UI Redesign
2008-2010
As the lead user experience designer, I spearheaded the two-year redesign of the Autodesk Revit user interface, marking a transformative shift toward modern interaction paradigms. This effort involved overhauling the legacy interface, which had previously relied on disparate menus, toolbars, the option bar, and a vertical design bar, and introducing a cohesive ribbon interface inspired by Microsoft's design patterns. The project spanned two major releases and presented unique challenges due to Revit's complexity as a large-scale computer-aided design (CAD) application.
My role encompassed leadership of the design team, conducting comprehensive user research to ensure the redesign aligned with customer needs and workflows. I was instrumental in developing innovative interaction patterns for the ribbon interface and contextual tabs, which were central to simplifying navigation and improving accessibility within the software. In addition, I took responsibility for implementing all ribbon content using XAML, ensuring functionality and consistency across the new interface.
Collaborating closely with visual designers, I led the review and approval process for all new icons, ensuring they adhered to usability standards and design best practices. I also worked on refining tooltips to provide enhanced guidance for users navigating the new interface.
The initial release faced challenges with adoption due to the significant scope of change and technical issues within the new ribbon framework. However, we pivoted in the subsequent release by addressing feedback through targeted improvements to the contextual tabs, refining the overall user experience, and introducing a modeless properties palette to streamline workflows. Extensive customer meetings and iterative design reviews were crucial in rebuilding user trust and creating an interface that better supported Revit's advanced functionality.
This redesign ultimately set the foundation for a more efficient and intuitive user experience, driving greater productivity for Revit users and showcasing my expertise in delivering impactful design solutions for complex software environments.
