Optimizing Document Search for Ergonomists
Optimizing Document Search for Ergonomists
Improving how ergonomists find, interpret, and act on employee documentation through usability testing and research
Improving how ergonomists find, interpret, and act on employee documentation through usability testing and research
Role
Role
UX Research Intern
UX Research Intern
Methods
Methods
Usability Testing, Think-Aloud Protocol, Dovetail, Affinity Mapping
Usability Testing, Think-Aloud Protocol, Dovetail, Affinity Mapping
Team
Team
2 UX Designers, UX Researcher, 2 UX Interns, 3 Developers
2 UX Designers, UX Researcher, 2 UX Interns, 3 Developers
Timeline
Timeline
June 2025 - August 2025
June 2025 - August 2025
OVERVIEW
OVERVIEW
Context
Context
Risk & Safety Solutions is a B2B SaaS company in Environmental Health & Safety that provides software services for research labs, health centers, and workplaces, primarily for the University of California system. This case study addresses a new feature set within the software solution to support campus ergonomists in tracking and addressing ergonomic need for employees.
Risk & Safety Solutions is a B2B SaaS company in Environmental Health & Safety that provides software services for research labs, health centers, and workplaces, primarily for the University of California system. This case study addresses a new feature set within the software solution to support campus ergonomists in tracking and addressing ergonomic need for employees.
Ergonomists often need to piece together an employee’s history across multiple assessments and evaluations. The existing workflow made it difficult to locate relevant documentation and quickly extract information needed to make decisions.
Ergonomists often need to piece together an employee’s history across multiple assessments and evaluations. The existing workflow made it difficult to locate relevant documentation and quickly extract information needed to make decisions.
Impact
Impact
I defined research questions, developed usability testing tasks, conducted sessions, coded transcripts, synthesized behavioral and verbal data, and presented actionable recommendations to product stakeholders.
I defined research questions, developed usability testing tasks, conducted sessions, coded transcripts, synthesized behavioral and verbal data, and presented actionable recommendations to product stakeholders.
TESTING PLAN
TESTING PLAN
Usability testing was selected to assess both the utility and usability of our new feature set. Since this was unfamiliar to our ergonomist user base, their feedback was essential for refining the solution. I defined a high-level research goals and specific research questions to guide our testing and focus our evaluation of usability and utility.
Usability testing was selected to assess both the utility and usability of our new feature set. Since this was unfamiliar to our ergonomist user base, their feedback was essential for refining the solution. I defined a high-level research goals and specific research questions to guide our testing and focus our evaluation of usability and utility.
Research Goal
Research Goal
Evaluate how efficiently and effectively the prototype features allow ergonomists to locate relevant self-assessment data, form decisions, communicate findings, and take appropriate action.
Evaluate how efficiently and effectively the prototype features allow ergonomists to locate relevant self-assessment data, form decisions, communicate findings, and take appropriate action.
Research Questions
Research Questions
UTILITY EVALUATION
UTILITY EVALUATION
To what degree do features and navigation align with ergonomists’ existing workflow?
Does the information presented align in content, format, and level of detail with ergonomists’ needs for completing their job tasks?
To what degree do features and navigation align with ergonomists’ existing workflow?
Does the information presented align in content, format, and level of detail with ergonomists’ needs for completing their job tasks?
USABILITY EVALUATION
USABILITY EVALUATION
How easily can ergonomists locate and act on the relevant information they are seeking?
How easily can ergonomists locate and use additional features (e.g., AI Assistant) to support their tasks?
How easily can ergonomists navigate to and from the search results?
How easily can ergonomists locate and act on the relevant information they are seeking?
How easily can ergonomists locate and use additional features (e.g., AI Assistant) to support their tasks?
How easily can ergonomists navigate to and from the search results?
Participant Recruitment
Participant Recruitment
6 ergonomists from UC and CSU campuses participated in moderated usability testing. Participants represented a range of campus contexts and experience levels with the platform.
6 ergonomists from UC and CSU campuses participated in moderated usability testing. Participants represented a range of campus contexts and experience levels with the platform.
TESTING TASKS
TESTING TASKS
DISCLAIMER: All user data shown is test data. Some sections are blurred, such as document owners, to protect the privacy of team members whose names and emails were used to generate the test data.
DISCLAIMER: All user data shown is test data. Some sections are blurred, such as document owners, to protect the privacy of team members whose names and emails were used to generate the test data.
We used a think-aloud protocol, asking participants to verbalize their thoughts as they completed tasks based on the following scenario: S.R. is a long-term employee who previously had an ergonomics evaluation and recently requested additional ergonomic support.
