Exploring how to monitor a data center.
Leveraging user research, competitive analysis, and design to evaluate the feasibility of re-building a data center monitoring tool.
Introduction
Data centers have a map that shows how servers are powered and who they belong to. Equinix was looking to re-design their tool to be more usable, aesthetically pleasing, and performant.
Equinix is the market leader in co-location and data center services. They literally power the internet.
Understanding existing issues and user workflows
When this project came to use we were told a tool exists but no one was using it. Through UX audits, stakeholder interviews, and contextual inquires we wanted to understand why and what are users doing instead.
We also learned the team that built the original tool left Equinix and left no documentation on how it was built.
If we wanted to improve this tool we had to do it from the ground up.
Understanding the landscape and developing domain knowledge
I didn't know much about how data centers were powered. I've also never encountered these tools but I was curious! Mattie and I dove deep and spoke to anyone that had knowledge. We also looked at competitor tools and synthesized the findings into visualizations that helped design and communicate what was available.
Too expensive to build but our research led to onboarding a 3rd party tool that met user needs.
Available to help.
If you're looking for a product designer that can work end to end I'm your guy.