AuditBoard: Redesigned how information is linked and referenced across the product suite

Background

As AuditBoard experienced rapid growth, expanding from a single product to a comprehensive suite of five offerings within just two years, the design team faced significant challenges. While this expansion was indicative of the company's success, the accelerated pace demanded sacrifices in meticulous design practices in favor of meeting immediate business needs. Consequently, the design team grappled with mounting design debt, characterized by inconsistencies and a lack of cohesion in the design system across multiple product suites. The proliferation of disparate approaches to linking and referencing objects and information within these suites further compounded the issue, leading to confusion not only among customers but also within the internal product team. Addressing these challenges became imperative to ensure continued user satisfaction and maintain product excellence

Figma File of Process Documentation →

Pattern auditing

Overview

At Audit Board, I spearheaded a project to overhaul information linkage across our product suite, prioritizing usability and data integrity. As a top provider of audit management solutions, Audit Board is known for optimizing audit processes and ensuring compliance. Our initiative aimed to enhance the audit experience for clients by revolutionizing data connectivity within the platform.

My Role

As the project lead, I initiated the process by conducting a comprehensive audit of all our products, including SOXHUB, OpsAudit, Controls, Dashboard, Compliance, and Risk. Leveraging the findings from the audit, I collaborated closely with other designers to brainstorm and explore ways to streamline the user interface (UI). Through iterative discussions and sharing sessions, we refined our approach and collectively defined a minimum viable product (MVP) with input from product managers and engineers. This collaborative effort enabled us to develop a clear roadmap and effectively roll out UI enhancements across the entire team, ensuring alignment and cohesion in our design strategy.

Approach

Our approach began with a thorough Discovery & Research phase, during which we conducted a competitive analysis, performed detailed audits, and identified four specific use cases crucial for enhancing information linkage within our product suite. These included Links for quick access, Read-only references for high-level information, Quickview for more detailed insights, and Modals for seamless task completion across apps. Following this, we entered an Exploration & Iteration phase, where we explored a range of concepts from the simplest to the most innovative. Through iterative cycles, we refined our ideas and arrived at a solution that addressed the identified use cases. Working collaboratively, we defined a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) and established a consistent and systemized design system to streamline new components across our apps, ensuring a cohesive user experience.

Outcome

The outcome of our project was significant, resulting in a more organized and scalable design system poised to accommodate future use cases seamlessly. By implementing a consistent design language across our product suite, we achieved a more cohesive user experience, enhancing user satisfaction and brand identity. Data analysis revealed a notable increase in the usage of the new link components we created, indicating improved usability and efficiency for users navigating between products. Additionally, feedback from the customer support team indicated a reduced need for assistance with link navigation, highlighting the success of our streamlined approach. Overall, our efforts led to tangible improvements in both the user experience and operational efficiency, setting a strong foundation for continued innovation and growth.