Transforming Time Tracking and Project Management experience for the consultants
Background
The consulting firm, with approximately 600 employees—80% of whom are billable consultants—has been utilizing an outdated timesheet and project management system. The primary goal of this project is to redesign the time tracking and project management tool to address significant user pain points and ultimately improve the overall user experience and productivity.
Project Challenge
The time tracking and project management tool needs redesign to address user pain points related to time entry, project visibility, and team collaboration, ultimately improving the overall user experience and productivity.
My Role
I led this project from beginning to end. I conducted user research, analyzed the system's current state, and crafted solutions through wireframes and high-fidelity prototypes.
Design Process
The design process for this project was methodical and structured. I began by defining the project scope and goals, followed by conducting user research and ideation.
Next, I created prototypes and iterated on them before developing high-fidelity prototypes. Finally, I handed over the designs to the developers. The entire design phase of the project was completed within six weeks.
User Research: Analytics
Analytics show that the highest percentage of users engage with the system primarily for time logging, spending most of their time on the timesheet page. On average, users spend about 40 minutes per day on this page. User interviews revealed that logging time is an unenjoyable task for most, and they would prefer to spend less time on it.
The goal for this project is to reduce the average time spent on the timesheet page by 50%, allowing consultants to dedicate more time to working on projects and less time on administrative tasks like logging hours.
Design audit
Users cannot manage their projects list.
There is no way to contact the Project Manager within the system to adjust hours.
Users cannot see how many hours for each project they have left for the week.
Users must switch between timesheets and the resource plan to see their assigned hours for each project for the week.
Poor visualization of hours utilization; it only shows hours logged per task.
Total hours logged per day are displayed twice on the page.
There is no visibility on overall hours utilization.
Poor visibility on billable vs. non-billable hours utilization.
Users cannot edit their notes in the timesheet.
The user interface is cluttered with unnecessary elements.
The status of the timesheet is unclear.
User Research Results
User interviews and surveys were conducted to gather insights into the specific pain points and needs of the users. Key findings include:
35% of users reported frustration with the inability to edit notes directly in the timesheet.
75% of users expressed the need for a better visual representation of billable vs. non-billable hours. The current visual representation of hours utilization is cluttered, with redundant information and poor visualization.
70% of users reported difficulty in identifying the project manager and team members for each project. Users frequently need to contact project managers to adjust project hours but there is no way to see who is the project manager on the project in this current system.
65% of users need an easier way to see the total number of hours allocated per project for the current week.
80% of users feel frustrated with having to switch between timesheets and resource plans.
55% of users struggle with managing and organizing multiple projects, often overwhelmed by outdated or irrelevant projects. The proces of removing the old project is complicated and require submitting a ticket to the support and waiting for the next step.
User Persona
Problem Statement
Users face significant inefficiencies and frustrations with the current system due to manual time calculations, poor visualization of billable and non-billable hours, lack of visibility into project managers, and difficulty organizing projects. These issues lead to time wasted, errors in time tracking, and reduced productivity.
Solution Exploration
My next step was to create a mid-fidelity clickable prototype to get feedback from core users.
After conducting user interviews, I learned that while users are accustomed to the current time log and project management system, they find it neither easy nor intuitive to use. However, since they have been using it for many years, it’s important to improve the system without making complete changes, so users don’t have to re-learn it. Users expressed dissatisfaction with logging their time and adding notes for each time log, describing it as an unpleasant and time-consuming process. Therefore, I’ve decided to focus on these features to make the time log process simpler and more efficient.
Synthesize user testing
Manual Project Management: Users expressed dissatisfaction with the manual effort required for project management tasks. They prefer more automated and streamlined processes.
Hours Utilization Data: Users want a simplified view of hours utilization, preferring less clutter and only essential information.
Project Team Visibility: Users do not need to see the entire team for each project. They only need to identify and contact the project manager to adjust project hours.
Notes Button Placement: Users find the current placement of the notes button at the end of the week inconvenient and would prefer it to be more accessible and linked to each time-log cell.
Adding Non-Billable Projects: Users seek a faster and easier method to add non-billable projects to the timesheet. The current way takes too long.
