped ensure that the platform meets the needs of its intended users while aligning with the stakeholders’ goals and objectives. However, it was important for me to carefully manage the potential conflicts of interest and ensure that all perspectives are considered in the design decisions.

We conducted stakeholder interviews to gather insights and understand pain points.

The project owners faced challenges finding the right person to guide them on starting their project on the CEDP data lake. The existing process involved sending a complex PowerPoint deck with numerous questions, leading to user frustration and uncertainty.

We focused on digitizing and automating the project discovery process, enhancing visibility, simplifying the form, and automating key steps.

- Increased Visibility: We provided users with a clear view of the process, enabling them to track their progress and stay informed about the project's status.

- Simplified Form: We redesigned the form, organizing data fields and sections, simplifying questions, and giving hints to the user.

- User Feedback: After each iteration, we gathered feedback from stakeholders and users to guide subsequent design and development cycles.

Continuous Refinement: We will continuously refine the platform based on user feedback and evolving requirements to ensure an optimal user experience.

By implementing these changes, we successfully transformed the project discovery process, enhancing efficiency, user satisfaction, and overall project success on the CEDP data lake.

- Create New Form Button: I would replace the existing "Create New Form" card with a prominent button to avoid potential visibility issues, especially for users managing numerous projects.

- Simplify the Form: I would organize the data fields in a single column, and introduce dividers between section of related fields for better visual hierarchy and clarity.

- Cancel Button: To improve usability, I would add a "Cancel" button to allow users to exit the form without navigating back and forth between pages.