Meshpoint
Meshpoint is the spatial data operating system that unifies 3D scans, BIM and imagery into a single environment. New features released in the toolbar outpaced the existing design system which cause clutter, decision paralysis and mental fatigue, especially to new and learning users.
PROJECT REQUIREMENTS
Project Ownership
My Role: UX/UI Designer
Team: 1 Designer, 1 Developer, 1 Project Lead
My Scope: Lead the design aspect of the revamp the toolbar within the view port to create structure, hierarchy and enable scalability for future releases.
PROJECT OVERVIEW
Background
The existing menu was just a collection of individual tools. Every new tool release meant that another item just appeared on an already crowded list, with no ceiling on how cluttered it could get. It quickly became visually crowded, causing users to have an overwhelming experience in the core workspace as too many options were presented at once.
Project Constraint
No existing functionality could be removed. Power users rely on all tools.
The sprint had to ship without a major engineer rebuild on the backend.
Ensure scalability so more features could be added effectively.
CONSIDERATION
Understanding Usage Frequency
With a total of 15+ tools, only a small percentage of power users utilised the full suite while more new users stuck with the core functionality. I made the decision to categorise by usage frequency and the value it provided to each of the user groups was validated by heat mapping.
Grouping Functional Clusters
Addition of new tools ultimately did not separate core actions from the advanced ones. This existing structure forced every user, regardless of skill level, to analyse the same volume of options displayed. To address this problem, the redesign aimed to group the tool by task type.
Risk of Core Changes
There were some anticipation some support ticket being raised, given the shift in users expectations around the changes. Those who were accustomed to the old UI were expected to already have a mental model and may feel a small disruption when the new tool menu is introduced.
APPROACH
Redesign for Scalability
The revamp introduced a nest structure, grouping tools by function and placing frequently used core tools at the top level. This meant that the system could absorb new releases into existing categories or even be in its own new category without disrupting the primary viewport. The system was able to scale without breaking the experience, solving a problem that the old structure was never built to handle.
Guiding Users through New Release
Instead of forcing users to read the release notes or even go through another learning phase, the tooltips acts as a low-commitment guide that builds trust and introduce complexity gradually rather than exposing it all at one.
Experienced users or those who want to go through a self-discovery phase are able to opt out by dismissing the walkthrough. This allowed for a flexible layer of guidance for all users rather than baking it as a permanent structure that may become intrusive instead of valuable.
VALIDATIONS
Session Testing
Sessions recordings and A/B testing showed that users spent less time doing empty hovers over tools as the grouping of tools and hierarchy changes gave them contexts for the functionality.
Comparing Usability within Different User Groups
SEQ and SUS were shown periodically after completion of task to power and new/beginner users to see perceived task difficulty specifically in this group.
IMPACT
Highlighted Outcomes
The time for new users learning the layout and functionality of the toolbar decreased and reached a proficient level within ~37 minutes of first exposure, compared to average of ~60 minutes.
Visual reduction from 20 individual buttons to 6 grouped categories, aligning with Hick's and Miller's law, decreasing cognative load for users.