More efficient document management at the European Parliament
Within the European Parliament, there was an urgent need to replace the outdated document management system with a modern solution with the aims of:
- Facilitating collaboration on documents
- Streamlining document workflows
- Complying with legal standards for document storage and management
An initial attempt to modernise the old system ended in failure, mainly due to an unfriendly interface that met with the veto of some of the key user groups.
Solution & ROI
Together with the European Parliament we initiated a user-centered design process. Early user testing is already confirming significant ROI:
- More efficient internal communication and workflows
- Increased document and metadata quality
- Reduced need for training
- Higher overall user satisfaction
What we did
Approach & methodology
The European Parliament had already done extensive analyses of key user groups and workflows. We used these analyses as a basis to move from concepts to detailed wireframes in several iterations.
Challenges and traps
During the process, we ran into some challenges, including:
- Unclear processes within different departments
- The constant demand to display more and more information on one screen
- Resistance to change among users of the ‘old’ system
Despite these challenges, thanks to thorough analysis and communication, we have found a balance that supports users’ daily tasks.
User tests
We conducted two major rounds of user testing, with realistic scenarios in a clickable Figma prototype. Feedback was overwhelmingly positive, especially from a generally critical audience.
Development support
The application is currently being fully developed by the European Parliament’s development team. In this process, Humix is making a valuable contribution by working out the screens in detail and offering them as ready-made components in Figma.
The results
Header photo by Guillaume Périgois on Unsplash
