Revamping AccessAlly: A Story of Seamless User Experience and Design Innovation

Project Details

AccessAlly, a powerful platform, had grown in features, but with that growth came a challenge—a fragmented user interface that no longer reflected the product’s capabilities or the ease of use our customers deserved. The goal was clear: unify the user experience, streamline the interface, and ensure that future features could seamlessly integrate into this refreshed design. But this was more than just a UI facelift; it was about creating an intuitive, accessible experience that could adapt and scale.

The Vision: A Product That Feels Effortless to Navigate

We envisioned an interface that wasn’t just modern, but genuinely user-friendly. To do that, we needed to simplify navigation and create a cohesive design language that would be the foundation for all future features. This wasn’t just about aesthetics—it was about giving customers the ability to find what they needed with minimal effort.

Our starting point was the dashboard. I proposed moving away from a cluttered double-side navigation system and instead opted for a cleaner, top navigation. This change brought clarity to the user flow and gave the interface room to breathe. Next, we tackled content organization: instead of overwhelming customers with endless accordions and links, I suggested utilizing tables, tabs, and simple buttons—providing structure without sacrificing accessibility.

Building for Accessibility and Longevity

As we transformed the interface, accessibility was at the forefront. Meeting WCAG 2.2 guidelines wasn’t just a checkbox—it was a design principle. I meticulously curated a color palette that ensured high contrast, allowing for a visually inclusive experience. Every detail, from danger messages to notifications, followed a consistent pattern to ensure clarity and uniformity throughout the product.

User-Centered Design through Research

Understanding our users was critical to our success. I spearheaded a user research initiative to uncover pain points in the current navigation system. Through surveys and card-sorting activities, we gathered valuable insights that shaped our design choices. These findings not only guided immediate changes but also laid the groundwork for future updates, ensuring that the product evolves with its users in mind.

Crafting a Future-Proof Design System

The culmination of this work was an extensive pattern library built in Figma. I made heavy use of components and variables, creating a flexible design system that could easily be adapted for future needs. This library became more than just a tool—it was a blueprint for consistency across the platform, reducing development time and ensuring that future features would maintain the same cohesive look and feel.

The Impact: A Product that Works for Users

By streamlining the interface, we not only made AccessAlly easier to navigate but also laid the foundation for continued innovation. The design system ensures that new features will integrate smoothly, without overwhelming the user. Most importantly, we made the product more accessible, putting customer needs at the heart of every decision.

Challenges: Transforming on a Tight Timeline

The biggest challenge? Balancing the depth of user research with the limited timeline for building a comprehensive pattern library. But with careful planning and prioritization, we delivered a robust design system that met our goals and exceeded user expectations.

Skills