Problem Statement📝

The CRM search required users to manually select filters from a dropdown even when already in the relevant tab, creating friction, confusion, and slower workflows. The outdated interface also made it difficult for employees to quickly find and verify opportunities, contacts, or accounts.

What Wasn’t Working ⚠️

🔄 Redundant search filters – Users had to manually reset filters instead of the search matching the active tab.

❌ Confusing dropdown behavior – Dropdowns didn’t update with navigation, breaking expectations.

🖼️ Visual clutter – Outdated layout created noise, making results harder to track.

🏷️ Naming inconsistencies – Acronyms, alternate spellings, and inconsistent formats made search unreliable.

🐢 Slow, inefficient workflows – Users avoided the search bar and navigated manually, reducing efficiency.

Research Methods🔍

To better understand user pain points and inform design decisions under strict time constraints, I conducted:

• 3 User Interviews with employees of all different positions who use the CRM search every day.

• 3 Usability Tests on the existing CRM search interface.

Usability Testing and Interview Findings🖥️🗣️

Andy

25+ years of sales experience

• Completed tasks easily due to deep CRM familiarity

• Rarely used search for contacts

• Used search primarily to check opportunities outside his territory

• Found search results cluttered with outdated or inactive entries

• Noted inconsistent naming such as “VA” vs. “Veterans Administration”

• Suggested standardized naming or archiving to reduce noise

Mary

Resource Market Manager

• Completed all tasks without major issues

• Defaulted to global search over filters or navigation tabs

• Relied on search even when inside the Opportunities tab

• Experienced a disappearing result when searching Georgia State University

• Said inconsistent naming and acronyms slowed verification

• Suggested shorthand recognition such as “DC” returning Washington, DC

• Felt persistent filters could frustrate reps working quickly

Hillarie

Sales Representative

• Completed tasks with minimal difficulty

• Expected search to adapt to the current tab context

• Found dropdown filters clunky and unnecessary

• Preferred a horizontal layout for scanning opportunities

• Found creating a new end user within Accounts frustrating

Synthesis: Key Themes🔑✨

After synthesizing Interview and usability findings, several clear themes emerged.

Pain Points

• Redundant and confusing dropdown filters

• Inconsistent naming across accounts and opportunities

• Cluttered interface with outdated results

• Unreliable search behavior, including disappearing results

• Mismatch between user expectations and system behavior

User Needs

• Context aware search behavior

• Cleaner, more scannable result layouts

• Faster confirmation of the correct record

• Support for acronyms and shorthand

• Fewer steps and clearer visual hierarchy

Opportunities

• Replace manual filtering with smarter defaults

• Introduce both global and scoped search behavior

• Work with engineering to standardize naming conventions

• Refresh the UI while keeping it lightweight and efficient

Design Process🎨🛠️

I created three rounds of mockups, iterating based on user feedback and usability test outcomes:

1. Initial Mockup iteration

   

   
   

   

   2. Second Mockup iteration

   

   
   

   3. Third Mockup iteration

      Introduced dual search options, a cleaner interface, new sorting features, and the ability to switch between card and line views.

      This mockup was shared with all OFS employees and later refined based on user feedback collected through a public suggestion document, which is included at the end of this case study.

   

   4. Final Mockup

      The final design came together after incorporating feedback on Mockup 3 from OFS employees post launch. Several refinements made the interface cleaner and more intuitive:

      • A more obvious dropdown as some individuals said it was hard to find.

      • A minimal top menu that reduces visual clutter and keeps the focus on key content.

      • The universal search moved to a smaller placement in the corner, since users preferred the more specific, tab-level search for everyday tasks.

      These final adjustments brought the design to a place where it felt not only modern and visually clean, but also deeply aligned with how sales reps actually work day to day.

Before and After Comparison🔍➡️✨🚀

Before (Old Design):

• Dropdown filter required manual adjustment.

• Visually cluttered and unintuitive.

• User confused by the drop down and filter

  

After (New Design):

• 🔎 Dual search options: global search or scoped search within current tab

• 🎨 More visually appealing and streamlined

• ♻️ Reduced redundancy by merging overlapping search/filter functions

• 🧭 Simplified navigation, improving efficiency and reducing errors

• ⏱️ Minimized clicks required to create a new project, speeding up workflows

Impact💥

• Improved efficiency in daily workflows for employees.

• Reduced confusion and cognitive load during search tasks.

• Increased user satisfaction, as confirmed by post implementation feedback.

• Demonstrated the value of UX research and iterative design in real world business systems.

Reflection💭

• Reinforced the value of user research and iterative prototyping to solve both functional and UX challenges

• Showed how small interface changes, like search improvements, can significantly boost workflow efficiency and user satisfaction

• Highlighted the importance of cross-functional collaboration with engineers to implement practical, scalable solutions

• Strengthened skills in translating user insights into actionable design decisions

• Demonstrated the impact of aligning design with real world workflows to support business goals

Next Steps🚀

• I created a public google doc that all OFS employees have access to as a way to identify remaining pain points and opportunities for improvement, which will inform the next round of design updates.