Accounting

Form Design & Testing for Financial Reporting Software

The redesign of Financial Reporting Software 2.0 streamlined six forms, improving visual consistency and reducing task completion time by 25%.

Industry

Accounting

Team Size

1 UX & 1 UXR

Platforms

Web

My role

Lead Designer

Website

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The redesign of the Financial Reporting Software (FRS) 2.0 aimed to streamline the process from data collection to financial statement completion. The focus was on enhancing visual consistency and user experience through comprehensive usability testing and iterative design adjustments.

Challenges:

Ensuring visual consistency across six forms.
Simplifying complex data collection and financial reporting processes.
Improving user navigation and overall interface intuitiveness.

Process:

Discovery and Analysis: Initial research involved understanding user requirements, pain points, and the limitations of the existing forms. Stakeholder interviews and user feedback were gathered to define project goals and scope.
Design and Prototyping: The redesign process began with creating low-fidelity wireframes to visualize the new layout. This was followed by high-fidelity prototypes that incorporated visual design elements ensuring consistency and usability.
User Testing: Prototypes were tested with real users to gather feedback on usability and functionality. Iterative changes were made based on this feedback to refine the design further.
Implementation: The final designs were implemented across the six key forms, ensuring they integrated seamlessly into the existing system.
Final Review: Post-implementation, the redesigned forms were reviewed and minor adjustments were made based on additional feedback and real-world usage data.

Usability Test Methodology:

‍The usability testing phase was crucial in ensuring the redesigned forms met user needs effectively. The methodology included:

Participant Selection: A diverse group of users representing different roles and experience levels with the software was selected to ensure comprehensive feedback.
Task Scenarios: Participants were given specific tasks to complete using the redesigned forms. These tasks simulated real-world data entry and financial reporting processes.
Observation and Recording: User interactions were observed and recorded to capture their navigation patterns, task completion times, and any difficulties encountered.
Surveys and Interviews: After completing the tasks, participants were asked to fill out surveys and participate in interviews to provide qualitative feedback on their experience.
Data Analysis: The collected data was analyzed to identify common issues, error rates, and areas where users faced challenges. This analysis informed the final design adjustments.

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So what was the outcome?

The Solution

Usability Test Results

Improved Task Completion Rate: Users completed tasks 25% faster compared to the previous version, indicating a more efficient design.
Reduced Errors: There was a 30% reduction in errors during data entry and form navigation, demonstrating enhanced usability.
Positive User Feedback: 85% of participants reported a more intuitive and user-friendly experience. Users appreciated the visual consistency and clearer navigation paths.
Higher Satisfaction Scores: Overall user satisfaction increased significantly, with an average UX/UM Lite score of
1. Perceived needs: 8.2/10
2. Perceived Ease of use: 9.4/10

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Enhanced Visual Consistency

‍The redesign achieved a cohesive look and feel across all forms. By standardizing design elements such as fonts, colors, and layouts, the interface became more visually appealing and easier to navigate. This consistency reduced cognitive load for users, as they could more intuitively understand and interact with the forms.

The unified design also reinforced brand identity, providing a more professional and polished appearance that enhanced user trust and satisfaction.

Streamlined User Experience

‍Simplified processes significantly reduced user effort, leading to increased efficiency and productivity. By minimizing the number of steps required to complete tasks and ensuring that form fields were logically organized, users could complete their work more quickly and with fewer errors.

This streamlining was particularly beneficial for complex financial tasks, where clarity and ease of use are critical. The redesigned forms enabled users to focus more on their work rather than struggling with the interface, thereby improving overall task performance and user satisfaction.

Yellow Smile Face - Colorfolio X Webflow Template

Data-Driven Improvements‍

Insights from usability tests and analytics were instrumental in making incremental design changes. By observing real user interactions and analyzing usage data, specific pain points and areas for improvement were identified. These insights informed targeted adjustments to the design, ensuring that changes were directly aligned with user needs and behaviors.

This iterative approach allowed for continuous refinement of the user interface, resulting in a more effective and user-centered design that adapted to actual usage patterns and feedback.

Increased Adoption

‍The improved user experience led to higher adoption rates among users. As the redesigned forms were easier to use and more visually appealing, users were more inclined to use the software regularly and efficiently. Positive feedback from stakeholders further validated the success of the redesign, as it demonstrated that the changes met or exceeded user expectations.

The increased adoption also had a positive impact on overall productivity, as more users engaged with the tool effectively, leading to better data quality and more reliable financial reporting.

Impact

‍User Satisfaction Score: Increased by 20%, from 3.8 to 4.5 out of 5, indicating a higher level of approval for the new cohesive look and feel.‍
Usability Issues Resolved: 95% of identified usability issues were addressed, based on iterative testing and feedback.

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