Role:
UI/UX Designer
Tools:
Figma
Collaborators:
Design Lead: Bill Guo
Software Lead: Cindy Tipper
Timeline:
Jan 2024 (1 month)
DataShop is a web platform providing learning science researchers with data analysis and visualization tools. The site is managed by CMU's LearnLab, which is part of the Simon Initiative.
I conducted a UI/UX facelift of the DataShop website as my first project under PLUS. My design went live on June 2nd, 2024. Visit the new and improved DataShop here.
We implicitly trust online services/apps that feel and look modern. In order to maintain and ensure DataShop's credibility, I conducted a UI revamp of the site.
DataShop is meant to facilitate novel research in the learning science field.
However, the site's UI was incredibly outdated, making DataShop feel like an abandoned tool of the past.
The site looked outdated, but it was still functional and useful.
My goal was to show researchers this is true by modernizing DataShop's UI.
Primer's primary colors are white and blue, which maintain DataShop's existing primary colors.
Primer's minimal, modern look is instantly recognizable and trustworthy.
DataShop news posts are usually long and extensive. However, on the old site there was no way of minimizing these posts, creating an ocean of text and images researchers had to wade through.
To fix this, I utilized Primer's "triangle" icons to allow users to expand or collapse large content sections, substantially cleaning up the page.
DataShop originally gave users two ways of logging into the site. But to switch between the two, users would have to manually click a button. This is clunky and unintuitive.
To address this issue, I utilized Primer's "Filter Input" component to combine both login methods into one. Now, users have direct access to the two methods without having to physically toggle between them.
This was the first project I completed where I worked within the context of developers and researchers. I learned how to present my design work to a non-designer audience and clearly communicate why I made certain design decisions.
After handing off the designs to DataShop devs, in four months most of the UI changes were public!
There are still a few changes left for the devs to implement, but Cindy (software lead) stated there were many positive comments from DataShop users regarding the updated designs so far.
