CoreTech is a real-time web platform used by Hitachi to monitor transformer performance. It integrates sensor data, predictive algorithms, and visual dashboards to help operators detect risks early and extend equipment lifespan.
As the end-to-end UX Researcher and Designer for the CoreTech platform, my objective was to lead a full redesign initiative. This involved conducting in-depth user research to identify core usability failures and using those insights to produce a new high-fidelity prototype.
Research and Analysis
The process began with a multi-method research phase to develop a comprehensive understanding of the user and the product.
Expert Review & Foundational Research: I started with initial observational interviews to understand the software and see how operators engaged with the platform in their work environment. Following this, I conducted a heuristic evaluation of the existing interface to benchmark its usability against established design principles.
Qualitative Research: To build on these initial findings, I led a series of secondary, in-depth user interviews and contextual inquiries to formally map operator workflows, define primary pain points, and gather targeted qualitative data on user needs.
Quantitative Validation: To validate these findings at scale, I designed and deployed a survey and conducted sessions of moderated usability testing to observe user behavior on critical tasks.
Analysis and Synthesis
My synthesis of the research data, including findings from the survey and heuristic evaluation, identified a total of 86 distinct usability issues. These included critical pain points, design violations, and opportunities for workflow improvement. I translated these raw observations into actionable insights through two primary activities:
Task Analysis: I diagrammed the primary user journeys by creating detailed task flows. This visualization process mapped every step and decision a user makes, allowing me to pinpoint exact moments of friction, identify workflow inefficiencies, and highlight critical pain points.
Architectural Audit: Concurrently, I developed a complete site map to conduct an information architecture audit. This allowed me to identify redundant pathways, confusing terminology, and pages that violated usability heuristics, providing a clear blueprint of areas requiring structural redesign.
You can find a collection of diagrams from the research synthesis phase at the bottom of the page. These artifacts visually deconstruct the user experience, including detailed user flows derived from observational interviews, task analysis diagrams to identify workflow inefficiencies, and a map of the existing information architecture. This process was crucial for pinpointing specific pain points within the user's journey.
Note: Certain diagrams have been intentionally blurred to comply with confidentiality agreements.
