Introduction
In one of my recent UX projects, I worked on redesigning a workflow used by technical users who handle complex data investigations. The original experience was functional but had clear opportunities for simplification, clarity, and better navigation.
Rather than redesigning the interface directly, the goal was to understand how these users think, move, and decide within the system and then let that shape the experience.
Step 1: Starting with What Exists : Early Demos & Initial Exploration
The project began with a walkthrough of the existing prototype. I reviewed:
How users accessed information
Where they navigated frequently
Points where decisions were unclear
Screens that required multiple clicks or caused backtracking
This helped me capture the real workflow behind the UI, rather than the UI itself.
Step 2: Mapping the User Journey to Identify Pain Points
Before making any changes, I created a detailed user journey map that documented:
Tasks users perform in sequence
What they expect to see at each step
Where confusion or delays occur
Opportunities to reduce switches, clicks, or cognitive load
The journey map made the pain points visible, not just for me, but for PMs, engineers, and anyone involved in shaping the product.
Step 3: Rapid Prototyping & Exploring Better Navigation
Using the journey map as the foundation, I quickly moved into rapid prototyping.
The goal wasn’t pixel-perfect UI.
The goal was speed to explore different navigation patterns that addressed the pain points we uncovered.
Some directions focused on reducing context switching.
Others explored how users could compare information side-by-side.
A few aimed to streamline the decision-making path entirely.
These early prototypes helped us move from abstract pain points to tangible solutions.
Step 4: A/B Testing to Validate Concepts
Once the prototypes were ready, I collaborated with a UX researcher to validate our assumptions.
We ran A/B tests comparing:
We observed where users hesitated, which flow felt more natural, and how efficiently they completed tasks. We gathered understanding around both qualitative and quantitative insights.
This provided evidence of what actually worked and not what we assumed would work.
Step 5: Using Research to Align with PMs and EMs
Introducing a new navigation approach affects multiple teams, so alignment was essential.
Instead of presenting screens or defending a direction, we revisited the research together:
Journey maps showing where users slowed down
A/B testing sessions revealing which flow reduced confusion
Clear connections between user needs and proposed changes
Seeing real user behavior made the conversation simple.
The redesigned flow became a shared decision, supported by everyone’s perspectives.
While the product is still under development, the research process itself has already shaped the direction of the design and improved collaboration across the team.
Closing Thoughts
This project reminded me how powerful research becomes when it’s integrated into every step of the design process.
Journey mapping, rapid prototyping, and A/B testing didn't just validate the UX , they helped the entire team arrive at a shared understanding of what users truly need.
Bluesky
