Boardspace
Problem
Board administrators faced cumbersome user management, as they could only add users to one entity at a time and had no way to view or manage users across multiple boards from a central location. This resulted in inefficiencies, particularly for organizations where users changed yearly.
Key Challenges:
Admins lacked a single dashboard for managing all users efficiently.
Assigning users to multiple boards required redundant, manual steps.
There was no quick way to filter or find users, making navigation tedious.
Dropdown menus were a major pain point—administrators found them cumbersome and wanted a more intuitive, visible interaction model for assigning roles and boards.
Overview
BoardSpace is a web-based platform designed to help volunteer boards of directors and administrators manage HOAs, non-profits, and charities. It streamlines document handling, meetings, and governance, making administrative tasks more efficient.
How might we make user management more efficient for board administrators while avoiding cumbersome dropdown menus?
Solution
We designed an improved user management system that allows admins to:
Manage all users from one centralized dashboard
Assign users to multiple boards or committees without dropdown menus
Easily search, add, and remove users with minimal friction
Key Design Decision:
Rather than dropdowns, we implemented a direct, inline assignment system where users could be added or removed using checkboxes and tag-based selection, making the process faster and more intuitive.
UX/UI CASE STUDY
Role:
UX/UI Design Intern
Tools Used:
Figma, Zoom
Goal:
Improve the user management system to streamline administrative tasks, reduce friction in adding/removing users, and enhance usability for board administrators while maintaining clarity and security.
User Insights:
Admins wanted bulk actions (e.g., adding multiple users at once).
A search/filter function was crucial for navigating large user lists.
Dropdown menus slowed down the process—users preferred a checkbox/tag-based approach for assignments.
Design Process:
Challenges:
Designing an interface that balances functionality & simplicity.
Ensuring scalability as organizations grow.
Replacing dropdown menus with a more efficient interaction model.
User Flows
User Search Flow: Admins can search/filter users by name or email.
Bulk User Management: A streamlined add/remove process for multiple boards.
Role Assignment: Instead of dropdowns, checkboxes and tags enable quick user assignment.
Lo-FiWireframes
Initially, we designed an empty state with an option to upload a CSV file for easy bulk user import.
We then explored a role assignment view where admins could see all spaces and assign users without dropdowns.
In our final iteration, selected names automatically moved to the top of the list, making it easier for admins to review and modify user assignments.
This responsive layout reduced clicks and increased efficiency, allowing admins to quickly execute bulk actions with minimal effort.
Research Methods:
User Interviews: Conducted 6 in-depth interviews with board administrators to understand their pain points.
Usability Testing: Tested prototypes with target users to validate new design iterations.
Competitive Analysis: Researched admin dashboards from comparable platforms to benchmark usability best practices.
Hi-Fi Screens:
Empty State for User Management
The initial screen provides a clean, minimal interface with the option to upload or download a CSV file for bulk user management. This allows admins to quickly import or export user data.
Usability Testing & Refinements:
Feedback:
Users found the search/filter functionality intuitive
Bulk actions significantly reduced time spent on user management.
Some testers wanted clearer labels for permissions, leading to UI refinements.
Results & Impact:
60% faster onboarding process for admins.
Reduced redundancy by eliminating the need to re-add users manually.
Improved clarity in user roles and permissions.
Eliminated dropdown frustrations, making role assignment more intuitive.
Click here for the Boardspace User Management Prototype →
Conclusions & Learnings:
Through this project, I collaborated with a team to enhance BoardSpace's user management system, improving efficiency for board administrators. This experience reinforced the importance of user research, iterative design, and collaboration in tackling complex UX challenges.
One of the biggest takeaways was recognizing that dropdown menus, while common, are not always the best UX solution. By shifting to a more visible, interactive tagging/checkbox model, we improved efficiency and usability.
Tooltip for CSV Upload
To enhance usability, we included a tooltip explaining the CSV format and its purpose, ensuring admins understand how to structure their data for seamless uploads.
File Selection for CSV Upload
When selecting a CSV file, admins are prompted with their file explorer, making the upload process straightforward and intuitive.
User List with Search and Bulk Actions
A search bar and bulk selection checkboxes allow admins to efficiently find and modify user access. The “New Space” button enables easy creation of new organizational groups.
User Selection and Role Assignment
Instead of dropdowns, we used radio buttons to assign roles inline, streamlining the process while keeping selections visible and easy to modify.
Expanded View of Role Assignment
Admins can assign multiple roles across different spaces without needing to navigate through additional menus, ensuring a fast and frictionless workflow.
Spaces and Roles Management
Spaces and roles are fully editable, allowing admins to customize them based on their organization's structure. This flexibility ensures that BoardSpace adapts to different board and committee needs, rather than forcing a rigid framework.
Spaces and Roles Customization
Users are now grouped under categories like Directory, HR, Events, Investing, and Planning, improving clarity and eliminating the need for dropdown menus.
Seamlessly Navigate Between Spaces
Admins can toggle between subcommittees effortlessly, allowing them to manage different groups without leaving the screen. This streamlined navigation ensures quick edits and role assignments across multiple spaces, reducing friction in the workflow.
Role Selection and Highlighting
Selected users appear at the top of the list for easy bulk editing. The highlighting effect provides visual confirmation of changes, reducing mistakes and ensuring accuracy
Admins can use the "search this space" feature to filter users within a specific board or committee, making targeted changes without affecting other groups.
Search the Full Database
By deselecting the “search this space” option, admins can expand their search to the entire BoardSpace member log, allowing them to apply changes across all users and spaces instead of just a specific board or committee.
Search by Role in a Space
Admins can search for specific roles within a space, such as “Director”, to quickly locate and modify user assignments. This functionality streamlines role management, ensuring efficient edits without manually scrolling through long lists.
All Members View
The All Members View provides admins with a comprehensive overview of every user across all spaces. This allows for efficient bulk edits, quick role assignments, and seamless navigation between different committees and boards all from a single centralized screen