Overview:
The (PPL) tool was designed to allow associates to perform on the job faster, more effectively, and more efficiently for a better overall customer experience. This project had a very tight deadline. Research (content gathering, interviews) > Concept > Design > Prototype; took me, the interaction designer, 5 days. This project is still ongoing.

User Group:
The user group is Bank of America associates who assist customers on a daily basis, and need to find product information in an efficient and timely manner.

Problem Space:
The primary job of bank associates is to help their customers. Often, changes will take place to customer’s accounts, and customers are updated in the mail with various BOA letters. One common scenario is when a customer says he or she has received a letter from BOA about changes to an account, but doesn't know what it means. They will seek the help of bank associates. The customer might not always have available the letter which outlines account change information. In order to help their customers, the associate will need to locate this product information. The PPL Tool can help them do this.

Insights:

• The tool as an assistant to the associate in creating a better customer experience is part of this product’s identity.
• The interactions of the tool should afford to the user the action of filtering again and again.
• Searching should be fun!
• Human instinct is to hunt and search—the design should leverage this human behavior.
• The interactions of the tool need to be designed as fun, interesting, and engaging.
• If this interaction is sticky, associates will search with the tool again and again!

Design:

formal usability testing functionality mockup w/wireframes

Design Goal:
The design of this tool will assist the associate in finding the product information faster and more efficiently, which will allow them to be prepared and more organized when assisting their customers.
The design goals of this software tool are:

• To create a tool that can help associates find what they need, with less hassle, and will help them to be more efficient on the job.
• Design functionality that allows them to filter and refine their searches.
• Design interactions that are intuitive and easy to use.
• Create a UI that is fun, friendly and engaging.

So, why is that button on the LEFT side anyways?
So, why did I eventually design that button on the left side of the interface?

As I was sketching layout concepts, I became worried that the user would feel that they MUST fill in ALL entry selections in order to do a search. (e.g. 1,2,3,4,5, GO!) By putting the button on the left side, while unorthodox, it affords that they can press that button, and do a search, anytime, with incomplete information. (1*, GO!, 1*,2, GO!, 1*,2,3,GO!, etc.). That big button at the beginning makes me want to press it first. While there is only 1 required field, they should, otherwise, be able to press it anytime.

As my human eyes scan the line, when I skip over the GO! button, (which I must do in order to fill in at least the 1* required filed), I naturally want to go back to the beginning of the line and hit the button. Like it's something I missed. This affords the refining process we want. At least, that's my argument. There should obviously be some more usability testing to see how people react to the layout as well as this logic (at least for this interaction in particular). Does putting that GO! button first in the point order make someone want to click it more often?

Also, it's fun!
Here I'm making another argument: I think that the zig-zagging back and forth across the screen as someone fills in the information, bit by bit, and as they refine their search each time; everytime they hit that GO! button it's...kind of fun! You don't HAVE to fill in all the information to hit GO!. Just input what ya got, and, well.....GO!

Here's the 'kind-of' game that inspired the design of this particular interaction.

Watch the first 50 seconds:

Just some old fashioned fun, right? Well, while, not exactly the same, you see what I mean. I stole this movement pattern and the 'game' idea behind it.