Project Lead, Team of One
EXO Insights wanted help designing a new dashboard interface for their high-risk industry training software that would be used for a variety of different fields, including nuclear, airforce, policing, firefighting, and manufacturing.
/ Lessons
Designing a comprehensive dashboard customization system was a valuable exercise in producing research-driven results. The project faced minimal difficulties, was delivered on schedule, and addressed a key user issue, reducing negative feedback by ~80%.
01
Research & Ideation
After conducting stakeholder and user interviews during the research phase, we discovered two key pain points: users from different industries needed different dashboard indicators and there was no way to change the dashboard layout. Using these insights, I facilitated brainstorming sessions to generate feature concepts that would allow users to tailor their dashboard layout.
02
Wireframing
During the wireframing phase, I translated research findings into low-fidelity layouts that explored different approaches to organizing widgets, navigation, and data visualization tools. These wireframes focused on clarity and flexibility, ensuring that users could easily add, remove, and rearrange dashboard elements without sacrificing usability.
03
A/B Testing
How did I ensure the wireframes reflected both user needs and business goals?
I related every design choice back to what we learned in research and validated against A/B testing results. If a feature concept didn’t solve a user problem or complicated task completion, it didn’t make the cut. Alternatively, if a feature was low friction for the user, I would implement the feature in the wireframes and test again; gradually building out my system map.
/ Design Pain Points
Indicator size adjustment was a common issue during user testing. The initial proposed solutions were difficult to find or lacked clarity.
The most effective solution was to add both a button and a hidden right-click function. This redundancy was based on the two most common instincts users had.
04
High-Fidelity Mockups
I took the approved wireframes and transformed them into high-fidelity mockups. This stage focused on refining visual hierarchy, typography, and color to align with EXO Insights’ brand, while making interactive elements and data visualizations feel polished and intuitive.
05
Iteration Post Delivery
I continued gathering feedback from users and stakeholders to identify areas for improvement. Using analytics and follow-up interviews, I identified opportunities for further development. I then created targeted design updates and worked closely with developers to roll them out. This iterative approach kept the product evolving to better meet user needs and maintain alignment with business goals.
/ Design Pain Points
After confirming and testing indicators for the new dashboard, I was informed of a change: a new "time selection" button needed to be added to certain indicators. I then had to redesign and retest these indicators before proceeding.
/ Wishes & Takeaways
My one remaining desire for the project was to use the dark mode colour palette. I had proposed the dark palette for a different rebranding project, which I preferred, and although I was able to do some wireframes with the new palette as a sample, the final designs for this project had to maintain the original brand colours.
© Graeme Robinford, 2025