Streamlining user experience for WIS portal
- The Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency
Through comprehensive user research and usability testing, I identified key pain points in the process of creating new spaces within MSB’s WIS (Web-based Information System). These findings helped the UX team propose clear improvements to simplify the interaction flow, reduce user confusion, and enhance the overall usability of the system. Key areas of improvement include more intuitive navigation, reducing cognitive load, and introducing features that better align with user needs.
Client
The Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency
Year
2023
Background
WIS is a portal managed by the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB) designed for sharing information during societal crises. It allows authorities, municipalities, regions, voluntary organizations, and private actors to contribute information during and after crises. The system is vital for Sweden's civil preparedness, with over 13,500 users and 700 registered organizations.
The project was initiated due to widespread confusion around the process of creating new spaces in WIS. Spaces are essential in WIS as they allow users to categorize and share information about specific events or topics. However, many users were frustrated with the inefficiency and complexity of the current process. My task was to explore these issues, provide user-centered insights, and suggest improvements to enhance the overall experience.
Objective
The primary goal was to streamline the "Create Space" flow in WIS to reduce user confusion and improve the user experience. The research aimed to uncover user needs, pain points, and behaviors to inform actionable design improvements.
Agile Research Approach
Using an agile approach allowed me to iteratively test and refine solutions based on user feedback. Following the Double Diamond design process, I first gathered insights during the discovery phase, followed by the analysis and testing of various improvements.
Process & Methodology
Stakeholder Interviews
I started by interviewing key stakeholders from MSB, AFRY, and Trafikverket to gain a deep understanding of the system's context and the challenges users face when creating spaces in WIS. These insights helped frame the research focus and define key problem areas.
UX Audit & Heuristic Evaluation
I conducted a UX audit of the existing "Create Space" flow to better understand how each step was designed and identify potential usability issues. A heuristic evaluation based on Jakob Nielsen’s usability principles helped to assess areas for improvement, particularly in guiding users through the flow and making steps more intuitive.
USABILITY TESTING
To gather direct user insights, I conducted four usability tests with a range of WIS users, from beginners to experienced users. Each participant was asked to create a space based on a crisis scenario, followed by a post-task evaluation using the Single Ease Question (SEQ). These tests provided crucial data on the most significant challenges users faced during the process.
Synthesizing Findings
After testing, I used Miro to cluster user feedback and identify recurring patterns. These insights were then mapped into a Customer Journey Map, which detailed user pain points, touchpoints, and potential areas for improvement.
Confusing Information Input
Users felt pressured when entering initial space information, such as naming and tagging the space. Many expressed uncertainty about the consequences of their choices, leading them to skip certain fields like tags altogether.
key insights from usability testing
Unclear Role Assignment
Assigning roles (e.g., editors vs. viewers) was a major pain point. The layout and process were unclear, causing confusion about how to assign roles correctly. Most users didn’t even realize there were drag-and-drop functions for managing roles.
Inconsistent Visual Layout
Users had different expectations about what visual format would best suit their space, and they found it difficult to decide between options like maps, documents, or notes due to the lack of guidance in the interface.
Inefficient Permissions Flow
Users were frustrated by the long scroll lists for selecting permissions and the inability to edit permissions after space creation. The auto-participation checkbox was hard to find and often overlooked, leading to mistakes in real-world use cases.
Post-Creation Confusion
After creating a space, users were frustrated that they weren’t automatically redirected to the new space. They had to search through lists to locate it, adding unnecessary friction to their workflow. Additionally, users expressed doubts about whether they had correctly set permissions or filled in the right information during creation.
User Uncertainty
Users were often unsure of how to proceed, especially during the role assignment process. Clearer instructions and prompts were needed to guide them through each step confidently
Key findings
“You really have to think to understand this step.”
Complexity of Role and Permission Management
Managing roles and permissions was not only confusing but also perceived as inconsistent, even by more experienced users. This complexity slowed down the workflow and led to mistakes.
“You want to be sure it’s done right, especially in serious situations.”
Overloaded User Interface
The interface was cluttered with too much information, overwhelming users. Unnecessary help texts and hidden functions contributed to the overall confusion, further complicating the user experience.
“Messy and way too much information on the same page.”
Guided Role Assignment Wizard
To simplify role assignment, I recommended redesigning the interface into a step-by-step guided wizard. This approach would provide clear visual cues, helping users understand where to start and how to proceed, without overwhelming them with too much information at once.
Proposed solutions
Search Functionality for Permissions
Introducing a search function for long actor lists would eliminate the need for excessive scrolling and allow users to find and assign permissions more efficiently.
Direct Access Post-Creation
Once a space is created, users should be automatically directed to it, eliminating the need to search for it in a list. This would save time and reduce post-creation confusion
Clear and Immediate Notifications
A notification system should alert users of conflicts in role assignments (e.g., when a user’s default role conflicts with space settings) right away, rather than after errors occur.
Flexible Permission Editing
Allowing users to edit permissions after creating a space would prevent the common frustration of having to recreate spaces due to minor mistakes during the initial setup.
Customer Journey map
Iterative Prototyping
I started sketching and prototyping solutions using Figma and Proto.io to refine the designs based on user feedback. These prototypes will undergo further testing to ensure the new flow meets user expectations.
Next steps
Best Practices for Wizards
Continued research on wizard design best practices will help refine the multi-step process, ensuring that users can navigate it easily without confusion.
Redesign of Help Texts
The behavior of help texts should be dynamic, appearing only when necessary and offering clear, contextual guidance without cluttering the interface.
By addressing these pain points, the "Create Space" process in WIS will become more intuitive, efficient, and user-friendly, helping users focus on what matters most—effective crisis management.
This project reinforced the importance of user-centered design, particularly in complex systems like WIS where users have different levels of experience. I learned how even minor usability issues can significantly impact user workflows, especially in high-stakes environments like crisis management. The project emphasized the value of iterative testing, as user feedback is essential for uncovering hidden pain points and ensuring that the design evolves in response to actual user needs. Additionally, I gained a deeper understanding of the importance of clear, intuitive navigation and how crucial it is to simplify multi-step processes to avoid user frustration.