UX Design at Pason
Re-designing safety software for the drilling industry
Jan 2020 - Jan 2021
Slow system performance
Complicated navigation
Outdated interface design
Pason's EDR records drilling data
Although Pason holds large global market share, its customers were expressing frustration with its base EDR product (the Electronic Drilling Recorder).
Pason's system was slow, complicated to navigate, and had an outdated interface.
To improve customer retention, Pason underwent a multi-year project to re-write the EDR from Java to HTML5.
The EDR prior to re-design
-
Wasted space causing more clicking and user interaction than necessary
-
Unorganized menu system
-
Outdated UI components
-
Memos and chat messages that covered important trace data
"I'm out here in extreme heat, getting mud everywhere, and trying to make sure I don't do something stupid that is going to get everyone killed. The last thing I need to worry about is where to find that button on the screen."
- Driller
Visiting rigs to speak to users
To understand how the EDR could be improved, I visited 7 active drilling rigs in Texas to speak to Pason's users first-hand.
Working with real-time data was critical and there was a lot at stake if things went wrong.
Drillers felt pressured to drill as fast as possible while also bearing responsibility for everyone's safety on-site.
Industrial rig sites were noisy, faced extreme weather conditions, and were full of potentially lethal hazards.
Researching, designing and validating ideas
Over the course of my employment at Pason, I utilized the following techniques to iteratively research, design, and validate ideas:
-
Creating Personas for different rig personnel
-
Collecting data analytics on button clicks
-
Hosting collaborative card-sorting workshops
-
Facilitating over 20 one-to-one user interviews both in the field and via videoconferencing
-
Conducting user testing sessions with prototypes created in Adobe XD
Working frequently with a collaborative team of Software Developers to scope technical work, Project Managers to plan timelines, and the Product Owner to make final decisions, I created low fidelity mockups, prototypes, and high fidelity wireframes to bring the new EDR vision to life.
Tackling Navigation
A new navigation was created for the EDR. Commonly used features (as identified using button click research), such as alarm management, Pason's chat feature, and the memo feature, were all brought to the main EDR trace view page.
Less frequently used features were moved to an application switcher and an updated navigation menu.
A permanent header was introduced that would be accessible from all Pason applications, with the footer of each page acting as a settings menu for actions that could be taken for each local application.
Lastly, customizable settings were created to enable shortcut buttons, and screen layout preferences for trace data were created.
Placement of memos
Previously, memos covered trace data on the screen. This cluttered the interface and covered up critical information.
The ability to send memos was also exposed on the main interface, with memo notifications accessible in an expandable / collapsible memo blade.
Alarm unification
Users used to have to set alarm points in each Pason application or manage alarm settings using the complicated menu system.
A configurable alarm panel was added to the global header.
Clicking on the alarm icon now takes the user to a unified area to manage alarms across all Pason applications.
Updated Style Guide
Updated UI components such as icon buttons and callout dialog boxes were introduced and applied across all Pason products. Contrast and text size was used to give this information appropriate visual priority.
Colour themes
Since Pason's products are used 24/7 in outdoor industrial environments, colour schemes needed to be highly visible in both bright sunlight and nighttime or lowlight conditions.
A contrast checking tool was used during the initial colour selection phase of the new interface project. Colours were also tested for colour blind recognition.
The result
The feedback was overwhelmingly positive. Rig personnel were delighted that commonly used features were moved from the complicated menu navigation system to the main screen for easier access.
They also reported that common rig workflows took less time to complete. The cleanup of the system allowed for faster data refreshes, which increased the rate at which users received up-to-date critical information.
"This is awesome. It looks good. I've got everything I need right here!"
- Driller
"I'm enjoying the new look. It's a little hard to get use to, but has more features. One thing I don't like is getting used to this screen and then going to the doghouse and having to use the old screen again. Can we upgrade the doghouse one?"
- Rig Manager
I also developed a new style guide and UI component library to modernize the product while maintaining industrial design requirements. This documentation became the blueprint for future product development and improvements. Users reported enjoying the new look and feel of the Pason system.
The updates made to the Pason EDR drove price increases in January 2023. Revenue reached unprecedented growth, creating value for the business and for Pason shareholders.