I recently had the opportunity to design internal tools for a bank, and in the process, I learned a few things that I didn’t expect. Here are five of the lessons that I learned:
1. You need to become a semi-expert in the domain
When designing any kind of product, it’s important to have a solid understanding of the domain. But when it comes to internal tools, the level of knowledge required is even higher. I had to go deeper into the workflow, user tasks, and user goals, and understand them at a much deeper level than when designing commercial products. This is because internal tools are used for work and the nature of the user’s goals is different compared to commercial products.
2. Your design philosophy may not always work
When designing internal tools, it’s important to be flexible and willing to adapt to the needs of the users. One of the initiatives of the design team was to reduce the usage of acronyms. However, during the improvement process, it was discovered that certain acronyms actually made the users’ work more efficient. This highlights the fact that users may opt to stick with familiar tools and processes, even if they don’t align with the highest design principles, if it benefits them in some way. I found that it’s primarily due to a cultural structure of norms, attitudes, and beliefs. While perseverance is crucial, it’s equally important to remain adaptable and receptive to change. It’s essential to be willing to adjust your design philosophy whenever necessary.
3. Innovation can be a hurdle
Innovation can be tough, especially when it comes to internal tools. Users may resist change, even if it could simplify their workflow. Persuading users to embrace new designs and processes can be a challenging task. Typically, this problem is closely linked to operational processes, so for the purpose of addressing core issues, high-level process innovation should be achievable. This is where service design needs to come into play.
4. Simple is best! Yep…but
Designing internal tools is a delicate balance between making the tools simple and intuitive for the users, while still ensuring that all of the necessary details and complex processes are included. It’s a formidable task, but it’s worth the effort to create a tool that is both simple and effective.
5. Universal design is vital
A factor that may contribute to difficulty in hiring disabled individuals could be a lack of accessibility in the digital work environment for all employees. People use internal tools for work, which is closely tied to their earnings. That is why making the product universally accessible becomes even more important. By designing products that can be used by everyone, regardless of their abilities, you can maximize the capabilities of all employees. Getting there won’t be a cakewalk especially if you work for a big organization. It takes more than just one person to make it happen. But there are still things you can do. That’s what I did.
When I started on my internal tools designing journey, thought it would be a snooze-fest compared to designing for commercial products.
But boy was I wrong.
Designing for a bank brought its own set of unexpected challenges, but it was an incredible and unique experience, full of lessons I never thought I’d learn. I’m confident these lessons will serve me well as I delve into new products and industries in the future.
