ENGIE
UX Study about integrating platform “A” into platform “B”
For 2 years, I worked on a B2B platform “A” designed for monitoring experts. Management suggested discontinuing “A” and migrating its users to platform “B”, which already exists and works also on monitoring but focuses on different aspects.
I conducted a comparative UX study for both platforms to assess if this transition would be acceptable from a UX perspective.
*The contents of this project are strictly confidential and should not be shared
*Images are blurred for protection​
Transitioning from “A” to ”B” could present challenges for users. The reason why several UX factors had to be studied, including:​​
Mental models
Once the user is used to a certain way to manipulate and navigate a platform, they develop a mental model based on it and expect to work on the same model in the future. A shift to a different interface can disrupt these models, potentially leading to user errors and usability issues.​​
Interaction cost
Every time the user does an action or interacts with the interface to get to their goal, it costs them mental and physical effort. High cognitive load can lead to user fatigue, time wastage, and possibly abandonment of the product.
Information scent
Users rely on cues such as link descriptions, titles, and images to navigate and make decisions. Clear and consistent cues are essential to guide users efficiently to their desired information.
3 studies and 1 user test were conducted to analyze the situation. They gave answers to the 3 following questions:
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Can users of “A” achieve their goals using “B”?
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Do the design and user journey in “B” perform at the same or better level compared to “A”?
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Is the cost worth the income?
Study
1 / User flows comparison
To begin the comparison and analysis, it was essential to thoroughly understand Platform “B” and identify the similarities and differences between the two interfaces. I started by mapping out detailed user flows for both platforms.
The user flows included:
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Pages and subpages
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Interactive elements that lead to other pages
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Interactive elements within the same page
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Non-interactive elements
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Links between pages
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Levels of navigation depending on clicks
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Existent and non-existent features
After comparing the user flows of both platforms, I posed more categorized questions, including:
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Do the missing features in “B” impact users' needs, and can they be integrated later?
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Are the additional features in “B” advantageous, or do they create confusion and increase cognitive load?
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Is there an overload of pages/subpages in ”B”?
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Are the interactions in “B” intuitive and easy to learn?
A
B
2 / Goal achievement
Both “A” and “B” were designed for monitoring experts, but tailored to different personas and user needs. Each platform was developed with specific requirements, objectives, and daily tasks in mind.
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I concluded that “A” users’ objectives could largely be met in “B”. However, a question remained: would “A” users be able to achieve the most important goals with the same level of ease, similarity, or difficulty in “B”? For these users, “A” is fluid, easy to use and straight to the point.
I identified the 3 most critical goals for “A” users and compared the achievement of goals in “A” and “B” in terms of pages, links and number of clicks required.
A
B
3 / UX / UI / Accessibility
I did a design comparison between "A" and "B" regarding:
The usage of the design system​​​ "Fluid" that most of the platforms use to maintain a consistent design in Engie.
Accessibility and how it's affecting each platform
Previous UX study of personas, components and navigation.
4 / User testing
Both platforms share the same objective goal, but they differ in user flows, components, pages, and scenarios for achieving these goals.
To gain concrete insights, I conducted tests with developers who are already familiar with platform “A.” The test aimed to address the following questions:
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Will users feel confused or comfortable using the new platform?
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How much time will it take users to make decisions and navigate the site?
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Will users understand the differences in terminology, pages, and navigation?
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What potential pain points might users encounter?
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What advantages might the new application offer?
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Can users achieve their goals without assistance?
Analysis
Can users of “A” achieve their goals using “B”?
Although users have established mental models from “A,” “B” does address their needs. “B” includes similar pages and features that users are used to, and all critical steps required to reach the main goals are present.
However, users will need to adapt to a new workflow, which may initially slow their progress and takes a lot of time and mental effort. With regular use and practice, they should become comfortable with the new platform and achieve their goal easier.
Do the design and user journey in “B” perform at the same or better level compared to “A”?
For users of “A,” “A” will be more suitable, and their experience with “B” will be less efficient due to the following reasons:
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Many UX studies and modifications have been made over the years in “A” to address the specific needs and objectives of its target personas.
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All essential features are included in “A” with a minimal number of pages, clicks, features and elements, tailored to user needs.
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The navigation system in “A” is streamlined and straightforward, fluid and aligning with user requirements.
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“B” lacks the integration of the design system
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Some features and details are absent in “B.” While not crucial, they are beneficial in certain situations
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Users in “B” will encounter additional features, a more complex journey, and numerous changes, which will:
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Increase cognitive load
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Extend the time needed to make decisions and reach goals
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Cause confusion
Is the cost worth the income?
From a UX perspective, migrating users from “A” to “B” is not advisable. The associated costs would not yield significant improvements in benefits.
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However, if the transition had to be made, some actions are advised to increase performance and efficiency:
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Assist users to better understand the new platform through tutorials, manuals, videos…
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Eliminate unnecessary features (as much as possible)
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Monitor user interactions while using the platform to make sure they have a descended learning curve
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Integrate the design system
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Adjust cues to improve usability and information scent