Noraxon is an industry leader in human metrics and biomechanics research. They provide tools and technology for motion analysis, and other performance measurement applications, used in research, rehabilitation, and sports science. I had the opportunity to redesign their software's user interface.
The current user interface was outdated and failed to meet the evolving needs and expectations of it's users.
Update the interface to meet current design standards, enhance usability and improve the overall user experience.
The new user interface has been shipped and very well received. The transition has been seamless, as users have quickly adapted to the changes that were made, reflecting well on the intuitiveness and simplicity of the interface. Users have reported that the new interface feels much more straightforward and easier to navigate.
UX Designer
Project Manager
Marketing Manager
Engineering
Research
Discovery
Strategy
Iteration
Illustration
Wireframing & Prototyping
Documentation & Handoff
To achieve our goals for this website, we followed the five step design thinking process. The goal here being to first understand the problems that needed to be solved, so that we could then come up with solutions to successfully solve those problems.
The first step in solving the problem at hand was to empathize with Noraxon's users. Their software helps professionals assess movement, track performance, and improve rehabilitation outcomes by providing detailed data on physical activity and body mechanics.
Sport & Exercise Scientists
Biomechanists
Physical Therapists
Athletic Trainers
Sport Coaches
Occupational Therapists
Research Institutions
Universities
It was challenging to find other companies that offer similar software to look to for inspiration. There's not many out there, and most follow a SaaS model, limiting my access to their interfaces. This gave me the chance to get creative and draw inspiration from other software interfaces, including those that I use in my daily life. Based on the brief, I focused on finding visual inspiration to help establish a direction to move towards.
It was now time to clearly define the problems that needed to be solved. I was responsible for redesigning the application tiles and navigation system of the software interface. Once this was established, I began the ideation phase of the design process. I collaborated closely with the team at Noraxon, utilizing their feedback through design critiques to iterate and refine my designs. This project was broken down into 3 phases.
Redesign the applicaiton tiles.
Redesign the navigation system.
Prototype the new software interface.
The application tiles act as buttons, opening up a new measurement tool when clicked on. I created custom illustrations for the full suite of tiles. The new tiles that I designed better represent Noraxons's visual identity and personality as a brand. They are also more consistent and simplified, making the interface easier to interact with for users.
Once the tiles were designed, I built out components in Figma with different variants for the default, hover and active state of each tile.
The old navigation sat on the left side of the interface. However, the typical user workflow involves more time spent on the right side of the interface, so I shifted the navigation to the right side of the interface to accommodate a more seamless workflow.
The old navigation icons were also flashy and overly designed. Their job was to create clarity for users and they were failing to do that because they all felt too similar to one another. When designing the new set of custom icons, I chose to embrace minimalism. Simplicity helps users to quickly understand and navigate through the interface, leading to a better user experience.
Once the icons were designed, I built out components in Figma with different variants for the default, hover and active state of each navigation link.
To ensure consistency across the user interface, I created a color and typography design system for Noraxon.
The last phase of this project was to build out a prototype in Figma. The prototype was used as a communication tool that I shared with the team to make sure everyone was on the same page. It was then shared alongside detailed documentation with engineering, ensuring successful implementation of the newly designed interface.
I really enjoyed this project because I was able to move quickly through ideas and concepts. I shared my designs with the Noraxon team, gathered feedback and insights, then iterated to improve my designs. Design, learn, refine - rinse and repeat.
Design isn't always going to be perfectly linear. It would be ideal to work smoothly through the design thinking process, but constraints don't make this possible at times. This was one of those times. I had no direct communication with users to run testing or gain feedback. I simply had to work with what I was given to the best of my ability. In order to "get it done", adaption is critical.
Handoffs are challenging when working in a silo. I also had no direct communication with engineering. The project manager, who oversaw this projects implementation from conception to completion, acted as the middle man. Strong communication is always essential when collaborating among cross-functional teams like this in order for a product to be successful.
Enhancing the user experience of a product is always going to drive positive outcomes. Value is added when we listen to what people need and help them to solve a problem. Furthermore, a positive user experience reflects well on a brand, fostering trust and a stronger connection with its users.
