Apple: Xcode
Timeline
Summer 2023
Roles
UX design, UX research, user flows
Team
Holly Lowe, Cheech Minnear, Mary Zhang
About
Conducted and synthesized user experience research insights from Xcode UX/UI user study. Developed design proposals to improve usability for Xcode testing features in the Tools and Frameworks HI team.
Aim
Context Improving the developer testing experience
With the test report feature in Xcode just launched to help developer fix failures faster, the Tools and Frameworks sought to improve discoverability and usability of new testing features.
How can we improve the Xcode interface to help developers find and leverage relevant testing features throughout their local development workflow?
Findings and Outcomes
I employed generative and evaluative research methods to answer three questions on usability and discoverability
How are users testing in Xcode?
How are users utilizing the new features of the test report?
How can we improve the test report to help users find the most relevant testing features?
Outcome
Users desire a targeted navigation and higher debugging tool specificity
Process
I administered UX surveys to over 200 developers, with follow-up interviews, diary studies, A/B testing and shadowing studies. I distilled UX findings, presented a findings Keynote to design and SW VP's, and prototyped design proposals with team of HI designers.
Results
Included in my study, features from command line access, test metric at a glance, UI preview to error insights had their usabilities confirmed and discoverability reevaluated.
In the most recent WWDC24, Xcode launched two new features implementing insights on specificity found in this study.
Targeted filtering
is a specialized search function helping developers find the right content faster
Explicit interest and implicit tabs
allow users to move quickly between files without cluttering the tab bar
