Secure Document Repository - Designing the User Experience

Part II – Designing a Secure Document Repository; Case Study 2019

TLDR; Last month I posted Part I of how I designed a service integration project within the suit of financial apps for a large international retail bank and asset manager. This is the second part of that post, concentrating on ‘My UCD Design Process’ and ‘Future Vision’ and ‘Design Systems’

This was an EPIC Agile story, so I have broken it down into two posts. This is Part II (Part I is here)

4.3 Focussing the user on the task at hand

Focus the user - Making multi choices within a task
Focus the user - Aligning your offer with offer financial services

By introducing a tiered decision making process, the user was able to remain focused on their task in hand. Popover styles were enforced from company guidelines, resulting in more development work but re-enforcing a branded look n’ feel.

4.4 Adding Drag n’ drop to push efficiency

Drab n Drop - Simplify the journey
Drag n’ Drop – Simplify the journey
Drab n Drop - Provide feedback
Drag n’ Drop – Provide feedback
Drab n Drop - Confirm the users actions
Drag n’ Drop – Confirm the users actions

Single drag remained a must-have for Phase I. Allowing a CAA / CA to ‘grab’ a file from the repository and drop it into a presentation was key in-house legacy functionality – this status quo was always seen as a must-have.

4.5 Keep your user informed with themed error handling

Keep the user informed

UX best practice is clear, keep the use informed at every stage of their journey. Here, the visual design uses colour to indicate what type of error message is displayed. Remember graceful error handling is the preferred method – see here for examples. User can receive messages that are;

  • Informative – This tells the user something useful. There has been no human error
  • Warning – An input error has occurred, i.e. incorrect characters.
  • Error – A user action is required to rectify the error before the journey can continue

4.6 Mimicking existing navigational patterns

Streamlining - Show States
Streamlining – Show States

Building parallels between desktop and iOS application is always problematic. Nevertheless preservation of IOS UX navigation patterns needed to be considered. Existing navigation had already been learnt by the users, therefore it was a quick and logical win to leverage this pattern within existing document repositories.

5.0 Providing a vision with future services

5.1 How to ensure multiple client privacy

Bulk transfer is a frequently requested back-office feature. CAA power users prep and create meeting all day everyday. All meeting have a base framework, setting this base structure the CAA responsibility so enabling this with a few clicks is a quick win.

5.2 Streamlining back office prep with multi drag n’ drop

Future services - Multi drag n drop consolidation
Future services – Multi drag n drop consolidation
Future services - Bulk transfer
Future services – Bulk transfer

Capacity within sprints was is always a factor, therefore it was imperative that the UX delivered a phased approach. One step up from MVP with the expected phase II that would bring further enhancements was always the mind set. For example, drag n’ drop, common amongst other internal apps was designed but would be delivered in phases. Initially, single document transfer followed by multi document or bulk transfer, once the PoC was established. Graceful error handling, within the banks UI guidelines, informed users about document clash, unknown client numbers or inevitable connection issues.

5.3 Maintain privacy cross client

Graceful error handling, informing the user and emphasising brand guidelines were all important criteria
Graceful error handling, informing the user and emphasising brand guidelines were all important criteria

With 100’s of meetings a week the CAA user base require quick access, within a strictly confidential framework, to add personalised financial data within the context of a fund statements, financial forecasts, performance metrics of client portfolios, and insights into investment best practice. Within a click, the CA/CAA can access information such as: security level, transaction list, exchange rates and much more. It is also possible to drill down into the fund rates performance metrics.

6.0 Design Systems

This project enabled me to get into the nitty gritty problem solving of a real world issue. In parallel, I took the opportunity to begin the foundations of a Design System. Starting very informally, purely within the Sketch App environment, and working directly with Stakeholders and other UX’ers developing a new online guideline portal – similar to the online guidelines here. As support I also designed a live component library and a reference for perceptual and functional pattens.

7.0 Summary of Part I and II

 Document Repository on the secure desktop environment

With significant delivery primarily on an internal web-based platform helped this world class asset management and retail bank communicate their value proposition within and established secure meeting manager app. As a result, CA and CAA both were able to both add value to their client meetings and do this efficiently within a secure environment.

Part 1 – Focussing on the Challenge, User Stories and Guidelines. Early navigation is highlighted here too
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Russell Webb is a User experience Designer who digs deeper when implementing Design Systems, who facilitates workshops with local building societies up to asset managers behemoth and who builds design teams by sharing best practice and mentoring through the stack.

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