Improving Enterprise Search

ECM Advanced Search: Maturing Queries

Reimagining Enterprise Search for a Web-based Content Management System
Client: Objective Corporation
Role: Senior User Experience Architect

Overview

Objective’s flagship Enterprise Content Management (ECM) system had been a powerful desktop-only tool for over a decade. As part of the Xen project, the application was migrating to a browser-based interface without sacrificing any of the well-established features. This project focused on rethinking the Advanced Search feature – a highly-used, often frustrating but indispensable tool – for a modern, responsive web app.

Using a Design Thinking approach, I helped retain its depth while improving usability and accessibility across all user types: novice users, records managers, and advanced admin users alike.

A screengrab of two interfaces for comparison, with the older one on the left and the newer one on the right. The older one has the clunky appearance of an old windows 95 application, while the new one feels light and clear and easier to understand
Translating complexity into clarity with a redesigned Advanced Search UI, renamed as “Query”.

The Challenge

  • Port a dense, functionality-rich interface to a web environment
  • Make it usable across experience levels without dumbing it down
  • Support edge cases like bracket logic, grouping, and criteria ordering
  • Allow easy edits, saves, and exports without breaking flow

My Role

  • Led contextual enquiries, co-design sessions, and internal workshops
  • Created and iterated wireframes and prototypes for testing
  • Ran remote and in-person usability testing with actual users
  • Worked closely with engineering and product to validate and implement designs

Design Approach

Understanding the Pain Points

  • Interviewed users and reviewed historic usability data
  • Conducted affinity mapping from workshop insights
  • Documented top issues: nested logic confusion, grouping ambiguity, lack of confidence in search output

“I don’t know if I’m doing it right.”
“Can I move these rows into a different group?”
“It feels really complicated.”

Exploration & Ideation

  • Hosted internal sketching workshops
  • Developed concepts around collapsible groups, row-level edits, and query history
  • Validated designs with users and internal SMEs
  • Prototyped new grouping and criteria-edit patterns for testing
four or five prototype screens to demonstrate the evolution of the completed designs and the screens that formulated the previous ones.
The wireframes evolved through many iterations, all battle-tested with users and stakeholders to improve the interface logic .

Materialisation & Testing

  • Created and tested interactive prototypes with real users
  • Refined designs through multiple validation loops
  • Prioritised features for BETA in collaboration with engineering
  • Created Jira stories and participated in sizing/demo reviews

Outcomes

  • All original functionality retained in a browser-native experience
  • Added recent query recall, drag-to-reorder, and contextual editing
  • Improved confidence and control for users via clearer UI and feedback
  • Feature launched in fully functional BETA and refined post-release
An UI of a tested prototype screen with notes around the interface describing the elements and features of the screen.
the Query prototype was both simple and powerful

Reflection

Advanced search shouldn’t require advanced frustration. This project proved that even dense, legacy tools can be humanised through the right process – one that listens to users, challenges assumptions, and respects complexity without preserving confusion.