SummitRTS Test Plan

Belay Technologies' leading automated testing tool, SummitRTS, aims to enhance the "Create Test Plan" function on its platform. Currently, the platform lacks features to support the creation of comprehensive test plans, such as the ability to view plans holistically and to easily edit, copy, and paste elements.

ROLE / ACTIVITIES PERFORMED

Lead UX Designer

  • Complex Problem-Solving

  • Information Architecture (IA) Design

  • Iterative Design

  • Stakeholder Pitching

  • Mentoring

Endless Opportunities

After spending some time exploring the current platform and the steps it takes for a user to create a test plan, it was clear there were many opportunities to explore. Some of these include:

JSON vs. Builder Views

The transition between the JSON page and Builder view are not very clear.

Copying Tasking

Users have no way of copying and pasting elements of their test plan onto different sections of the process.

Viewing Multiple Plans Simultaneously

There needed to be a way for users to view several plans holistically without having to go back to different steps of the process or open an entirely new window in their browser.

Span of Window

The actual width of the area where users can create a plan feels cramped and limiting.

Before

The Goal: Provide users with the ability to create customizable Test Plans that allow flexibility.

Solidifying Solutions

Our client, Jake (owner of Belay Technologies), has expressed the desire to enable users to copy previously created instances and paste them onto different parts of a plan or an entirely different plan. Currently, the platform lacks this functionality and does not provide a way to view previously saved plans at a high level. This is the first problem we aimed to solve, and came up with two potential solutions in the process:

‘My Saved’ Panel

This panel would allow users to see all their saved items: saved plans, instances, tasks, and task actions. They should be able to copy elements from these items and move them to other plans or their current one.

‘Plan Overview’ Panel

This panel will show the current step of the user in the test plan process, along with the instances created under each step. Users will be able to edit, duplicate, save, and move instances to other plans within the same panel. The challenge is that there could be more than 10 instances, so we need to find a way to present this information in a less overwhelming manner for users.

Initial Sketch – As I was trying to come up with ways to improve this section, I started brainstorming ideas and asking myself all the questions. What were some meaningful opportunities for features? Does a Drag & Drop solution make sense? Is a progress bar along the top of the plan necessary? I enjoy these moments the most because they help me uncover even more questions and problems that haven't been thought of before.

Dual Panels – If I were to add this dual panel system to the interface, I want it to be as seamless as possible. Both panels would share some similar functionality. The left panel, Plan Overview, would provide a lot of flexibility and freedom when creating your plan – similar to a toolbar. While the right panel would serve as a reliable anchor housing all your saved items.

Drag & Drop – Our client was adamant in making a drag and drop method work. While I was initially afraid this would cause the interface to be clunky, it was clear that it all depended on the design of the actual interaction. That means incorporating: hover states of an Instance, change in cursor, drop zone visual feedback etc..

Move Instance Modal – Moving an Instance from one plan to another was another monumental feature needed in the platform. So I came up with two options. Once to user decides to move an Instance, this opens a pop up modal. This method gives the user ample real estate to decide which Instances should go where with the ability to search and multi-select.

From Static to Dynamic

After getting over the hurdle that was understanding the slight learning curve of the functionality of the SummitRTS platform, its use cases and some of the technical “jargon”, it allowed us to tackle complex scenarios as opportunities for innovation. Developing multiple, dynamic options to move instances under the ‘My Saved’ panel, pushed us to think about other possible scenarios in user behaviors. The culmination was incredibly rewarding, particularly when the product owner expressed genuine satisfaction and appreciation for our work. Their positive feedback affirmed our efforts and underscored the value of perseverance and creativity in overcoming obstacles.

After