EV charging stations analytics dashboard UX design

2023

What is the EV charging stations analytics dashboard?

The EV charging stations analytics dashboard is a sophisticated tool developed by Shell to monitor electric vehicle (EV) charging stations and networks. It enables Operations Account Managers and Network Engineers to identify outages at charging stations and schedule necessary repairs efficiently.

Although the EV charging stations analytics dashboard has evolved over time based on user requests, it has had limited focus on the information architecture, functionality, and overall user experience.

Previous analytics dashboard

The brief

The design team was tasked with creating a new EV charging stations analytics dashboard experience for Shell Recharge Solutions. The objectives included understanding functionality, enhancing navigation, and improving the overall user experience.

Project assignments and responsibilities:

Managing stakeholders by understanding their needs and expectations, establishing clear communication channels to keep them informed, and actively involving them in the design process through regular review meetings.

I closely collaborated with the research designer on market and user research, conducting user interviews and assisting in creating the concept book.

I led the creation of an intuitive, user-friendly analytics dashboard, focusing on bridging the gap between complex data and the user.

I organised and structured the dashboard content and functionalities to ensure ease of use and navigation.

I designed wireframes to illustrate the layout and functionality of various screens, ensuring an intuitive and user-friendly interface.

I developed interactive prototypes to simulate the user experience and test design concepts.

The vision

The goal was to enhance efficiency, standardization, and achieve excellence in user experience. Our aim was to empower users to navigate various dashboards effortlessly.

Our approach focused on implementing a standardized design language, streamlining workflows, and overall enhancement of user experience.

This initiative aimed to achieve the following objectives:

  • Improve user experience and usability.
  • Enhance efficiency in designing and updating dashboards.
  • Ensure scalability and flexibility to meet diverse data visualization needs.

Challenges

Inconsistent User Experience

Users often encounter multiple dashboards with varying designs and functionalities, which can lead to confusion and a steep learning curve.

Insufficient consideration of user needs and preferences can lead to suboptimal user experiences, thereby reducing the effectiveness of the dashboards.

Lack of standardization

Various teams or individuals create dashboards at Shell Recharge using their own design preferences and techniques, leading to inconsistency.

The lack of uniform visual language, layout, and interaction patterns complicates navigation and understanding of the information presented.

Scalability & adaptability

Existing dashboard designs may not easily integrate new data sources or accommodate evolving requirements, which can limit their adaptability and expansion.

Without a modular approach, incorporating new visualizations or functionalities can be time-consuming and may necessitate significant redesign efforts.

Starting with research

Assumptions can be risky. We often believe we understand the problem, what users want, which features are necessary, and what the desired outcomes should be—sometimes, we’re fortunate, but not entirely accurate.

However, a human-centered approach is crucial to ensure that we create the appropriate solution for the intended user in the most effective manner. It revolves around asking the right questions to obtain the necessary insights.

Market research

The research designer collected extensive market insights that showcase experiences and best practices highly valued by today’s users.

Main findings:

  • Minimalist design: to be visually appealing and organized in such a way that users can easily find what they are looking for.
  • Intuitive self-service: empower users with self-service features to manage the solution, solve problems, and develop their skills on their own terms.
  • Flexible customization: offer modularity in customization to ensure the dashboard is optimized for users’ specific business goals and requirements.
  • New innovations: inspire and excite users with new offerings, feat
  • Streamlined design: visually appealing and organized to enhance user navigation and ease of use.
  • Intuitive self-service: empower users with tools to independently manage the solution, resolve issues, and develop skills at their own pace.
  • Flexible customization: provide modular customization options to tailor the dashboard to users’ unique business goals and requirements.
  • Innovative features: introduce new offerings, features, or services that anticipate and meet future job and role needs, inspiring and engaging users.

User research

We conducted 7 interviews with our users to gain in deepth understanding of their needs and expectations, as well as to define their unique profiles from common themes.

User research helped us to understand the needs, motivations, and pain points of our target users. Through user research, we validated our decisions, identify areas for improvement, and create a product that is user-centered and meets the needs of our users.

Initial concepts

Based on user research, we developed a list of conceptual functions to outline and explore proposals aimed at rectifying and enhancing user experiences.

These concepts serve as a framework for articulating our objectives and overarching vision, with the aim of crafting captivating user experiences. They provide an initial foundation for constructing business rationales and determining priorities.

  • Collaboration & Comms
  • Feedback Feature
  • Validation for Owner
  • Co-creation
  • Self-service Options
  • Modularity & Flexibility
  • Smart Data
  • Visual Information
  • Dataset Subscription
  • Request Missing Data
  • Automatic Validation
  • Onboarding Experience
  • Enhanced Exploration

The new EV charging stations analytics dashboard
experience

The process of redesigning the analytics dashboard platform, was approached with a focus on user experience, scalability, modularity and optimisation of workflows.

Instead of creating another dashboard, we decided to redesign the full platform as a fully integrated and scalable tool. By deeply understanding the needs and concerns of users, the design team was able to develop a new concept that focuses on improving the overall user experience by introducing new features and tools that will improve workflows, analysis processes and collaboration within teams.

Personal home

  1. New dashboard
    Authorized users can now create personalized dashboards to explore, research, and plan for specific roles and needs, thanks to a new feature. Each new file allows users to tailor their dashboard to their specific requirements and goals.
  2. Suggested dashboards
    A collection of dashboards suggested to the user based on role and previously seen dashboards. This cards provide information on what is inside such as:
    • File name
    • File description
    • Users that have access to this file
    • Ability to share and invite other users to access the file
  3. Shared with me
    Files that have been shared with me from other users. they have the same preview insights of suggested dashboards.

Work area and components library

  1. Navigation
    • Home – Go back to user’s home
    • Tabs – Create multiple views to keep dashboards organized
    • Share – Invite other users via email or dynamic link to access and contribute in the same file
    • Profile – Quick access user’s profile
    • Comment – The comment tool enables users to add comments/feedback to the work area keeping the conversation centralised and in context. Users can tag other users and invite them to join the conversation.
    • Subscribe – Subscribe to the dashboard to be the first to know any change or update.
    • My dashboards – List of dashboards created by the user and saved to be used in their daily tasks.
    • Pre-defined dashboards – The dashboards designed and approved by the business
  2. Data models
    A catalogue of data components that the users can drag and drop to create their modular dashboards.
  3. Work area
    This is where users can personalize their dashboard by adding, removing and rearranging components.
  4. Filters
    This feature allows users to adjust what is displayed on the dashboard. Each map has its own tools that can assist during the analysis process. The features of these tools will be explained in further detail in the next pages of the document.

Work area example

In this example, we can see both the dashboard and the filter capabilities.

Our EV Analytics datalake and components library power the data and graphs, allowing users to easily customise their dashboards with predefined modular components that provide insights. Users can use these tools to analyse and visualise the data they need. Users can gain a better understanding and make data-driven decisions as a result of this.

Users can also share their dashboards with other users, this allows teams to work together on research and planning, making it easier to share information and insgihts, and to make data-driven decisions.

Conclusion: transforming EV charging stations dashboard into a seamless user experience

In this design case study, I designed a new EV charging stations analytics dashboard that enhances user experience and usability while ensuring scalability and flexibility to accommodate diverse data visualisation needs.

Your feedback is invaluable in shaping my ongoing efforts to enhance user experiences further. I invite you to share your thoughts, suggestions, or inquiries. I eagerly look forward to collaborating with you and making our future projects even better together.

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