Company:
Northwest Analytics
Product:
NW Quality Analyst®
Summary:
I redesigned QA7, an award-winning SPC charting and analysis software, modernizing its design with updated branding and developing the company's first design system in the process.
Team:
2 Software Developers, 1 Product Owner, 1 VP of Technology
Tools:
Figma, Principle
Length:
12 Weeks
My Position:
Senior UX Designer
My Role:
User Experience, Wireframes, Prototyping, User Research, Branding, Icon Design
Who is Northwest Analytics?
Northwest Analytics enables more than 3,000 global manufacturing companies to unlock the full potential Industry 4.0 through the use of its manufacturing analytics suite. This suite of products include NWA Quality Analyst®, NWA Focus EMI®, NWA KnowledgeBase®, Analytic Resource Center®, and Analytics Knowledge Suite®.
What is NWA Quality Analyst®?
NWA Quality Analyst® is one of the five products in the suite. It is an award-winning SPC charting and analysis software solution that puts the data in the hands of the decision makers with the best combination of power, flexibility, and ease-of-use of any SPC software available.
NWA Quality Analyst® is a desktop application that is compatible with the latest Microsoft Operating Systems and is modelled after the Microsoft 365 look and feel for faster adoption.
What did the process look like?
For this project, we adopted an agile approach, collaborating closely with developers throughout the entire process. This involved continuous iteration and feedback loops, with developers actively involved in each iteration to ensure alignment with project goals and to address any emerging requirements or technical considerations.
Problem Statement
NW Quality Analyst has received only minor user experience updates since its inception. Additionally, while Northwest Analytics recently underwent a brand refresh, the software still reflects its old branding.
How might we?
How might we redesign the existing SPC software user experience while
implement the new branding?
QA7
Icon Design
Desktop Suite
Logo Design
I spearheaded the creation of the Northwest Analytics Design System, encompassing more than 70 new custom icons, fonts, colors, logos, menus, modals, filters, etc. This robust design system not only streamlined the development of low-fidelity designs but also fostered seamless collaboration with the software development team, ensuring consistent and polished updates with each new feature.
Prototyping the Navigation
Working in Low Fidelity
After reviewing many use cases, I identified key features and initiated low-fidelity prototyping. Collaborating closely with our software developers throughout each phase, I leveraged our expanding design system to streamline the process.
After numerous iterations and extensive collaboration with our core stakeholders, we finalized the navigation functionality of the software.
Working through Settings in Low Fidelity
I collaborated with the product owner and software development team to refine an additional navigation within the settings section to accommodate the implementation of numerous settings.
Development , Handoff, and Documentation
During design, we involved developers in project discussions to ensure alignment on MVP feasibility and address technical challenges. We include detailed annotations and design artifacts to facilitate smooth handoff from design to development. Handoff conversations at the end of the design phase clarified expectations and resolved any potential challenges, ensuring alignment across teams.
High Fidelity Design
After working through many iterations with the stakeholders, product owners, we landed on initial improvements to move forward into build and work towards the initial development of the redesign. Here is the final design.
QA7 Design
System Example
Takeaways:
Navigating the complexities of the global manufacturing industry was among the most challenging aspects of this project. Transforming these intricate details into a user-friendly experience within QA7 required extensive iterations on design with stakeholders, incorporating valuable feedback from users along the way.
Through this project, I developed a profound appreciation for icon designers as I crafted over 70 custom icons for each of the five products in their suite. Despite realizing the meticulous nature of icon design, it was immensely rewarding to witness my creations being seamlessly integrated throughout the applications, bringing both enjoyment and fulfillment to the process.