Goals
Distributed Community Manager (CM) Controls.
CM controls are mixed with admin functions.
Surfacing actionable items (in-context and notifications).
Improve efficiency of CM UX (unique dashboard).
Ability to manage users.
Responsive design.
Success Metrics
Clear Information Architecture - accessibility of frequent and important information.
Facilitate Community Management tasks.
Intuitive UX for both contextual and meta information / controls.
Provide strategic feedback regarding community activity – proactive vs reactive.
Eliminate lost tasks (notifications).
Process
This project was done through my consulting business. I was onsite, part of a team that included a community project manager with developer roots, a UX designer, and semi-involvement from the CEO and CTO. We ran a week-long design sprint to identify and prioritize how to surface community features from the larger CMS product into a dashboard tuned to the CM persona. During the sprint, concepts for all components of the product were worked out in sketches, selected concepts were refined in wireframe, and a keynote demo was created by the end of the sprint. Once approved by the board and execs, I directed 2 additional designers on UI/visual concepts. The final concept was selected and I designed all screens of the product (desktop and mobile responsive), handed off redlined files, and worked with dev through QA.
Outcome
The product allowed the DNN to sell to a new audience in their key demo. It is a lower price point and essential purchase for their clients with a community of users. Feedback has been extremely positive. The new system design and patterns we created are now the de facto standard for all DNN products. It was a condensed and deep dive on product design/UX for me. In hindsight, it would have been ideal to have a little more time to fully vet additional concepts for certain components. But overall an excellent project.
