Native App Design
Design and development of the Access PeopleXD native app.
Background
Access PeopleXD (formerly CoreHR) provides a companion self-service set of applications on both iOS and Android.
The application was entirely redesigned in almost every way, from UI and UX through to architecture, with the aim of streamlining the experience.
Initially this was a CoreHR application which was rebranded to fit a wider Access suite of native apps.
My Role
- Principal UI Designer & Prototyper - Acted as a visual UI designer to adapt Material Design to the needs of the application.
- UX Designer - Worked as a UX designer to conduct research, interview stakeholders, carry out user testing, and support other field research.
- Design Evangelist - Worked to bring product design into the arena of software development and act as a standards gatekeeper.
Key Challenges of Native Design
- Target - Establishing an audience for an HR companion app is challenging and requires targeted research. It was important to define the areas that would be most beneficial for managers, approvals, and similar tasks. Keeping the app light-touch was also a priority.
- Integration - Since we were adding an app to an existing suite, it required a lot of A/B testing and wireframing to define what felt secure yet seamless.
- Customization - The desktop version allows for considerable customer theming. We had to define ways to brand the product while retaining the native and familiar aspects.
- Design systems - As with the desktop product, design systems for both iOS and Android were implemented and enforced. There is no need to reinvent the wheel when it comes to native apps. See Jakob's Law.
Sample Design Process
Conclusions
Just as with the desktop version, we went through many iterations of improvised design processes and came to a conclusion: there is no one-size-fits-all solution. We settled on a simplified version of the diagram above.
The overall size of the native app is considerably smaller, so it is somewhat easier to map user flows.
Some Concept Examples
Profile
Pay
Design System
Contact
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