Powerlines
Modernizing Dominion Energy Powerline Projects with a design system
Summary
As Dominion Energy's Powerline Projects expanded, the challenge of efficiently sharing vital construction-related information with homeowners emerged. To address this, an approach involving platform enrichment was taken.
This entailed creating a library of adaptable components derived from thorough UX research, facilitating seamless integration across all projects. This strategy not only improved user experience by simplifying information sharing but also promoted a cohesive and consistent platform, nurturing a user-centric environment.
Role
UX Researcher, UX/UI Designer
Collaborators
Project Manager, UX Lead, Developers
Timeline
2020, 16 Weeks
Problems
The Powerlines team faced a substantial influx of calls and inquiries, primarily from homeowners impacted by powerline construction and maintenance activities. The team expressed a desire to streamline these inquiries and redirect them to more efficient channels. However, when homeowners were provided with the website link as a resource, they frequently encountered usability issues, leaving them disoriented regarding the navigation required to access pertinent information about the ongoing construction and its associated impacts.
This situation underscored several user experience (UX) challenges:
- Information Overload: Homeowners were overwhelmed with information, making it challenging for them to locate the specific details they needed amidst the website's content.
- Information Hierarchy: The website lacked a clear hierarchy, making it difficult for users to discern which sections contained the most relevant information related to construction and its consequences.
- Navigation Confusion: Users struggled to navigate the website effectively, leading to a sense of disorientation as they attempted to find the right resources.
- User Journey Clarity: The user journey from landing on the website to finding relevant construction-related information was convoluted, requiring a more intuitive path.
Solutions
To address the user experience (UX) challenges faced by the Powerlines team and homeowners, a holistic approach was taken.
- A Content Management System (CMS) tailored for the team's needs was introduced, enabling easy project management, editing, and removal. This CMS facilitated the creation of a well-organized information structure with clear categories, making it effortless for homeowners to navigate and find relevant information throughout the website.
- Additionally, a user-centric design approach was adopted, optimizing content for readability and clarity. Mobile responsiveness was prioritized, ensuring accessibility from any device. User journeys were refined to guide homeowners efficiently through the site.
These solutions collectively streamlined the user experience, reducing the team's workload and empowering homeowners to access project details with ease.
Research:
The journey towards enhancing the user experience began with a comprehensive research phase. Initially, stakeholder interviews were conducted to gain insights into the rationale behind creating a sub-site dedicated to power line projects. These interviews provided a valuable understanding of the perspectives and needs of various stakeholders involved in the project.
Subsequently, user interviews were conducted to delve deeper into the UX challenges faced by homeowners and other users. The primary objective was to identify pain points and areas where users encountered difficulties when attempting to locate crucial information. This user-centric approach allowed us to pinpoint the exact moments in the user journey where individuals were getting lost or experiencing frustration, leveraging user insights to inform our design and content strategy.
By combining the findings from stakeholder and user interviews, we were able to develop a holistic understanding of the project's objectives and user needs. This research formed the foundation for the subsequent UX improvements, ensuring that the sub-site's design and functionality would directly address the identified pain points and enhance the overall user experience.
Wireframing:
Given the importance of budget constraints in the decision-making process, we pursued a dual-track approach, offering two distinct solutions tailored to the available resources. The first solution drew upon existing components from their pre-existing Content Management System (CMS), presenting a cost-effective option for implementation. This solution prioritized leveraging familiar elements to minimize development costs while enhancing the user experience.
Simultaneously, a more comprehensive sub-site concept with a distinct navigation structure was devised. This approach aimed to provide an optimized user experience by crafting a dedicated environment specifically designed to meet the unique needs of powerline project stakeholders and homeowners.
To validate the viability of these solutions and inform the final decision, a fully functional Axure RP prototype was meticulously developed. This prototype served as a powerful tool for conducting usability testing with users and presenting the proposed solutions to stakeholders. Through rigorous testing and feedback analysis, the sub-site solution emerged as the preferred choice, as it demonstrated superior usability, responsiveness to user needs, and alignment with best UX practices. This selection underscored the importance of prioritizing user-centered design principles while considering budgetary constraints, ultimately leading to a more effective and user-friendly solution for all stakeholders involved.
Visual design solution:
Within the context of the sub-site creation, several key UX considerations were imperative to ensure a seamless and inclusive user experience. First and foremost, a design overhaul was essential, encompassing a meticulous reworking of visual elements, including color schemes. The challenge lay in striking a balance between achieving a distinct appearance for the sub-site while preserving its integration into Dominion Energy's overarching design system. This endeavor required careful selection of colors and design elements that harmonized with the parent brand's visual identity, thus ensuring brand consistency.
Furthermore, the navigation structure was a critical UX component that demanded significant attention. In particular, the alignment of the sub-site's navigation with Dominion Energy's main header was pivotal to maintain a cohesive user journey. This integration necessitated thoughtful design decisions to seamlessly bridge the gap between the sub-site's unique navigation needs and the broader brand ecosystem.
Accessibility was a core principle throughout the design process. The sub-site was meticulously crafted to adhere to prevailing web accessibility standards, guaranteeing that all users, including those with disabilities, could access and interact with the content effortlessly. This encompassed considerations like clear and consistent typography, keyboard navigation support, alt text for images, and the use of semantic HTML to ensure a barrier-free experience for all users.
By addressing these UX facets - visual design alignment, navigation integration, and accessibility adherence - the sub-site not only achieved a distinctive identity but also ensured a user-friendly and inclusive digital environment that harmonized seamlessly with Dominion Energy's brand while prioritizing accessibility and usability.
Summary:
The redesign of the Powerlines website was a comprehensive and user-centric initiative that aimed to enhance the overall user experience and address key challenges faced by stakeholders. The process began with in-depth research, including stakeholder interviews and user interviews, to understand the necessity of creating a dedicated sub-site and identify pain points in accessing critical information.
Two distinct solutions were proposed to accommodate budget constraints: one leveraging elements from the existing CMS and another introducing a sub-site with a separate navigation structure. User testing and stakeholder presentations using a functional Axure RP prototype ultimately led to the selection of the sub-site solution due to its superior usability and alignment with user needs.
The sub-site redesign incorporated several crucial UX elements, including a visual design overhaul that harmonized with Dominion Energy's branding while maintaining a unique identity. Navigation was carefully crafted to seamlessly integrate with Dominion Energy's main header, ensuring a cohesive user journey. Moreover, the design adhered to current web accessibility standards to provide an inclusive experience for all users.
In summary, the Powerlines website redesign was a holistic UX-driven approach that prioritized user needs, brand consistency, and accessibility. It resulted in an optimized sub-site that streamlined information access, reduced stakeholder workload, and fostered a user-friendly and inclusive digital environment within the Dominion Energy ecosystem.
Neer Patel