TAFE Design System: Improving design processes for a better user experience
UX RESEARCH & STRATEGY. UX/UI DESIGN
Context
TAFE is Australia's largest vocational and training provider, delivering education to over half a million students every year.
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Traditionally a face-to-face provider
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Multiple business units acting independently of one another
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Since COVID-19 they offer all courses 100% online and are attempting to consolidate business units
The Problem
Because of this recent and rapid digitalization, TAFE’s design culture and processes are immature and unstructured. Leading to inefficiencies, inconsistencies and increased costs.
The Goal
This project sort to determine if a design system would help to improve TAFE’s design and development processes. And if yes, what would the solution look like.
Discovery
Research Plan
Research played a huge part in this project. Not only in understanding the users and problem. But to showcase the issues to broader business stakeholders for funding.
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11 user interviews
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UI audit
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Competitive analysis
What key questions did I need to be asking?
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What are the current design and development processes?
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Are there existing libraries or guidelines being used?
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If so, how well are they working?
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What are the barriers to success?
User Interviews
​It was important that I identify and interview all future uses of the solution, to understand the differing points of view and pain points.
5 Insights Emerged
UI Platfrom Audit
Purpose:
To understand the current UI landscape.
And to identify the most commonly used components.
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Actions:
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Audited components, modules iconography and typography across 18 platforms
Audit Outcomes
Competitive Analysis
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Reviewed 16 design systems
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Figma libraries > public design systems
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Documented strength and weaknesses
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Identified best practice examples
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Reviewed 16 design systems
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Figma libraries > public design systems
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Documented strength and weaknesses
-
Identified best practice examples
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Reviewed 16 design systems
-
Figma libraries > public design systems
-
Documented strength and weaknesses
-
Identified best practice examples
Define
With all the data in front of me, I developed a persona and user journey map to clearly identify the key pain points and opportunities to solve for.
User Journey Map
Opportunities
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Create a single source of truth for style guides, branding and design
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A library to house reusable components and documentation
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Onboarding document for new starters and contractors
User Journey Map
Project Pivot
Initially this project was meant to be research and strategy only. However, after I presented the initial findings, TAFE asked us to spend the remaining time designing a design library frame work that their team could develop into a design system.
Ideate
How might we create a scalable design library frame work to help improve design and development work flows and enhance UX/UI across TAFE digital platforms.
Ideation
Because of the scope change, it was important to use an ideation process that included further desk research and user feedback for each idea.
