Outcome

Goals

The goal was to build a proof of concept for a unified IBM cloud console in a quick span of time to validate IBM’s major rebranding exercise with a focus on billing managers experiences. The redesigned product allow users to perform the following tasks:

1. Monitor resources utilized by their teams from both IaaS and PaaS consoles in real-time.
2. View daily costs and end of month projections at a glance.
3. Reduce spent time switching between the different portals.

Research & Findings

The team conducted 5 interviews with internal managers who utilize both platforms on a regular basis. From the research, we identified discrepancies between the experience billing managers have when using both portals. SoftLayer dashboard provides a summary view of the linked cloud accounts. A similar summary doesn't exist in the PaaS console, which only provides a list of currently provisioned apps and services created by the user. New users, however, are left with an empty list.

User persona

Weaving together discussions, findings and insights, we crafted a persona to better understand our users, their goals and frustrations. Meet John!

Ideation workshop

Given that PaaS dashboard formed the basis of IBM's consolidated platform, there was a significant gap that needed to be filled. The question then became, how might we make the new platform more useful, logical, relevant and insightful to its users?

An ideation session took place where the team started zeroing in the consolidated dashboard features. All ideas were grouped together into bigger themes and each team member voted for their top 3 based on their feasibility and impact. Photos from the session are shown below.

Sketching, Low-fidelity wireframes

Billing managers, who have to oversee accounts receivable, allocate resources, and manage billing staff, will benefit from a customizable dashboard that aggregates information from both IaaS and PaaS platforms in one. This was the no-brainer solution we all agreed on. Here’s how it works.

Concept testing

To get a sense of how closely aligned our approach was with the defined user needs and goals, we conducted concept testing sessions using the sketched low-fidelity designs. This evaluation revealed some insightful data that we utilized in our second design iteration. Key findings include:

• Categorize data by platform in the left navigation bar

  Improve upon IaaS and PaaS navigation to provide easier access and distinction between the aggregated data.

• Reduce the number of choices users have to make

  Display widgets that are essential for each user by default. Improve upon the empty state while providing the ability to make changes.

• Offer user level flexibility and control over surfaced widgets

  Consider providing users with the ability to create multiple dashboard views customized for each of their teams.

Design iteration

Based on the gathered feedback, the solution was refined to better suit user needs.

Visual design & Prototype

The next plan of action was to create high fidelity prototypes using color palettes, typography, and guidelines from IBM Carbon Design system. Following existing patterns would help communicate the brand’s identity and also provide a consistent feel to the new tool.

Implementation

As a closing note to the Jumpstart program, we presented a demo of the final solution to showcase the ability of customizing the dashboard view. Few months later, the concept was iterated on and launched as part of a bigger IBM Cloud unification project that won 2019 Stratus Cloud Award.

Concept design

This initial concept, presented as a part of the Jumpstart program, introduced a streamlined interface focused on enhancing user experience through intuitive navigation and personalized dashboard elements. Guided by iterative feedback from stakeholders and user testing, the concept laid the groundwork for further development.

Final launch

Following rigorous testing and refinement, the concept evolved into a robust final implementation. Months later, this solution was integrated into a larger IBM Cloud unification project, where it played a pivotal role in enhancing the overall user experience. The customizable dashboard feature, initially conceived during the Jumpstart program, proved instrumental in the project's success, ultimately earning recognition with the prestigious 2019 Stratus Cloud Award.