Case Study
Client: Missile Defense Agency (MDA)
Project: MDA Data Centers Program Registration Form, Extranet Application
Download Case Study PDF (232kb)Overview
Chroma Design, Usability Design Specialist, teamed with Unger Campbell, Human Factors Specialist, to assist the Joint National Integration Center (JNIC) located in Colorado Springs, CO with the re-design of the MDA Data Centers Program Registration process. Members of the MDA community needing access (either on-line or off-line) to scientific and technical data archived at the MDA Data Centers or Collaborative Data Management Facilities can request access to these resources and to the Virtual Data Center (VDC) through an on-line registration form. The MDA Data Centers and Collaborative Data Management Facilities serve as central repositories for receiving, storing, archiving, managing, processing, and disseminating unique missile defense data from MDA-sponsored tests, simulations, and experiments.
Process
Unger Campbell and Chroma Design advocate an user-centered design process. We involve all stakeholders throughout the process and we custom-tailor the process for each project in order to provide the best return on investment for our clients. In the study presented here we began by performing an usability analysis of the existing project’s interface. We then followed a proven iterative design process that consisted of designing and conducting multiple-part user trials. Design prototypes were developed using the information gathered in each of the user trials. Each stage in the process was reported upon, and a final presentation was made to all of the stakeholders.
Results
The project met or exceeded all stated goals and was brought in on time and within the budget allotted. The usability information obtained and design recommendations resulting from this project were well received by JNIC. Examples of the barriers to use that were addressed include:
- Finding and employing relevant language to meet user’s expectations
- Reordering the sequence of events in the requesting access process
- Streamlining the user interface