We used a think-aloud protocol, asking participants to verbalize their thoughts as they completed tasks based on the following scenario: S.R. is a long-term employee who previously had an ergonomics evaluation and recently requested additional ergonomic support.
Task
Task
What Was Evaluated
What Was Evaluated
Search
Search
Could participants locate S.R.’s records?
Could participants locate S.R.’s records?
Document Identification
Document Identification
Could they identify the correct assessment/evaluation within S.R.’s records?
Could they identify the correct assessment/evaluation within S.R.’s records?
AI Assistant
AI Assistant
Could they discover and use supporting tools to extract information from the assessment?
Could they discover and use supporting tools to extract information from the assessment?
ANALYSIS & SYNTHESIS
ANALYSIS & SYNTHESIS
I imported session recordings and transcripts into Dovetail and developed a tagging taxonomy to systematically code verbal and behavioral data. I then affinity-mapped coded observations and used a rainbow chart to compare participant behaviors across tasks.
I imported session recordings and transcripts into Dovetail and developed a tagging taxonomy to systematically code verbal and behavioral data. I then affinity-mapped coded observations and used a rainbow chart to compare participant behaviors across tasks.
FINDINGS & RECOMMENDATIONS
FINDINGS & RECOMMENDATIONS
I combined findings from verbal and behavioral observations to generate clear, actionable insights and design recommendations for RSS stakeholders.
I combined findings from verbal and behavioral observations to generate clear, actionable insights and design recommendations for RSS stakeholders.
01: Search Wasn’t Discoverable
01: Search Wasn’t Discoverable
OBSERVATION
Several participants overlooked the search bar and tried alternative ways to locate employees
OBSERVATION
Several participants overlooked the search bar and tried alternative ways to locate employees
INSIGHT
The current interface doesn’t clearly communicate that search is the primary method for finding employee records
INSIGHT
The current interface doesn’t clearly communicate that search is the primary method for finding employee records
RECOMMENDATION
Increase search prominence and provide clearer affordances around what users can search for
RECOMMENDATION
Increase search prominence and provide clearer affordances around what users can search for
02: Document cards lacked decision-critical information
02: Document cards lacked decision-critical information
OBSERVATION
Participants struggled to distinguish self-assessments from professional evaluations and interpret dates
OBSERVATION
Participants struggled to distinguish self-assessments from professional evaluations and interpret dates
INSIGHT
Users don’t have enough contextual information to confidently select the correct document
INSIGHT
Users don’t have enough contextual information to confidently select the correct document
RECOMMENDATION
Add document type, submission date, and other decision-critical metadata to document cards
RECOMMENDATION
Add document type, submission date, and other decision-critical metadata to document cards
03: Centralized information was valuable, but AI Assistant was hard to discover
03: Centralized information was valuable, but AI Assistant was hard to discover
OBSERVATION
Participants valued seeing all documents in one place, but 5/6 needed guidance to find the AI Summary.
OBSERVATION
Participants valued seeing all documents in one place, but 5/6 needed guidance to find the AI Summary.
INSIGHT
Centralization reduced information fragmentation, but the AI feature wasn’t discoverable enough to become part of the workflow
INSIGHT
Centralization reduced information fragmentation, but the AI feature wasn’t discoverable enough to become part of the workflow
RECOMMENDATION
Increase salience of the AI Assistant and surface summaries within the document workflow
RECOMMENDATION
Increase salience of the AI Assistant and surface summaries within the document workflow
PROJECT OUTCOMES
PROJECT OUTCOMES
Research findings were presented to product leadership, designers, product owners, and developers and directly informed subsequent design work.
Research findings were presented to product leadership, designers, product owners, and developers and directly informed subsequent design work.
Next Steps
Next Steps
Improve search discoverability
Add metadata needed for document identification
Increase visibility of AI-generated summaries
Explore scheduling/tracking workflows for future iterations
Improve search discoverability
Add metadata needed for document identification
Increase visibility of AI-generated summaries
Explore scheduling/tracking workflows for future iterations
The recommendations from the testing insights are being implemented for the next release of the solution.
The recommendations from the testing insights are being implemented for the next release of the solution.
REFLECTION
REFLECTION
This project strengthened my ability to independently plan and execute usability research, systematically analyze qualitative data, and translate behavioral findings into product recommendations. One area I’d improve is defining the coding taxonomy earlier to improve consistency across sessions. I would also create an executive summary earlier so stakeholders can access the highest-impact findings quickly.
This project strengthened my ability to independently plan and execute usability research, systematically analyze qualitative data, and translate behavioral findings into product recommendations. One area I’d improve is defining the coding taxonomy earlier to improve consistency across sessions. I would also create an executive summary earlier so stakeholders can access the highest-impact findings quickly.