WinWire Technologies Internship Project | 2021
TeamHub: Empowering Intranet Collaboration
A dashboard designed to enhance team communication & collaboration for seamless workflow management in an organization
About
An intranet is a private network that allows employees and authorized users to share information and collaborate, similar to the internet but restricted to a company’s internal use. TeamHub provides a centralized dashboard that integrates messaging, project management, and real-time updates, streamlining workflows and fostering better teamwork to enhance overall productivity. This project was developed during my internship at WineWire Technologies as a Design Intern in 2021.
Problem
Employees struggle with disconnected communication and inefficient task management, leading to delays, miscommunication, and reduced productivity in collaborative environments.
Outcome
Designed TeamHub, an intranet dashboard that optimizes internal communication, task management, and collaboration, resulting in improved efficiency and team alignment.
Role
Product Design Lead, UI/UX Designer, User Researcher & Strategist
Duration
April 2021 till May 2021 (1 month)
Tools
What is Uplift?
An intranet is a private network that facilitates collaboration and communication within an organization, enabling users to access information & applications relevant to their roles
Target Users
My target audience includes organizations & employees seeking to improve internal affairs among employees through a centralized intranet platform.
Main Features
- Collaboration Tools
- Corporate Directory & Sales Management
- Project Management Integration
- Internal Communication & Updates
Fun Fact!
Intranets are not only powerful for communication but also serve as culture-change platforms, helping organizations align employees with company values and goals.
Part 1 of 6:
Discovering User Needs
What I Found While Researching
What’s the problem faced by employees within an organization?
Employees often face challenges with inefficient collaboration, decreased workplace productivity, and reliance on outdated or costly methods for accessing information
This challenge is heightened when organizations lack streamlined tools and centralized systems to support their teams effectively.
I wish there was one place where I could quickly check company updates and my schedule without digging through emails.
~ Employee shared during interview
Keeping track of the latest version of a file or finding the right document when I need it is such a headache—it slows everything down.
~ Employee shared during interview
How did we analyze this data into actionable insights?
Conducted secondary research to uncover issues like fragmented communication, inefficient information retrieval, and outdated systems
Through a thorough analysis, we observed the following key takeaways:
Key Takeaway 1:
Enhancing Collaboration
Employees struggle with fragmented communication and disconnected tools, making teamwork less efficient.
Key Takeaway 2:
Workplace Productivity
Locating relevant information or tools is time-consuming, impacting employees’ ability to focus on their responsibilities.
Key Takeaway 3:
Cost Effectiveness
Organizations rely on physical documents and outdated systems, increasing operational costs and reducing accessibility.
Setting the Stage
How might we simplify internal communication, collaboration, and information access for employees, enabling organizations to enhance productivity and streamline workflows?
Part 2 of 6:
Defining the Vision
How I Connected the Dots
Who are the users of this platform?
Employees and organizations looking for efficient ways to collaborate, manage tasks, and access important information within a private, secure network
Below are the user personas I created to better understand the needs and challenges faced by employees in an organization:
User Persona 1: Patrick Niel
A 54-year-old HR Manager and recent immigrant, balancing work, family, and adapting to a new culture.
“Language barriers make it very hard to communicate my needs!”
User Needs & Goals:
To retire before 60, spend less time online, and use a platform with multiple language support.
Behaviors and Motivations:
Works hard to provide for his family, values efficiency, and enjoys meeting new people.
Pain Points:
Finds it hard to communicate due to partial English fluency and struggles to manage documents efficiently.
Preferred Features:
Multilingual support and a centralized system for document and data management.
User Persona 2: Cristina Payne
A 22-year-old web developer in London who’s tech-savvy but overwhelmed by balancing work and personal life.
“If I had an interface to collaborate and share projects in real-time, my workload would be so much easier.”
User Needs & Goals:
To travel the world, maintain efficiency and precision in work, and have time for personal passions.
Behaviors and Motivations:
Works late hours and values tools that enable independence and productivity.
Pain Points:
Struggles with complicated navigation systems and feels overwhelmed by organizing work and personal tasks.
Preferred Features:
Real-time collaboration tools and an intuitive, organized interface.
How did we explore our users’ daily experiences with caregiving?
Created a journey map to illustrate the hurdles employees encounter based on insights from our research
From journey mapping, I learned that my dad struggles with:
Part 3 of 6:
Shaping the Experience
Turning Insights into Concepts
How did we analyze this data into actionable insights?
Identified critical pain points in company dashboards to uncover patterns and key themes that guided our design decisions and initial wireframing efforts
Through a thorough analysis, we observed the following key takeaways:
Key Takeaway 1:
Improving Search Functionality
Users desire a more prominent and specific search feature.
Key Takeaway 2:
Enhancing Navigation with Team Access
Users suggest adding a "Connect with Our Team" section to the navbar for better visibility.
Key Takeaway 3:
Voice-Assisted Search Feature
Users express interest in a hands-free voice search option for convenience.
Key Takeaway 1:
Language Accessibility
Non-native users request multiple language support for better usability.
Key Takeaway 1:
Personalized Dashboard
Users want a customized section for easier access to apps, documents, and contacts.
Key Takeaway 1:
Repositioning Quick Links
Users suggest moving "Quick Links" to a more accessible location on the landing screen.
What design principles did we follow for TeamHub?
We focused on creating a flexible, adaptive, and scalable platform that delivers a personalized, simple experience to meet user needs and evolving goals
We created the following user flow:
Struggles with complicated navigation systems and feels overwhelmed by organizing work and personal tasks.
Part 4 of 6:
Making It Real
Where Ideas Become Visuals
What font style best suits this application?
I aimed for a clean and accessible design, with modern typography, to ensure readability for diverse users
The colors used are aligned with the organization’s visual branding to ensure consistency and reinforce brand identity across the platform.
Did we achieve what we set out to do with this project?
Yes, we designed an Intranet that enhances collaboration, employee productivity, and communication!
TeamHub, an intranet dashboard that streamlines communication, task management, and collaboration, leading to improved efficiency and team alignment.
Part 6 of 6:
Reflections and Future Visions
What I Learned and What’s Next
What are my next steps for improving this app?
To improve the platform further by conducting additional usability tests and refine interactions based on user feedback
This would allow for a more user-centered approach, addressing potential usability gaps and improving overall user experience.
Key Takeaways
User feedback and iterative design were critical in shaping the app’s final version, ensuring it met organizational needs.
Impact:
The app aims to improve internal communication and task management, enhancing overall efficiency and team alignment.
Next Steps:
Focus on further usability testing, refine features based on feedback, and prioritize scalability for future enhancements.
We found Ruchica to be a curious, smart, and creative individual who picks up things quickly and is eager to learn. Her sound understanding of the fundamentals of design and marketing made her apply the theoretical knowledge efficiently to real-world applications. I was particularly impressed with her enthusiasm on taking tasks that were new and challenging and her abilities to analyze and assess the situations of the product development.
~ Manager, WinWire Technologies
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