[ 02 ] D&AD Logging System

Role:

Lead UX Designer

Responsabilities:

UX Strategy, Research, IA, User Flows, Prototyping, User Testing

Duration:

2022 — 2025

Making a complex awards review process simpler.

Making a complex awards review process simpler.

Every year, D&AD's logging team reviews thousands of awards entries before they move into judging.

Following the redesign of the public-facing Entry Platform, the internal Logging System needed to evolve to support the new submission structure and workflows.

I led the end-to-end product design of a new internal experience, bringing together complex requirements, interconnected information and the needs of the people managing the awards process.

01. The challenge

A new Entry Platform. An outdated internal system.

The redesigned Entry Platform introduced a more flexible way for entrants to submit projects across multiple categories, with different requirements and shared supporting information.

But the existing Logging System wasn't designed around these relationships.

The redesigned Entry Platform introduced a more flexible way for entrants to submit projects across multiple categories, with different requirements and shared supporting information.

But the existing Logging System wasn't designed around these relationships.

☞ Repetitive approvals

Loggers reviewed identical supporting information separately for every category entry.

☞ Repetitive approvals

Loggers reviewed identical supporting information separately for every category entry.

☞ Interconnected workflows

Approvals, issues, physical materials, payments and communications all affected entry progress.

☞ Interconnected workflows

Approvals, issues, physical materials, payments and communications all affected entry progress.

☞ Fragmented management

The team relied on spreadsheets for assignments, tracking and coordination.

☞ Fragmented management

The team relied on spreadsheets for assignments, tracking and coordination.

The challenge: Design a system that could support the complexity of the awards process without making it complicated for the people using it.

02. Discovery

Understanding the people behind the process.

I worked closely with D&AD stakeholders and the logging team to understand their requirements, challenges and existing workflows.

Participating in training sessions and observing loggers during the awards cycle gave me a much deeper understanding of how the operation worked in practice.

I worked closely with D&AD stakeholders and the logging team to understand their requirements, challenges and existing workflows.

Participating in training sessions and observing loggers during the awards cycle gave me a much deeper understanding of how the operation worked in practice.

Three important insights emerged:

  • Logging happened in stages — Responsibilities increased as loggers progressed through training.

  • Not everyone needed the same tools — New loggers, experienced loggers and team leads had very different needs.

  • Managing the operation was as important as reviewing entries — The team needed visibility into assignments, issues and progress, not just individual submissions.

Three important insights emerged:

  • Logging happened in stages — Responsibilities increased as loggers progressed through training.

  • Not everyone needed the same tools — New loggers, experienced loggers and team leads had very different needs.

  • Managing the operation was as important as reviewing entries — The team needed visibility into assignments, issues and progress, not just individual submissions.

03. Making sense of the complexity

Designing the system before designing the screens.

As the sole designer, one of my biggest challenges was bringing together a large number of requirements, user journeys and dependencies into a coherent experience.

I mapped the information architecture, user flows and interactions to understand how different parts of the system affected one another.

As the sole designer, one of my biggest challenges was bringing together a large number of requirements, user journeys and dependencies into a coherent experience.

I mapped the information architecture, user flows and interactions to understand how different parts of the system affected one another.

✓ Information architecture

Connecting entrants, projects, category entries and supporting information.

✓ Information architecture

Connecting entrants, projects, category entries and supporting information.

✓ User journeys

Mapping approvals, issues, corrections, physical materials and exceptions.

✓ User journeys

Mapping approvals, issues, corrections, physical materials and exceptions.

✓ Interaction design

Making complex relationships and available actions understandable.

✓ Interaction design

Making complex relationships and available actions understandable.

✓ Collaboration

Reviewing decisions and technical constraints with the wider team.

✓ Collaboration

Reviewing decisions and technical constraints with the wider team.

04. Key design solutions

Solution 01
Review once, approve everywhere

One project could contain several category entries, each requiring different supporting information.

The new system recognised shared information across entries. When a logger approved a shared section, that approval was reflected across every linked entry.

Issues could also be connected to multiple affected submissions.

One project could contain several category entries, each requiring different supporting information.

The new system recognised shared information across entries. When a logger approved a shared section, that approval was reflected across every linked entry.

Issues could also be connected to multiple affected submissions.

Impact: Less repetitive work, clearer relationships and faster reviews.

Solution 02
Supporting different responsibilities

The logging process involved different training stages and permission levels.

Instead of displaying every functionality to everyone, we introduced four user roles, each with access to the tools relevant to their responsibilities.

The logging process involved different training stages and permission levels.

Instead of displaying every functionality to everyone, we introduced four user roles, each with access to the tools relevant to their responsibilities.

Impact: A more focused experience that was easier to learn and better suited to each role.

Solution 03
Bringing the operation into one place

The system evolved beyond reviewing individual entries to support the coordination of the entire logging process.

The system evolved beyond reviewing individual entries to support the coordination of the entire logging process.

☞ Assign work to loggers
☞ Assign work to loggers
☞ Filter entries and generate reports
☞ Filter entries and generate reports
☞ Monitor approvals, issues and progress
☞ Monitor approvals, issues and progress
☞ Access entrant information and communication history
☞ Access entrant information and communication history

Impact: Better visibility, simpler coordination and less reliance on external spreadsheets.

05. Outcomes

A faster, clearer and easier-to-learn experience.

✓ Faster reviews

Less duplicated approval work

✓ Faster reviews

Less duplicated approval work

✓ Simpler training

Quicker onboarding reported by team leads

✓ Simpler training

Quicker onboarding reported by team leads

✓ Better oversight

Clearer assignments and progress

✓ Better oversight

Clearer assignments and progress

Returning loggers reported significant improvements in how quickly they could review entries and manage issues. D&AD's permanent logging team also reported that training new staff had become easier and faster.

06. Reflection

Design shall start with understanding how people work.

This project challenged me to make sense of a large number of interconnected requirements while leading the entire design process as the sole designer.

The biggest shift came from getting closer to the logging team. Understanding their training, responsibilities and daily challenges helped me move beyond designing functionality to creating an experience that genuinely supported their work.

This project challenged me to make sense of a large number of interconnected requirements while leading the entire design process as the sole designer.

The biggest shift came from getting closer to the logging team. Understanding their training, responsibilities and daily challenges helped me move beyond designing functionality to creating an experience that genuinely supported their work.

I believe the best way to simplify a complex system is to understand the people and processes behind it.

I believe the best way to simplify a complex system is to understand the people and processes behind it.