NCC Group
Remote, UK
2022 - Present
00
INtroduction
/// Please Note: Due to confidentiality agreements and non-disclosure terms, actual materials are not displayed. The examples provided are for demonstration purposes and may not fully reflect the scope or details of the work performed. Once more of the project can be shown publicly, I will be able to showcase more material.
The NCC Group’s View Portal is a web application designed for managing software escrow, ensuring secure and accessible source code. This redesign project aimed to overhaul the portal’s interface and user journey, simplifying software escrow management, enhancing security features, and improving overall usability.
01
Approach & UNderstanding the problem
/// Goal
The primary goal of the redesign was to completely revamp the View Portal’s interface and user journey to make software escrow management simpler and more approachable. This involved overhauling the navigation, making portfolio management more intuitive, and redesigning the portal from scratch to align with modern user needs and security requirements.
/// Planning and Requirements Gathering:
Usage Analytics: We examined how users interacted with the portal, tracking navigation paths, common actions, and where they encountered issues.
Collaborative Workshops: Engaged with stakeholders through workshops to gather detailed requirements and understand their needs.
Competitor Analysis: We compared our portal to other leading escrow services to see how we could improve user-friendliness and security.
Agile Methodologies: Used agile methods to iterate through sprints, ensuring that user stories were prioritized based on feedback and business impact. This iterative approach allowed us to focus on high-impact features and make data-driven decisions.
02
Discovery
/// Research and Analysis
Usage Analytics: We examined how users interacted with the portal, tracking navigation paths, common actions, and where they encountered issues.
Competitor Analysis: We compared our portal to other leading escrow services to see how we could improve user-friendliness and security.
Heuristic Evaluations: Our team assessed the portal’s usability, identifying areas for immediate improvement.
Industry Reports: We used insights from industry reports, such as those from the Nielsen Norman Group, to guide our design choices.
/// User-Centric Focus
Developed user personas to represent the diverse needs of our target audience, including technical and non-technical users.
Gathered user feedback through surveys to refine our understanding of user needs and preferences.
03
Design Iteration & Solutions
A complete rework of how users navigate the portal has been enabled through the use of a new design system, a complete new aesthetic and branding, ultimately in a vast improved and new product.
/// Design Decisions
Based on our data analysis, we implemented several key changes:
Wireframe Development: Created initial wireframes to outline the redesigned layout and navigation, ensuring a more intuitive user experience.
Simplified Navigation: We reorganised the portal’s layout to make it more intuitive. Menus were streamlined, and key actions were made more accessible.
A Whole new Design System: The legacy version did not align with a cohesive Design System. However, the new version of View now features a consistent, user-centric design
Enhanced Security Features: We integrated multi-factor authentication and end-to-end encryption to ensure data safety without compromising usability.
Improved User Onboarding: A guided onboarding process was introduced to help new users get started quickly and understand the portal’s features.
Responsive Design: Ensuring that the portal works seamlessly across different devices and screen sizes to cater to a diverse user base.
04
Development & Delivery
Rapid Prototyping: Utilised Figma for rapid prototyping, allowing for quick iterations based on feedback and testing results.
Stakeholder Feedback: Incorporated continuous feedback from stakeholders to refine design elements and ensure alignment with project goals.
Finalisation of MVP: Finalised the MVP design, preparing it for implementation and ensuring that all features met the usability and security requirements.
Improved User Onboarding: A guided onboarding process was introduced to help new users get started quickly and understand the portal’s features.
Ongoing Responsive Design: Ensuring that the portal works seamless
05
Growth and Thoughts
/// Learning & Growth
Leading the ongoing redesign of the escrow portal has a blend of design and cybersecurity, pushing me into new territory. I quickly adapted to cybersecurity concepts, applying them through wireframing and prototyping for rapid iteration and enhancement. Feedback from stakeholders and colleagues has been crucial in refining the design to meet the unique needs of escrow services. This approach not only improved the portal’s functionality and security but also marked significant growth in my career, enhancing my design skills and adapting to a new industry.
/// Outcome
The ongoing redesign has improved the portal’s usability and modernisation, boosting user engagement and brand consistency. Our agile approach allows us to quickly adapt to changing requirements, delivering a more intuitive and secure user experience.
/// Takeaway
Redesigning the escrow service portal has been a unique challenge and a learning opportunity, broadening my expertise in UI/UX design and introducing me to the intricacies of cybersecurity. This ongoing project has enhanced my ability to tackle complex design problems and deepened my appreciation for software security, making a rewarding professional experience.