PROJECT
Blueprint
TIMELINE
1 Year
PURPOSE
Our media clients faced challenges in managing production assets and facilitating collaboration in the post-production workflow.
Production managers struggled to efficiently organize new production assets, track their progress, and collaborate seamlessly with post-production teams. This led to delays, miscommunication, and an inefficient use of resources.
To address these issues, we designed and implemented a new feature within Reach Engine called Blueprint. This feature allowed production managers to assign jobs to post-production teams (with included assets), track progress, and collaborate without leaving Reach Engine.
RESEARCH METHODS AND DESIGN TOOLS
Client Interviews
Prototype Testing
InVision
Client Journey
Personas
Sketch
DESIGN PROCESS
Empathize
Define
Ideate
Prototype
Test
Implement
MY ROLE
I was the only UX/UI designer for this project.
I led the charge on this innovative product by arranging interviews & workshops with top production companies, wire-framing and prototyping initial concepts, making hi-fi mocks, and working closely with product and engineering throughout the process.
UNDERSTANDING
THE USER
The users largely fell into 3 groups: planners, workers, and overseers.
I interviewed and shadowed users to understand their workflows, pain points, and desired features.
The planners (production managers) need to organize and plan content to be delivered. The workers (post-production) could be internal or external resources that fulfill content. And the Overseers (people in management) need insight to overall project phases and statuses.
Some of the problems they faced included a lack of centralized communication about asset status and feedback, difficulty tracking multiple projects and their various deliverables, no clear way to assign tasks while maintaining reference to specific media assets, limited visibility into project progress, asset versions and feedback get lost between communication channels, and time lost switching between tools.
85%
Missed deadlines due to communication gaps
4
Average # tools used in their workflow
40%
Time spent tracking updates & managing communication
DESIGN
The feature set had four main parts: Project Dashboard, Task Management, Collaboration, and Asset Integration
-
Project Dashboard: A centralized hub for project information, project timeline visualization, asset status tracking, and milestone tracking
-
Task Management: Asset-linked tasks, custom workflow templates, automated dependency tracking, priority indicators, and due date management
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Collaboration: In-context feedback system, version comparison tools, status update automation, @mentions and notifications
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Asset Integration: Asset preview, version history tracking, metadata management, quick asset search, and batch update capabilities
Multiple iterations of wireframes were made and tested. Lo-fi wireframes for initial concept validation, mid-fi wireframes for feature testing, and hi-fi prototypes for user testing.
I conducted three rounds of user testing: initial concept, feature validation, and final usability testing.
IMPLEMENTATION
AND
RESULTS
We had a phased rollout with two clients before a full release with ongoing feedback collection.
Our implementation strategy prioritized risk mitigation and quality assurance through a structured phased approach. We initially deployed with two client partners who provided valuable testing and validation. This controlled rollout allowed us to identify and address potential issues before proceeding to a full release. Throughout the entire process, we maintained continuous feedback collection, enabling iterative improvements based on user experiences and ensuring the final product met customer needs effectively.
60%
Reduction in time spent on status updates
45%
Decrease in missed deadlines
75%
Reduction in tools used per workflow
LESSONS
LEARNED
The platform excels with its asset-centric approach, integrated collaboration, and customizable workflows, but could improve with better bulk management tools, notification controls, and enhanced reporting capabilities.
What worked well: Asset-centric task management, integrated collaboration tools, customizable workflow templates, real-time status updates, visual project timeline.
Areas for improvement: Need for better bulk action tools, more granular notification controls, initial learning curve for complex features, enhanced reporting capabilities, additional automation options.
FINAL
THOUGHTS
The implementation of this project management feature has significantly improved collaboration between production managers and the teams they work with.
By integrating project management directly into the DAM system, we've created a more efficient, transparent, and effective workflow for all users. The success of this feature demonstrates the importance of understanding user needs and designing solutions that address specific workflow challenges while maintaining flexibility for different team structures and project types.