Star Timer Feature: The Star Timer feature is not well-received, with 50% of users indicating they wouldn't use it and 20% expressing a dislike for it.
Overview of Hours Utilization: Some users want a clear overview of hours utilization but primarily use the timesheet page to log their hours. They emphasize the need for the timesheet to be efficient and straightforward for logging purposes.
Based on extensive user testing and feedback, I refined the design through multiple iterations to arrive at this final solution.
Solution
Implementing an automated framework to replace 45% of users' manual tasks will significantly enhance the efficiency and accuracy of time logging and project management. User interviews revealed that accuracy in time submission is a higher priority for users than the time spent on the process. This emphasis on precision contributes to the longer duration required for time logging, which is contrary to consultants' preferences.
Enhancing Project Management and Time Entry
Project Navigation and TimeSheet Entry:
Display active projects in the timesheet by default so users don’t have to do this manually.
Resource Plan Alignment:
Show the number of hours assigned for each active project directly in the timesheet.
Hours Adjustment:
Add an "Adjust Hours" button to each project, which sends a request to the engagement manager. The manager will be notified via email and their dashboard, streamlining the process and ensuring timely adjustments.
Display the engagement manager for each project by default, enabling consultants to contact them more quickly with any questions.
Streamlining UX: Optimizing Time Log Entry and Restructuring Timesheet Tables
Streamlining Page Layout
Remove unused sections and optimize the space to highlight core features, ensuring users can complete their tasks more efficiently.
Enhancing Time Log Entry
Enlarged the cells and time entry boxes, providing clearer visual separation for each project and day. This structured layout will help users avoid mistakes and improve the accuracy of their entries.
Structuring the Timesheet Table
Highlighted the current day within the timesheet to help users quickly find and log hours for today, reducing time spent searching through the table.
Improving Notes module
Improving Notes Accessibility
Place the notes button next to the hours log container for each day, serving as a visual reminder and making it easier for users to add notes promptly.
Notes Edit Functionality
Introducing the "Edit" feature, allowing users to modify their previous notes for all projects and all past note entries.
A Voice-to-Text Feature
Speaking is generally faster than typing, enabling users to input notes more quickly and efficiently.
Users can dictate notes while performing other tasks, enhancing multitasking capabilities and productivity.
Voice-to-text can reduce the number of typos and spelling mistakes that often occur with manual typing.
Optimizing User Experience
Introducing visual dashboards to provide an overview of billable and non-billable hours utilization.
Developed a dashboard with color-coded charts and graphs to visually distinguish billable and non-billable hours.
Facilitating Project Access
Include a list of non-billable projects directly in the time card interface, minimizing steps and making the process quicker and more straightforward.
Adjusting Week Start Day
Adjust the timesheet to start the week on Monday, aligning with the company's work schedule and preventing logging errors.
Results
The new product changes and features lead to higher operational efficiency, better communication, fewer errors, increased productivity, improved decision-making, and a more streamlined workflow, all of which contribute to the business's success and profitability.
Improved Efficiency
By displaying active projects by default in the timesheet and streamlining page layout, users can complete tasks more efficiently, reducing manual effort and saving time.
Simplified Workflow
Facilitating project access and adjusting the week start day to align the timesheet system with company workflows, minimizing steps, and improving overall user experience.
Enhanced Communication
The addition of an "Adjust Hours" button and default display of engagement managers enables faster communication and streamlined processes for requesting adjustments, leading to quicker responses and improved collaboration.
Better Decision Making
Enhanced visual dashboards provide clear insights into billable and non-billable hours, facilitating informed decision-making and resource allocation.
Reduced Errors
Enlarged cells, structured timesheet tables, and improved notes accessibility contribute to clearer data entry and reduced mistakes, improving the accuracy of time logs and project tracking.
Increased Productivity
The introduction of a voice-to-text feature enables quicker note-taking and multitasking capabilities, boosting overall productivity and task completion rates.
Next step
Our next step involves testing the voice-to-text feature to ensure its functionality aligns with the needs of consultants. The goal is to streamline the note-taking process, making it faster and more efficient.
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