BMC • Workload Change Manager

A collaboration portal simplifying workflow creation between engineering and operations

The Problem

Workload Change Manager is a collaboration tool between Application Developers automating workflows and Schedulers running job operations.

Key Issues

  • Outdated user interface
  • Low usage despite a solid customer base
  • Inability to cater to DevOps methodologies, where Developers sought more control over job definitions and scheduling

Project Overview

Personas

Scheduler • IT operations staff responsible for automating workflows through BMC Control-M

 

Developer • Defines automation requests for Schedulers; seeks increased autonomy in automation task definition, driven by DevOps practices

Scope

  • Concept: 3 months
  • Development & testing: 1 year

Team

  • Product manager
  • UX lead (me)
  • 2 visual designers
  • Dev lead (product owner - PO)
  • 4 Dev teams

My Role

  • Research
  • Concept creation and evaluation
  • Wire-framing
  • Prototyping
  • Mentoring visual designers
  • Testing

Research

Research

  • Initiated US site visits: met with 8 customers alongside product manager and Dev lead (PO)
  • Met with Schedulers and Developers

Goals

  • Identify new user requirements in light of DevOps transition
  • Determine key gaps preventing product implementation
  • Identify usability issues and determine if they explain the low product adoption

Findings

  • For Developers: Identified functions they were looking to manage independently and their vision of an ideal workflow automation process
  • For Schedulers: Recognized what processes to retain vs. others they were willing to delegate to Developers
  • Identified tools to aid quicker adoption (e.g., Site Standard tool)

Analysis

  • Led analysis of research findings to identify cross-organizational patterns
  • Created user flows to understand working methods and identify missing functionalities
Analysis of users' workflows
Analysis of users' workflows
User flow: Developer
User flow: Developer • Color-coded steps: existing, needed/missing, ideas for further research

Key Findings

  • Missing phases in the flow allowing Dev teams to work autonomously (first step: self-check-in)
  • To work independently Developers need access to both definition tool (Workload Change Manager) and monitoring app (Self Service)

Further Analysis

  • We evaluated how consolidating the applications might impact other types of Self-Service users by mapping user flows for all relevant personas:
Unified user flow diagram showing different personas and their interactions with the system
Unified user flow (Planning & Monitoring): Business User, Application Support, Developer • Color-coded steps: existing, needed/missing, ideas for further research

Design

  • Developed a comprehensive concept integrating systems and addressing diverse user needs.

Sketches of the Unified Interface

  • A unified view of Workload Change Manager (Planning) and Self Service (Monitoring). Different aspects are visible to each persona based on their role:
Business user monitoring view
Business user • Monitoring: can view services only
Application support monitoring view
Application support • Monitoring: can view services and workspaces
Developer planning view
Developer • Planning: view for this persona only
Developer monitoring view
Developer • Monitoring: focus on workspaces

Testing

  • Created a working prototype to examine concept in detail and evaluate with users
  • Conducted A/B testing on two main navigation concepts
A/B testing of navigation options showing dropdown menu vs toolbar buttons
A/B testing main navigation • Option 1 features a global menu for new workspaces; Option 2 offers a button on the toolbar for opening workspaces

Outcome

  • Improved usability based on initial research observations
Drag and drop of jobs to easily reorganize the workspace
Drag and drop of jobs to easily reorganize the workspace
Separated actions:\ngeneral tasks (top bar), flow chart editing (toolbar)
Separated actions:
general tasks (top bar), flow chart editing (toolbar)
Always visible help tips for entry fields syntax
Always visible help tips for entry fields syntax
  • Designed a tested, functional application, resulting in enhanced usability and user satisfaction

Main Views

Main screen - Planning
Main screen - Planning • Developer can open existing or create new workspaces
Load folders and jobs
Load folders and jobs • Developer creates workspace by opening existing jobs/folders
Workspace view
Workspace view • Manage and edit jobs and properties

My Impact

  • Led end-to-end UX process from research to final design
  • Initiated and conducted (with other stakeholders) US customer site visits
  • Drove analysis of research insights
  • Unified systems, addressing evolving DevOps needs
  • Significantly improved product usability and adoption rates