Redefining Information Architecture & Design System For The IoT Platform
Streamlined the usability of the smart pole management platform by applying heuristic principles, leading design efforts, and collaborating with engineers and PMs to launch an improved user experience.
Type
Online product
My role
UX/UI Product designer
Team
Product manager, Backend engineer, Frontend engineer
Company
5GIOTLEAD Technology, system integration and software design
About
the platform
SPX is a smart pole management platform designed for city managers and maintenance teams. It integrates IoT devices, enabling clients to access real-time data, perform remote operations, and efficiently manage urban infrastructure.
What
is 5G smart pole?
5G smart poles are multifunctional urban infrastructures that integrate various technologies such as smart lighting, surveillance cameras, environmental sensors, and digital displays. These poles serve as a backbone for smart cities, enabling better data collection, energy efficiency, and improved public services.
Why
did we redesign the platform?
The initial version of the platform was developed without a comprehensive evaluation. With the introduction of a UX/UI designer, the user experience and interface were reassessed and restructured, leading to a more effective design direction.
Design limitations & scalability issues
For users: A rigid design results in an increasing number of UI components, making interactions more complex over time.
For the business: As more devices are integrated into the platform in the future, the lack of flexibility will make system management increasingly difficult.
Lack of clear user goals & navigation issues
For users: Poor information architecture makes it difficult to quickly locate essential information, increasing the time required to complete tasks. Instead of improving efficiency, the system becomes a burden.
For the business: Users encountering difficulties will require more customer support, leading to higher operational costs.
Research
insights
1
Challenge
The design system lacks consistency, with variations in similar components, increasing the learning curve when navigating pages.
2
Challenge
User hesitation in navigating to target pages based on data-driven analysis.
Interaction metrics indicating hesitation
Increased dwell time on selection pages
If users spend significantly more time on pages where they need to choose a target (e.g., device lists, map view, or category pages), it may indicate difficulty in decision-making or uncertainty about where to find the needed information.Higher click-through rates on unintended pages
If users frequently enter the wrong pages and navigate back, it suggests they are unsure about the correct path to their target.
Design
goals
Consistency & Standardization
Creating a unified and intuitive design system to enhance usability.
Reduced Cognitive Load
Simplifying interactions to improve decision-making speed.
Flexible & Scalable Architecture
Ensuring the platform supports future device expansions without sacrificing usability.
Design
iterations
A new systematic and scalable design system
🔧 Layout
🔧 Interface
The structure of SPX maintains consistency with hardware smart poles
Based on the fourth principle of Jakob Nielsen’s ten heuristics — Consistency and Standards — we designed the platform’s structure to closely align with the physical smart pole, improving findability and ensuring that users can easily understand the navigation without confusion.
A flat hierarchy for better usability
Additionally, considering the product type and business strategy, the hierarchy should remain flat rather than deep to facilitate future device expansions. Keeping the hierarchy flexible and shallow helps prevent menus from becoming overwhelming due to excessive depth or cluttered organization.
✨ Redesigned Information Architecture Improvement
Overall Improvement Summary
Dwell time on selection pages decreased significantly, indicating that users could find their target pages faster.
Wrong click rate dropped, suggesting that navigation paths became more intuitive and users made fewer mistakes.
The overall user experience improved by reducing hesitation and streamlining decision-making.
Project
reviews
"The intuitive design structure greatly simplified our user's navigation process. We’ve seen immediate reductions in user errors and improved efficiency."
Product Manager, 5GIOTLEAD Technology
"The new design system’s consistency has streamlined our development and maintenance processes. It’s much easier now to manage and scale."
Frontend Engineer, 5GIOTLEAD Technology