Redesigning Signage Content Creation App

OVERVIEW
As a Product Designer at BenQ (a multinational consumer electronics company), I worked on aligning the user experience across devices and improving the content design process for the X-Sign Express. To enable a seamless content creation experience, I redesigned the information architecture (IA), design system, and user flow.

COMPANY

BenQ Taiwan

TOOL

Figma, Whimsical

TEAM

1 Product Manager, 1 UI Designer, 
1 Engineer

DURATION

2 months

Background

X-Sign Express is an online app developed by BenQ, designed to enhance interactive communication. The app provides various templates, layouts, and effects to facilitate the creation and display of dynamic content for digital signage applications.

However, the adoption rate of the product has been low since its launch. Users find it challenging to utilize X-Sign Express effectively for creating engaging digital signage content.

Therefore, the team aims to redesign the existing content creation experience on X-Sign Express. Also, we would like to refactor our infrastructure for future scalability.

DEFINING PROBLEM

Before starting the redesign of X-Sign Express, I familiarized myself with the current software by reading the product design documents. This helped me understand the backstories of how and why X-Sign Express was created. I then conducted a heuristic evaluation and found the following two main usability issues.

Unclear Information Architecture
The primary issue with X-Sign Express on large screen sizes lies in its unclear information structure, causing users to scroll repeatedly in search of specific functions during operation.
Inadequate Mobile Responsiveness
X-Sign Express isn't adequately optimized for small screens, leading to potential screen obstruction by pop-up windows when used on mobile devices.

EXPLORING SOLUTIONS

After understanding the usability issues, I conducted a competitive product analysis and created wireframes to collaborate with the product team. This helps us  optimize functions for different screen sizes and iterate quickly to make efficient improvements.
Next, I proceeded to redesign the information architecture separately for large and small screens. On the large screen, the information structure was divided into three sections: adding object rows, canvas, and editing object rows. This UI design enables users to view all the functionalities at a glance.
When planning the functionality for small-sized screens, I arranged the settings of the editing object rows from left to right, allowing users to conveniently edit objects. Additionally, I designed a pop-up window that appears from the bottom, replacing the previous full-screen window, enabling users to see the changes in object styles while editing.
When planning the functionality for small-sized screens, I arranged the settings of the editing object rows from left to right, allowing users to conveniently edit objects. Additionally, I designed a pop-up window that appears from the bottom, replacing the previous full-screen window, enabling users to see the changes in object styles while editing.

DESIGN SYSTEM

To gain a comprehensive understanding of the product onboarding process, we conducted on-site user research with participants from the BenQ America Corporation and U.S. K-12 schools. In total, we recruited 27 participants, consisting of 3 from BenQ America Corporation and 24 from 6 U.S. K-12 schools (including 2 school principals, 10 IT related staff, and 12 teachers). We visited 4 schools in person and 2 schools remotely.

DESIGN DELIVERABLES

Here are the key features resulting from the redesign:

Simplified Object Editing Features

By revamping the information architecture and harmonizing the UI components, the web version of X-Sign Express achieves a cleaner and more intuitive design, empowering users to create content more efficiently.

The current design also offers easier maintenance compared to the previous design. In case the product team decides to introduce new objects in the future, there is no requirement to restructure the information architecture.

Mobile-Optimized Layout

The redesigned mobile version of X-Sign Express features pop-up windows that appear from the bottom and an object editing column that runs from left to right. This design enables users to preview the content while editing objects, making it convenient to design digital signage content on mobile devices.
The information structure in the redesigned mobile version is enhanced for improved intuitiveness and clarity, resulting in a smoother user experience and navigation.