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Optimizing search & object filtering experience
Role
User Experience Designer
Team
2 Designers, 2 Researchers, 2 Senior Designers, 1 Product Manager, and 1 Project Manager
Timeline
Nov 24 - Present
Context
What is Exacq?
ExacqVision is a Video Management System (VMS) designed to manage and monitor surveillance cameras. It provides a range of features tailored to meet the specific needs of clients, with different versions available to suit various requirements.
Goal
Enhance the user experience of the forensic search.
In VMS, forensic search is the process of reviewing recorded footage to find specific events or objects using advanced filters and search tools.
Objective
The current user experience for performing forensic searches within ExacqVision VMS is not intuitive or user-friendly. The interface requires improvement to provide a more seamless and enjoyable experience for users.
#gap
The filter area is cluttered with irrelevant and low-impact elements.
#gap
Difficult to locate the filters to use.
#gap
Industry standards for AI object filtering have evolved, and adaption is essential.
Existing system interface
Exacq was designed and developed by developers nearly 20 years ago. Over time, the interface was updated with new features, but user experience was not prioritized. As a result, the system now appears as it does.
Our focus: Forensic Search
The scope of the project is to improve the Forensic Search experience within the system by integrating new and advanced search features, while keeping this constraint in mind:
#business constraint
Not to redesign the interface completely.
This was a crucial factor to consider during the design process, as the system's users are familiar with its current functionality. Introducing a completely redesigned interface could lead to potential risks such as user frustration, decreased productivity, and resistance to adoption, creating a significant learning curve for them.
Designing for a large customer base and the strategy to navigate it
Exacq serves customers across various industries, including Education, Retail, Critical Infrastructure (for example: Energy and Water Management Companies), and many other industries each with unique requirements. To streamline our approach, we first narrowed our focus to:
The top industries where most of our customers come from.
Prioritizing universal needs while enhancing the search experience.
Who are we designing for?
Our end users are security integrators, IT professionals, and anyone responsible for managing a VMS system, regardless of their prior VMS experience. This includes users with no experience up to seasoned veterans.
Security Integrators, IT Staff, and anyone responsible for overlooking VMS.
Naive to Experienced end users.
#process
UX Audit of the existing system
Competitor Analysis
Stakeholder Interviews
Designing Work Flows
To be continued...
Insights from the UX Audit
Users are required to hit the search button again after selecting the choice of filters.
Manual scrubbing of the resulting footage is required to find an instance even after using the filters.
Friction points in the Forensic Search workflow.
Selecting cameras is confusing, analog and digital.
Small search window with expanded filter options, jargon, and unessential buttons.
Hard to identify enabled/disabled icons and buttons.
Buttons and icons are not intuitive.
Buttons malfunctioning
After selecting a camera/cameras, the user needs to press the button here.
Users may find it unintuitive to press the search button within the search range.
#UX audit highlight
Numerous obstacles preventing users from easily achieving their goal.
User Journey Map revealed significant gaps and opportunities
A user often feels exhausted when searching for a single instance of recorded footage in the system.
Insights from the Competitive Analysis
With a Competitive Analysis of 15+ competitors, these were the main insights revealed:
#insight
Competitors are way ahead in Forensic Search with the latest AI object filtering.
#insight
Intuitive interfaces with less learning curve.
#insight
Advanced search and object filtering for the ease of achieving the users' end goal.
#competitive analysis highlight
Adoption of new technologies like AI creates a seamless experience.
Insights from the Stakeholder Interviews
Semi-structured interviews with Johnson's ExacqVision representatives, technicians, and product integrators were conducted to examine user adoption and challenges in interacting with ExacqVision's Forensic Search (FS) and Video Analytics (VA) features.
#insight
Workflow and navigation issues
#insight
User behaviror and workflow mismatch
#insight
Performance barriers
#insight
Interface was found clunky
#insight
System limitations
#insight
Not suitable for naive users
#shocking stakeholder interviews highlight
Users are unaware of the Forensic Search feature in the first place and even if they do, it is hard to use due to poor interface organization.
fading the initial assumptions and narrowing down the core problem
A user needs to find instances in recorded footage but struggle because
they are unaware of the advanced forensic search options due to poor discoverability, a lack of intuitive design, and the absence of training or guidance.
Recommended Workflows and the Design (Turning insights into reality!)
To be continued...
Learnings & Takeaways from the first half
Importance of user segmentation when dealing with a large and diverse user base.
Navigating the intersection of user, business, and engineering needs challenged me to think holistically, ensuring every solution met diverse demands seamlessly.
While we strive for innovation, supporting older interfaces is essential for user retention.
My work doesn't end here, check out more
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