Problem Statement

The original system had the following issues:

• Lack of clear navigation and visual hierarchy

• No filtering or keyword search for template attributes (e.g., size, language, orientation)

• Templates were visually indistinguishable, leading to errors and inefficiencies

• Users had to rely on memory or trial-and-error when choosing templates

• The creation process was convoluted and not aligned with user expectations

  

User Personas & Goals

• Mechanical Engineer (General User) "I want to quickly find my frequently used drawing templates to speed up my workflow."

• Enterprise Admin / CAD Template Manager "I need to manage and control company-specific templates to ensure consistency and prevent formatting issues."

• New User "I hope the interface clearly guides me through how to create and select a template without making mistakes."

Design Goals

• Provide a clear, categorized view of templates: All, My Templates, Enterprise Templates, Standard Templates

• Enable filtering and keyword-based searching by key attributes

• Introduce thumbnail previews and metadata tags to aid recognition

• Consolidate creation and usage actions into a unified workflow

• Reduce cognitive load for new users

• Lay the foundation for permission control and batch operations

Redesigned Workflow Old Flow: Template Library → Click "Create New" → Re-enter Library to select a base template

New Flow: Template Library → Browse templates → Use / Create from existing → Edit

Key Change: Users start from a central template library and can take all actions (preview, use, create) within that environment, eliminating unnecessary redirects and decision fatigue.

Reflection

This project aims to accommodate vastly different user behaviors within a single system. By unifying the interface and embedding decision points within the flow, we achieved a design that was both powerful for professionals and approachable for beginners.