RevDeBug

Project Overview

As the sole product designer at RevDeBug, I was tasked with revitalizing our Visual Studio extension panel. This case study outlines how I approached the challenge of transforming a complex, developer-focused tool into an intuitive, user-friendly interface.

Tools: HTML5, XAML, SCSS, Gimp, Git, JavaScript, jQuery

The Challenge

RevDeBug, originally an internal tool created by backend developers, faced significant usability issues when it became available worldwide. The main challenges were:

• Poor discoverability of the newly installed extension within Visual Studio
• Scattered functionality across the interface
• A complex, multi-step process to access the main feature

My Role

As the sole designer, I was responsible for:

• Initial design and ideation
• User research and interviews
• UX design and iteration
• Frontend development
• Collaboration with backend developers and managers

The Process

1. Research and Discovery

To address the issues, I conducted:

• User interviews to understand pain points and needs
• Usability tests of the existing interface
• Analysis of user feedback and behavior patterns

2. Initial Simplification

We developed a “3 steps to get a recording” concept to streamline the user journey.

3. Major UX/UI Overhaul (Version 4.0)

I created an accordion-style interface, which allowed for better information organization and guided user interaction.

4. Continuous Improvement

After the 4.0 release, I conducted further user testing and identified remaining issues. I categorized these issues by severity and developed targeted solutions.

5. Final Redesign

Based on user insights, I proposed a new design that:

• Consolidated all functionalities into the right panel
• Replaced the accordion with clear action-based navigation
• Simplified the interface by removing non-essential elements
• Reorganized information to align with user goals and workflows

Key Design Decisions

• Created a clear three-action navigation: Record, Load, and Check Status
• Separated the solution status from the overall application status
• Combined “Crash recorder” and “Live recorder” into a single “Browse” window
• Improved the visibility and accessibility of detailed windows and filtering options
• Added informative in-between views to keep users updated on ongoing processes

Outcomes and Impact

While still in the internal testing phase, the redesign has shown promising results:

• Increased user comprehension of the interface
• Higher user satisfaction and preference over the older version
• Improved discoverability of key features

Key Learnings

This project reinforced the importance of:

• Continuous user testing and feedback incorporation
• Balancing power-user features with intuitive design for new users
• Aligning interface design with user goals and mental models
• Iterative design process in complex technical environments

Conclusion

The RevDeBug Visual Studio Panel redesign demonstrates how a complex, technical tool can be transformed into a more accessible and user-friendly interface through iterative design and user-centered thinking. As the sole product designer, this project showcased my ability to tackle complex UX challenges independently, collaborate with cross-functional teams, and deliver impactful design solutions that meet both user needs and business objectives.