The client
SURF is a cooperative association of Dutch education and research institutions in the field of information and communication technology. Together and with the SURF cooperation, the institutions develop, combine, and share knowledge about the optimal use of IT in education and research in their respective fields.
The Challenge
One of SURF’s services is the Research Cloud, a portal for efficiently building virtual research workspaces. Researchers and supporting engineers can use preconfigured cloud-building blocks from the catalogue, or add their own. The problem was that they didn’t. So, the challenge for the catalogue was to simplify the process for researchers to create, share, and manage cloud-building blocks independently, making it more user friendly and suitable for self-service.
The solution
To tackle this challenge, we began with user research to understand their pains and needs. After testing a prototype, we recommended a step-by-step approach to prevent errors.
Working closely with SURF’s product owner (and domain expert), we designed and implemented two wizards for creating and maintaining building blocks. These wizards replaced complicating nested forms, streamlining the process.
The final product offers a simplified, single-page flow with intuitive steps, links to documentation, and feedback on invalid input. We also provided SURF with a roadmap for further portal improvements. This ensures a user-friendly experience and empowers SURF’s development team to continue enhancements on their own.
The Results
The new building blocks catalogue has made it easier for researchers and supporting engineers to create, maintain, and share robust cloud environment building blocks. As a result, SURF now experiences less errors in building block management, fewer user questions directed at SURF employees, and the SURF Research Cloud platform is now ready for scaling up.
