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UX Design

Branding

Motion Design

Home

UX Design

Branding

Motion Design

Home

UX Design

Branding

Motion Design

Process Optimisation Tool for a Scientific Team

Timeline

7 weeks

Platform

Web (Internal Tool)

Designing a complex calculation tool into a clear, confidence-driven experience for high-stakes scientific workflows.

This project focused on redesigning an internal web-based tool used by scientific teams to perform complex calculations as part of a critical workflow. While users were domain experts, the interface made everyday tasks feel heavier than they needed to be.

The challenge wasn’t intelligence—it was experience.

Users

Scientific Domain Experts

Analysts working with complex inputs and outputs

These users were highly knowledgeable, but often under time pressure and cognitive load.

Why This Mattered

In workflows where accuracy is critical, usability issues don’t just slow people down—they introduce doubt, friction, and risk. A better experience wasn’t about making the tool “simpler”— it was about making users feel confident, guided, and in control.

Research & Key Insights

Rather than focusing on surface-level UI issues, I looked closely at how users thought while using the tool.

Key Insights

01

Scientific teams didn't approach calculations as one-off tasks. They naturally compare multiple scenarios side by side to validate decisions.

02

When inputs disappear while switching cases, users didn't just lose time—they lose confidence in the system’s reliability.

03

Repeatedly re-entering similar values shifts focus away from analysis and toward remembering what was changed.

04

Users prefer structured exports and visual formats to quickly validate results and communicate findings with stakeholders.

My Role

UX Designer

7 Weeks

Web App

Framing the problem with stakeholders

Identifying user pain points across the workflow

Defining clearer user flows

Designing wireframes and interaction patterns

Iterating based on feedback and usability insights

The Problem

Despite the expertise of its users, the tool struggled to support them effectively.

Key Pain Points:

1

High Effort to Manage Input Changes

1

High Effort to Manage Input Changes

2

Inability to Save and Reuse Inputs

2

Inability to Save and Reuse Inputs

3

Inefficient Comparison Across Scenarios

3

Inefficient Comparison Across Scenarios

4

Poor Output Accessibility and Interpretation

4

Poor Output Accessibility and Interpretation

The system worked—but it didn’t feel reliable.

The UX “Aha” Moment

The problem wasn’t the complexity of the calculations—it was the lack of guidance, feedback, and confidence throughout the experience. Once that became clear, every design decision followed naturally.

Solution Strategy

I focused on designing an experience that supported users as they worked, not after.

Design Principles

Design for Comparative Thinking

Enable users to explore multiple scenarios side by side instead of forcing repetitive, linear workflows.

Design for Comparative Thinking

Enable users to explore multiple scenarios side by side instead of forcing repetitive, linear workflows.

Design for Comparative Thinking

Enable users to explore multiple scenarios side by side instead of forcing repetitive, linear workflows.

Preserve Context at All Times

Ensure user inputs persist across steps, views, and scenarios to maintain continuity and trust.

Preserve Context at All Times

Ensure user inputs persist across steps, views, and scenarios to maintain continuity and trust.

Preserve Context at All Times

Ensure user inputs persist across steps, views, and scenarios to maintain continuity and trust.

Reduce Memory Load with Smart Defaults

Minimize manual re-entry by reusing inputs, offering presets, and surfacing only what needs attention.

Reduce Memory Load with Smart Defaults

Minimize manual re-entry by reusing inputs, offering presets, and surfacing only what needs attention.

Reduce Memory Load with Smart Defaults

Minimize manual re-entry by reusing inputs, offering presets, and surfacing only what needs attention.

Make Results Clear, Credible, and Shareable

Present outputs in a structured, readable, and export-friendly format that supports quick interpretation.

Make Results Clear, Credible, and Shareable

Present outputs in a structured, readable, and export-friendly format that supports quick interpretation.

Make Results Clear, Credible, and Shareable

Present outputs in a structured, readable, and export-friendly format that supports quick interpretation.

User Flow

I focused on designing an experience that supported users as they worked, not after.

Key Screens

A clear, friendly introduction that sets expectations and builds confidence before users begin the process

A centralized workspace for reviewing personal and team analyses, with quick access to saved inputs and favorites.

A guided, step-by-step flow that helps users select options before entering parameters, reducing cognitive load and overwhelm.

Users can select existing presets, request new ones, or skip this step entirely, while seamlessly switching between cases without breaking their flow.

A flexible input workspace that lets users switch cases or presets at any time without navigating backward

When users focus on an input field, the corresponding parameter is visually highlighted, reinforcing clarity and confirming the intended action.

A results view that allows users to save inputs, rerun analyses, and export outputs, while enabling preset changes without altering the selected case.

When running multiple analyses, users are guided to vary only one parameter at a time to prevent unnecessary complexity and overwhelming permutations

Key Screens

For the best viewing experience, please view this case study on desktop.

A clear, friendly introduction that sets expectations and builds confidence before users begin the process

A centralized workspace for reviewing personal and team analyses, with quick access to saved inputs and favorites.

A guided, step-by-step flow that helps users select options before entering parameters, reducing cognitive load and overwhelm.

Users can select existing presets, request new ones, or skip this step entirely, while seamlessly switching between cases without breaking their flow.

A flexible input workspace that lets users switch cases or presets at any time without navigating backward

When users focus on an input field, the corresponding parameter is visually highlighted, reinforcing clarity and confirming the intended action.

A results view that allows users to save inputs, rerun analyses, and export outputs, while enabling preset changes without altering the selected case.

When running multiple analyses, users are guided to vary only one parameter at a time to prevent unnecessary complexity and overwhelming permutations

Impact & Outcome

Due to confidentiality, impact was measured qualitatively and through feedback—but the improvements were clear.

Observed Outcomes

Lower task abandonment and fewer mid-flow drop-offs during complex analysis workflows.

Higher user confidence, improved perceived reliability, and stronger product stickiness for repeat usage.

Reduced cognitive friction, fewer input errors, and improved task completion consistency.

Better information discoverability, increased engagement with results, and smoother handoff to downstream stakeholders.

Overall, the solution reduced friction across critical workflows, improved engagement, and supported sustained usage by making complex tasks feel more predictable and manageable.

Reflection & Learnings

What this project reinforced for me

MAKE

Clarity in complex systems comes from structure, not feature-heavy interfaces.

BREAK

Clear, interpretable outputs define how valuable users perceive a product to be.

BREAK

Even expert users need guidance—just delivered differently

MAKE

Clarity in complex systems comes from structure, not feature-heavy interfaces.

BREAK

Clear, interpretable outputs define how valuable users perceive a product to be.

BREAK

Even expert users need guidance—just delivered differently

This project strengthened my approach to designing for complexity—where clarity, predictability, and confidence matter more than novelty.

Confidentiality Note

This case study is a reimagined version of real-world work. All names, visuals, and data have been anonymised to respect confidentiality.

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