Introduction
Imagine you're a public safety officer or an agency administrator, navigating a complex ecosystem of critical documents - policies, procedures, training materials, and legislative updates. The existing content management system felt outdated, fragmented, and lacked the intuitive design needed for efficient day-to-day operations.
The goal? To transform the document management experience into an intuitive, scalable, and engaging platform that meets the rigorous demands of public safety professionals and administrative staff.
ROLE:
Lead Designer
DELIVERABLES:
Wireframes, Hi-Fi Mockups for Web and Mobile, Prototypes, Design Sytem
TOOLS USED:
Figma, FigJam, Proto.io
COLLABORATION
Stakeholders, Project Manager, Development Team, Researchers
The Problem: Why Users Struggled with Document Management
Key challenges identified through research and stakeholder discussions:
Complex Workflows: Users found the process of document uploading, assignment, and version control overly complicated.
Limited Mobile Functionality: The absence of a seamless mobile experience made it difficult for public safety officers (PSOs) to access critical information on-the-go.
Inefficient Search and Retrieval: The existing search functionality lacked advanced filtering and often produced irrelevant results.
Trust & Security Concerns: Users required more confidence in document security, version control, and authorization workflows.
Engagement Gaps: Users wanted interactive elements, reminders, and workflows that improved usability and efficiency.
Shaping a New Experience for CMP
The real shift in our approach came during the early concept exploration. Instead of enhancing the existing system, it became clear that CMP needed to be rebuilt from the ground up. The focus wasn't just on refining workflows but on solving the deeper challenges faced by both administrators and public safety officers (PSOs).
Early feedback emphasized:
Administrators struggled with complex document assignments, version control, and tracking acknowledgments.
PSOs faced delays in accessing critical information and wanted simpler acknowledgment processes.
Both groups highlighted the importance of clear notifications, automated reminders, and simplified navigation.
This led to iterative discussions, testing, and refinement, shaping the foundation of a platform tailored for operational efficiency and user engagement.
Redesigning the Experience:
Once the challenges were clear, we transitioned from concept to execution, ensuring every design decision addressed specific user needs.
Admin Needs: Simplified assignment workflows, intuitive version control, and clear acknowledgment tracking.
PSO Needs: Fast document access, intuitive acknowledgment processes, and clear notification systems.
We focused on:
Simplifying Assignments and Approvals: Creating intuitive, step-by-step flows for document uploads, assignments, and acknowledgments.
Streamlining Search and Retrieval: Designing an advanced filtering system for faster, more accurate document retrieval.
Strengthening Version Control: Ensuring users could easily track updates and access the latest document versions.
Securing Role-Based Permissions: Establishing flexible permission structures to enhance content security.
I collaborated with stakeholders, researchers, and analyzed feedback from user interviews and journey mapping to refine workflows and inform design iterations.
Key User Needs Reflected in Design:
Admins & Agency Heads:
Simplified workflows for assignments and approvals.
Clear tracking of acknowledgments with automated reminders.
Flexible permissions for different user roles.
Intuitive version control..
Key User Needs Reflected in Design:
Public Safety Officers (PSOs):
Quick access to critical documents.
Simplified acknowledgment workflows.
Advanced filtering for faster search.
Real-time notifications and reminders.
Mobile-responsive for efficient work on-the-go
Following initial insights, we transitioned into high-fidelity mockups that focused on simplifying search, ensuring intuitive version control, streamlining assignments and acknowledgments, supporting secure mobile access, and integrating role-based permissions to enhance security and accessibility.
The Solution: Addressing Core Challenges
Each design decision directly addressed the specific user challenges identified earlier:
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Reduced the steps for document uploading and assignments. The intuitive acknowledgment process ensured PSOs could act faster, addressing the earlier pain point of delays in task completion.
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Integrated role-based permissions and streamlined version control, enhancing both security and user confidence while simplifying document oversight for admins.
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Redesigning for mobile didn't just improve accessibility but also helped reduce drop-offs, ensuring PSOs could handle urgent tasks on the go.
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Introduced flexible filtering and keyword functionality to minimize document retrieval times, a key frustration in the earlier system.
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Developed dynamic reminders for pending acknowledgments, helping admins ensure compliance without manual follow-ups.
Challenges Along the Way
Tight Deadlines: Delivering a robust redesign within the project timeline necessitated efficient collaboration and prioritization.
Results
50% faster assignment process
Thanks to intuitive workflows and streamlined user actions.
40% decrease in document retrieval times
Advanced search made it simpler to find critical content
Enhanced compliance
Automated reminders and acknowledgment tracking ensured better adherence to document reviews.
