UX Discovery

dLab: Power Grid Analysis

dLab provides an advanced analysis service for power grid owners, where the core is a powerful analysis engine that processes measurement data from the grid.

I was commissioned to conduct a user-centered preliminary study, or UX discovery, for dLab’s advanced analysis portal. The purpose was to gain a deeper understanding of the users’ needs, goals, and challenges.

The goal was to establish a solid foundation for future improvements to the user experience in the platform.

Internal stakeholder interviews

I conducted interviews and held meetings with stakeholders at dLab to get an initial picture of the product and its use cases.

Semi-structured user interviews

Planned and conducted interviews with current users to gain in-depth insights. I picked users with varying type of jobs & usage scenarios.

User research

Investigated who uses the portal, their goals, technical proficiency, and work environment.

Analysis and Synthesis

Compiled and analyzed collected data to identify patterns and themes.

Personas

Developed different personas to represent and communicate the needs and goals of the primary user groups.

User Journeys

Visualized typical flows to illustrate how users interact with the system and where they encounter obstacles.

Identification of Pain Points

Localized obstacles and frustrations in the user interface and interaction flows.

Suggestions for UI/UX improvements

Presented specific measures to improve the interface based on the analysis.

Next steps & Suggestions

I gave dLab suggestion on how to preceed to work with the suggested UX improvements and how to remedy some of the pain points outlined. I also gave them tips on how to use Personas and User Journeys to evaluate design decisions.