ResponseGen
Evaluating context and designing for the future
The Challenge:
Our team was asked by ResponseGen, to study their website and make recommendations for improvements. ResponseGen is a site for patent attorneys that creates templates for responding to patent office rejections. Many of these responses have common elements, and using templates is a way to save time. Before ResponseGen, the common way to create these responses was through copy and paste in text editors.
The Goals:
Perform a personal evaluation the ResponseGen site, with a focus on usability issues.
Meet with and study users of the site, to learn their perspective and challenges.
Create a prototype of a updated site that addresses issues from both our own data, and from users as well.
Action breakdown of tasks
I started off with a cognitive walkthrough, running through various tasks and breaking down pain points. The main findings from doing this were that many things that were links were not made clear of that fact, just regular text. Prototype ideas became focused on establishing hierarchy and clear distinctions.
“I don't want to use Word”
However, once we sat down and did a contextual interview with actual users, our ideas shifted. A major issue we learned is that the response creating process involves multiple people, not just a single attorney, and that it involves a number of applications besides ResponseGen to complete.
Prototype with new collaboration features.
The team effort making a response, and the reliance of outside programs gave us a clear goal to follow: Design a prototype that is collaborative nature, and that can eliminate the need for multiple programs. Keeping everything in one application would keep the work flow fast and consistent.
Updated Signature Form
The prototype I built had four different versions for four different kinds of users, clerks, attorneys, clients, and administrators. Each version contained only what was relevant for that user, and also allowed communication between users, streamlining the process and keeping information in one place.
Interactive Walkthrough
Next Steps
I created a walk through for the prototype, allowing clients and stakeholders to see what the new features were, and why they were added.
Reflections and takeaways
The main thing I learned from this project was the importance of user data. Had I simply studied the website on my own, and built a prototype based off of just that information, it would not have been useful to the user. Seeing how other people interact with the site made me realize how strong my own biases were, and that they would have had a negative impact on the project if I did not learn what others knew. Going forward, I will work to recognize when my own thoughts and biases are at play, to reign them in, and to listen to others.