Radio Central: Cloud-Based Radio Programmig Platform

Orchestrated UX research to validate the usability of new features and interface updates, enhancing the user experience.

Role

UX Researcher

Company

Motorola Solutions, Inc.

Tools

Google Sheets & Slides, Figma, Zoom

Radio central on the screens
Radio central on the screens
Radio central on the screens

(Confidentiality Notice: In accordance with Motorola Solutions, Inc. policy, unpublished product names and designs cannot be displayed. The information below reflects only a portion of my research contributions.)


Project Overview

Product

Radio Central is a cloud-based radio programming platform designed to reduce the time and resources required for radio management.

(Confidentiality Notice: In accordance with Motorola Solutions, Inc. policy, unpublished product names and designs cannot be displayed. The information below reflects only a portion of my research contributions.)


Project Overview

Product

Radio Central is a cloud-based radio programming platform designed to reduce the time and resources required for radio management.


Problem

To enhance the radio update process, new features and UI enhancements were introduced (specific names withheld until official release). Usability testing was required to validate these updates, assess their impact on efficiency, and identify any potential usability challenges before launch.


Research Goals

  1. Introduce new features and interface updates to users.

  2. Validate their usability and assess user experience.

  3. Identify existing or potential usability issues.

  4. Gather actionable design suggestions for improvement.

  5. Present findings to the cross-functional team to guide design decisions.


My Roles

  • Planned and conducted usability tests, user interviews, and heuristic evaluations.

  • Recruited participants, prepared research materials, and facilitated sessions.

  • Analyzed qualitative findings, prioritizing them by severity and impact.

  • Created detailed research reports and presented actionable insights to stakeholders.


Research Details

Stage 1. Plan Research

Defining Research Goals: Defined objectives to validate the design updates and identify usability issues.

Method Selection: Selected usability testing, user interviews, and heuristic evaluations as primary methods.

Participant Recruitment: Recruited 12 participants from the platform’s existing user base.

Tests & Interview Preparation: Developed test scenarios, interview questions, and prototype walkthroughs aligned with research goals.


Stage 2. Conduct Research

Usability Tests & User Interviews: Conducted usability tests and interviews, guiding participants through updated task flows and collecting direct feedback.

Heuristic Evaluations: Ran heuristic evaluations with UX experts using Nielsen’s principles to identify usability gaps independently from user testing.


Stage 3. Analyze Data

Data Analysis: Performed qualitative and quantitative analysis, classifying findings into High, Medium, and Low severity based on impact on usability.

Research Reports: Compiled insights into a comprehensive 60-page report highlighting issues, user suggestions, and recommended solutions.


Stage 4. Generate Insights

Research Summary Presentation: Presented findings to the cross-functional team (designers, product managers, engineers, researchers, and other stakeholders).

Facilitate Team Discussion: Facilitated collaborative discussions to prioritize fixes and shape research-informed design strategies.



Key Observations

  1. Lack of Necessary Information

⚠️ Issue: In Fleet Overview, the flash code chart was overly simplified, making it difficult for users to fully understand.


🛠️ Recommendation: Include detailed explanations of flash codes and highlight critical attributes (e.g., encryption) for quick reference.


  1. Unintuitive Interactive Elements

⚠️ Issue: In the Device Status pie chart, clickable legends provided detailed state information, but users didn’t recognize they were interactive.


🛠️ Recommendation: Add clear labels or arrow icons to indicate interactivity and guide users toward additional information.


  1. Inefficient Template Management

⚠️ Issue: Each device required its own template, making large-scale management cumbersome.


🛠️ Recommendation: Develop a master template with toggleable features to reduce the number of templates and streamline management.


Conclusion

Results & Impact

  • 80% reduction in task completion time — from 40 minutes to just 2 minutes — improving efficiency and ease of use.

  • Validated the usability of new features and identified critical improvements prior to launch.

  • Gathered innovative design suggestions to enhance user workflows and reduce cognitive load.


Next Steps

The design team is implementing the recommended solutions into updated prototypes. I will collaborate with senior researchers to conduct further usability sessions on these prototypes, ensuring the enhancements align with user needs and continue to make Radio Central more intuitive and user-centered.



Stage 1. Plan Research

Defining Research Goals: Defined objectives to validate the design updates and identify usability issues.

Method Selection: Selected usability testing, user interviews, and heuristic evaluations as primary methods.

Participant Recruitment: Recruited 12 participants from the platform’s existing user base.

Tests & Interview Preparation: Developed test scenarios, interview questions, and prototype walkthroughs aligned with research goals.


Stage 2. Conduct Research

Usability Tests & User Interviews: Conducted usability tests and interviews, guiding participants through updated task flows and collecting direct feedback.

Heuristic Evaluations: Ran heuristic evaluations with UX experts using Nielsen’s principles to identify usability gaps independently from user testing.


Stage 3. Analyze Data

Data Analysis: Performed qualitative and quantitative analysis, classifying findings into High, Medium, and Low severity based on impact on usability.

Research Reports: Compiled insights into a comprehensive 60-page report highlighting issues, user suggestions, and recommended solutions.


Stage 4. Generate Insights

Research Summary Presentation: Presented findings to the cross-functional team (designers, product managers, engineers, researchers, and other stakeholders).

Facilitate Team Discussion: Facilitated collaborative discussions to prioritize fixes and shape research-informed design strategies.



Key Observations

  1. Lack of Necessary Information

⚠️ Issue: In Fleet Overview, the flash code chart was overly simplified, making it difficult for users to fully understand.


🛠️ Recommendation: Include detailed explanations of flash codes and highlight critical attributes (e.g., encryption) for quick reference.


  1. Unintuitive Interactive Elements

⚠️ Issue: In the Device Status pie chart, clickable legends provided detailed state information, but users didn’t recognize they were interactive.


🛠️ Recommendation: Add clear labels or arrow icons to indicate interactivity and guide users toward additional information.


  1. Inefficient Template Management

⚠️ Issue: Each device required its own template, making large-scale management cumbersome.


🛠️ Recommendation: Develop a master template with toggleable features to reduce the number of templates and streamline management.


Conclusion

Results & Impact

  • 80% reduction in task completion time — from 40 minutes to just 2 minutes — improving efficiency and ease of use.

  • Validated the usability of new features and identified critical improvements prior to launch.

  • Gathered innovative design suggestions to enhance user workflows and reduce cognitive load.


Next Steps

The design team is implementing the recommended solutions into updated prototypes. I will collaborate with senior researchers to conduct further usability sessions on these prototypes, ensuring the enhancements align with user needs and continue to make Radio Central more intuitive and user-centered.