Background
In 2018, AWS introduced a revolutionary cloud resource discovery service aimed at empowering users to define custom names for their application resources. This innovative service enables users to maintain updated location information for their resources dynamically as they change, providing greater flexibility and control over their cloud infrastructure.
Task
As tasked, I spearheaded a comprehensive approach to develop the new cloud resource discovery service. This involved thoroughly understanding the product’s functionality, crafting detailed personas, mapping out the user journey, and collaborating closely with both the product and development teams. Our collective goal was to define an experience that seamlessly integrates within the console and API, ensuring ease of learning, usage, and scalability for our users. Through strategic planning and iterative design processes, we successfully delivered a product that meets the diverse needs of our customers while aligning with industry best practices for usability and scalability.
Personas
Collaborating closely with the product team, I led the effort to identify, outline, and prioritize the three main personas for our new cloud resource discovery service. Drawing upon insights from market research and user feedback, we meticulously crafted these personas to represent distinct user segments with varying needs and preferences. By prioritizing these personas, we ensured that our product development efforts were focused on addressing the most critical user needs and delivering a tailored experience that resonates with our target audience.
Original IA
Utilizing the insights gathered from high level research and persona development, I took the lead in designing the functionality and flow of the product. The initial information architecture (IA) I devised featured a streamlined, 4-step wizard aimed at guiding users through the process of fully setting up their Cloud Map resources. This approach was carefully crafted to ensure a user-friendly experience that simplified complex tasks and facilitated efficient navigation, ultimately enhancing user satisfaction and productivity.
Revised IA
Following discussions with customers, we discovered that the majority of users preferred utilizing the API to create services and register service instances. Additionally, most customers indicated that they would primarily use the console for creating a namespace and monitoring resources after configuration. In response to this feedback, we made adjustments to the setup process, streamlining it to only include the “Create namespace” step. Subsequently, users could either navigate through each subsequent step for configuration or opt to utilize the API for the setup process. This adjustment was made to better align with user preferences and optimize the user experience based on their anticipated usage patterns.
MVP design
Collaborating closely with the product team, development team, and technical writer, I played a pivotal role in designing the end-to-end console experience for our product. Additionally, I seized the opportunity to support my development team by generating custom HTML/CSS/JavaScript code to enhance the customer experience within a very short timeline. This proactive approach enabled us to meet tight deadlines and deliver a polished and seamless user experience across the console interface. By leveraging my technical skills and working closely with cross-functional teams, we successfully implemented enhancements that aligned with our product goals and exceeded customer expectations.