Routing Pilot.
Routing Pilot.
Routing Pilot.
Improving usability in a route planning system for electrical infrastructure
Improving usability in a route planning system for electrical infrastructure
OVERVIEW
OVERVIEW
RoutingPilot is a powergrid decision-support tool that generate and evaluate optimal power line routes. Through an 8-week cognitive UX project, I conducted an extensive heuristic evaluation and usability testing framework resulting in an interactive prototype that improves usability and user experience.
RoutingPilot is a powergrid decision-support tool that generate and evaluate optimal power line routes. Through an 8-week cognitive UX project, I conducted an extensive heuristic evaluation and usability testing framework resulting in an interactive prototype that improves usability and user experience.
Role
UX/UI Designer
Timeline
8 weeks
Industry
Electrical
RESEARCH
To evaluate the system's usability a dual-research framework was applied:
To evaluate the system's usability a dual-research framework was applied:
Qualitative Usability Testing: Semi-structured user interviews combined with usability testing and Likert-scale quantitative metrics.
Qualitative Usability Testing: Semi-structured user interviews combined with usability testing and Likert-scale quantitative metrics.
Heuristic Evaluation: A comprehensive audit grounded in Jakob Nielsen’s 10 Usability Heuristics to identify hidden usability problems.
Heuristic Evaluation: A comprehensive audit grounded in Jakob Nielsen’s 10 Usability Heuristics to identify hidden usability problems.
PROBLEMS
Visual hierarchy: Some key elements didn't stand out, increasing the effort needed to scan screens.
Visual hierarchy: Some key elements didn't stand out, increasing the effort needed to scan screens.
Ambiguous Terminology: Non-standard terms (e.g., "Uppdrag") mismatched expectations.
Ambiguous Terminology: Non-standard terms (e.g., "Uppdrag") mismatched expectations.
Restricted User Control: Lack of editing and deletion forced users to restart wizards when making minor errors.
Restricted User Control: Lack of editing and deletion forced users to restart wizards when making minor errors.
Navigation Friction: Truncated titles in the side-bar and lack of breadcrumbs created friction when navigating the system.
Navigation Friction: Truncated titles in the side-bar and lack of breadcrumbs created friction when navigating the system.
Abstract Weighting: 0–100% sliders for prioritization (e.g., avoiding waterways) lacked clarity, forcing users to guess percentage impacts during template creation.
Abstract Weighting: 0–100% sliders for prioritization (e.g., avoiding waterways) lacked clarity, forcing users to guess percentage impacts during template creation.
DESIGN SOLUTIONS
DESIGN SOLUTIONS
DESIGN SOLUTIONS
Dashboard View
Dashboard View
Improved visual hierarchy and introduced filter and search options along with an onboarding-module
Improved visual hierarchy and introduced filter and search options along with an onboarding-module
Dashboard View
Improved visual hierarchy and introduced filter and search options along with an onboarding-module
Mental Model for Creating Templates
Mental Model for Creating Templates
Replaced 0–100% sliders with a discrete 5-point priority scale, reducing choice complexity and clarifying impact
Replaced 0–100% sliders with a discrete 5-point priority scale, reducing choice complexity and clarifying impact
Navigation & Terminology
Navigation & Terminology
Non-truncated sidebar items paired with interactive breadcrumbs, while updating terminology to match mental models.
Non-truncated sidebar items paired with interactive breadcrumbs, while updating terminology to match mental models.
User Control
User Control
Implemented modals for editing and deleting elements.
Implemented modals for editing and deleting elements.
OUTCOME
High-Fidelity Figma Prototype: Redesigned the entire UI flow into an interactive prototype that resolves usability issues and modernizes the interface.
High-Fidelity Figma Prototype: Redesigned the entire UI flow into an interactive prototype that resolves usability issues and modernizes the interface.
Standardized UX and Terminology: Improved navigation, updating terminology, and adding new features for user freedom and control.
Standardized UX and Terminology: Improved navigation, updating terminology, and adding new features for user freedom and control.
Deliverables: Highly interactive Figma-file, project report, presentation and video demonstration.
Deliverables: Highly interactive Figma-file, project report, presentation and video demonstration.
