Usage data is a feature serves as a powerful tool for organizations, offering benefits in enhancing operational efficiency, cost management, and strategic decision-making. By providing detailed monitoring and analysis of printer usage, it empowers companies to effectively manage printing costs, anticipate maintenance needs, optimize printer allocation, and efficiently manage supplies.
1 Months (before handoff to development)
HP Smart Admin portal (For small and medium-sized businesses)
As an Interaction Designer on the SMB Admin Portal, my role spans from ideation through concept validation to handing off final deliverables to development teams, collaborating closely with marketing, research, copy, and development teams.
Before we even began to receive users feedback, my design instincts alerted me to potential shortcomings in our initial release. To validate these concerns, we conducted thorough user research, gathering detailed feedback from actual users. This process was invaluable, revealing several critical areas where the widget fell short of our goals and user expectations.
As the lead on the redesign of the "Usage Data Report" feature, my primary goal was to refine the tool to better meet the needs of SMB customers. This redesign had two main objectives:
These charts are tailored to provide a comprehensive view of printing, scanning, and faxing activities across the entire printer fleet. The design clearly differentiates between print outputs by pages and by area, accommodating the varied capabilities of large-format printers.
To enable deeper analysis and enhance user engagement, the redesigned interface introduces a 'View Details' option for individual printers. This feature is designed to provide users with comprehensive insights into printer usage:
In developing the deliverables for this feature, I created a comprehensive component that encapsulates all interactive behaviors, enabling developers to play around with it and fully understand the functionality—such as hover effects over columns, average lines, and legends. Each interaction is also directly illustrated within the design file, providing a clear reference of expected behaviors for developers during the implementation phase.
These usage type can be show and hide depends on the type of printers within their org.
Here is the logic diagram that I create to present the show and hide logic to make sure we spoke the same language with Devs to streamline the hand off process.
I customized the responsive view based on our predefined grid system to ensure it met modern usage needs. Our decision to define our own grid system stemmed from the limitations of Veneer's grid system, which only accommodates up to 1400 pixels. Recognizing that IT admins often utilize large monitors, we added two additional definitions: "xx-large" for screen sizes between 1400 and 1920 pixels, and "XXX-large" for screens larger than 1920 pixels. Our grid system consists of 12 columns for every breakpoint, with varying gutters and margins to optimize layout flexibility.
To guarantee that the redesigned "Usage Data Report" feature was implemented with precision, I included detailed visual specifications in the deliverable files. These specifications provide clear guidance on layout, color schemes, typography, and interaction behaviors, ensuring that the development team could replicate the intended design accurately.
Following the deployment to the development team, a subsequent research study was conducted to evaluate the impact of the redesigned usage data feature. The results were highly positive, indicating a significant increase in user satisfaction. Key findings include:
These results underscore the success of the redesign in meeting user needs and enhancing the functionality of the usage data feature, reflecting a marked improvement in both user engagement and operational security.
This is definitely not the end of the improvement of this feature. There are numerous ideas waiting to further amplify its value and utility. Our studies have revealed that many SMBs lack the dedicated staff to sift through usage data. In our next enhancement phase, we aim to leverage AI to fill this void.
In an effort to further refine our user experience and add significant value, I have devised a new feature set aimed at empowering SMBs with smarter, AI-driven tools. This initiative introduces an innovative inline notification system that acts as a direct channel for actionable insights and forecasts.
