Jira App/Plugin
The product that the client approached us with was an app that allows Jira users to embed their Miro boards and interact with them directly in a Jira issue (this is one of the two products of this client that I worked with). The client asked us to improve the overall UX of their product and help them stand out on the market. The application was developed without involving a UX designer, without user research and usability tests. It was created based on their own basic competitor research and the capabilities of the original platform (Miro API).Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)
Project estimation
Design process roadmap creation
Competitors research
UX audit
Usability testing
Reporting formation
Prototyping
UI design
Style guide creation
Duration: 2 weeks
Team: UX Designer (me), Lead Designer
At the kick-off meeting, we gathered the requirements for the project, learned about the goals and the limitations that we have to be aware of. We also identified the main phases of work, discussed the next steps of joint work and the deliverables that will be handed over to the client.
Key takeaways from the meeting:
This is a newly released product (add-on for Jira Software), so I have something to work with.
Before launching the product, minimal research was done and no testing was conducted, so we want to conduct research and make improvements based on research results.
The main goals are: to find possible gaps in UX, create an advantage over other similar applications on the market and ultimately increase the number of installations.
Target audience: potential users are anyone who uses both Miro and Jira, but we want to keep the focus on 3 user groups - project managers, designers, developers.
The project roadmap was the first step after I received all the requirements from the client. I divided my work into several stages to make sure we could track progress and be on the same page with the client.
After we agreed on the project plan, I started working on the competitor analysis. I wanted to see if there were any strong players in the field, but it turned out that there were only two competitors on the market that had a similar app. I compared their installation process, key features, main user flows and product interface, and conducted a UX audit to identify potential usability issues. The results of both studies were presented in a report and discussed with the client.
Key findings:
The biggest drawback compared to other applications is that the installation process is too complicated
Another problem is that there is no way to attach any Miro board that the user wants, he can only add a specific board from a specific development team that the user has to create in advance.
There is no possibility to add more than one board, while competitive applications provide such an opportunity
There is no option to open the board in full screen, while others have such an opportunity.
Research deliverables
Jira App 'before' look
As an additional research method, I chose moderated usability testing as I was dealing with an already existing and launched product. I wanted to see how users interact with this application, talk to them, hear their thoughts while performing tasks, and ultimately find UX gaps that could be fixed. I hired respondents who met the criteria, prepared instructions and a guide and conducted 6 tests. The main findings were collected in a usability testing report and discussed with the client's development team to make better design decisions.
Key findings from the testing sessions:
4/4 respondents could not install the application on the first try.
2/4 of the respondents faced difficulties when adding the Miro board.
3/4 of respondents find using the navigation sidebar inconvenient or even annoying.
2/4 noted that editing the Miro link by deleting the board is not very convenient.
2/4 noted minor interface errors that interfered with the task.
Testing report
Following step after the test sessions was to redesign the interface (it's worth mentioning that the wireframes stage was skipped in this case, as there was no point in wasting time and it was faster to build the components that we would eventually use in the final UI). I explored ideas, made several drafts until I made a test version.
First UI for testing
To identify problem areas, get valuable feedback and ideas for improvement, I tested the updated version of the application interface.
Key findings from the testing sessions:
3/4 Respondents believe that another icon in the navigation bar would be more appropriate
1/4 of respondents believe that another placement or visual separation of the icon for hiding tools would be more convenient
2/4 respondents noted the irrelevance of the "Add more links" button when adding a new board.
3/4 of respondents would like to see some kind of guide after installing the application
Based on the results of the testing, I made changes to the interface design, revised it with my team leader, got approval from the client and his development team, and prepared the final files, including a Figma file, a clickable prototype, a detailed style guide, and a video of the main user flows.
Final Design
Style guide
As a result of this project, the client received an updated version of the existing application (plugin) based on the results of research, such as competitor analysis, UX audit and usability testing. The implementation process is currently underway, so I look forward to seeing the increase in downloads and user feedback.
