Challenge:
Evaluate the watermarking features from our previous platform, and determine which were necessary for successful user migration.
Key Insight:
Although the old site had many options for watermark customization, very few were critical for usability. Simpler is better! We were able to address the majority of user needs with minimal development work and minor UI changes.
Tools & Methods: Usability Testing, Data Analysis, Competitive Analysis, “Five Whys,” WebEx
goal: migrate clients to new platform
Merrill Corp launched DatasiteOne in early 2018 to replace its legacy Datasite SaaS application. From a usability standpoint, the new platform was an improvement in almost every way, and most clients adopted it quickly. However, some users refused to migrate until particular features from the old system were implemented in DatasiteOne. As the UX lead on the squad responsible for watermarking (in addition to other services), I planned how to determine which of Datasite’s many watermark options would be worth recreating, weighed against user demand and cost of development.
DatasiteOne watermark settings page at launch
Comparison of features on old platform (left) vs. new (right)
Watermark settings after project: two checkboxes and a slider was all it took
data analysis & effort estimation
The old platform included at least 14 watermarking-related options that DatasiteOne did not provide at launch. We had a few data sources available to begin evaluation of their value to actual users. First, we pulled reports on user activity to quantify which features were used on how many projects. Secondly, our sales and support teams used Aha! to log client requests and complaints, so we could review the feedback we had received so far. We also used this list to recruit representative subjects for usability testing.
Because the features ranged in complexity, development effort was another important consideration for cost/benefit analysis. I collaborated with the engineering team to estimate the difficulty of implementing each option. We determined that achieving full parity would be a massive project, so it was important to avoid any unnecessary work.
client discovery
final design
Out of 14 possible features, we implemented one… and added two crucial fields that had been missing all along.