EMS Complex System

UX Research

Wireframing

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Scope - Team-based academic project from the Complex Systems course led by Dr. Ofer Monar.
The goal was to design a white-label Employee Management System enabling employees to log hours, manage absences, and view monthly work and wage summaries.

Role - UX Research & Wireframing

Tools - Figma, Excel & Google Forms

Problem Statement

Rigid Design – The system lacks flexibility, making it unsuitable for diverse employee needs.

Increased Workload and Error Rate – The system’s reliance on manual data entry and multi-step processes, like logging hours and retrieving payroll, adds workload and increases the likelihood of errors in various tasks.

KPI'S

Time Spent on Routine Tasks – Tracks the average time employees spend on basic operations like logging hours and retrieving payroll data.

User Satisfaction Rate – Measures employee satisfaction with system usability and functionality via periodic surveys.

Error Rate Reduction – Monitors the frequency of errors in tasks such as data entry and multi-step processes.

Conducting the Research

Our research process included a Competitor Analysis and User Surveys to gauge market standards and gather quantitative insights. We also conducted User Interviews to identify key pain points, an Employee Role Analysis to understand typical job levels, skills, and system familiarity, and a Task Analysis to prioritize tasks by frequency, importance, and difficulty.

Competitor Research and User Surveys

We conducted a competitor analysis on three prominent EMS platforms in the market: Hilan, HiBob, and Timetable. This research focused on identifying common features, usability strengths, and limitations in each system. To deepen our understanding, we distributed Surveys to active users of these systems to gain firsthand insights on perceived strengths and weaknesses.

Key Findings

Updated Calendar Information – Systems with real-time holiday and salary updates in their calendars drive better engagement.

Intuitive Navigation – Systems with clear, simple navigation enhance user experience and ease of use.

Accessible Payroll Details – Quick access to pay stubs and breakdowns improves user satisfaction and transparency.

User Interviews

Following the surveys, we conducted qualitative interviews with selected users, ensuring a Diverse Samples in terms of age, job role, and current EMS platform usage. The interviews covered demographic details, role definitions within their organizations, frequency and nature of EMS usage, familiarity with their current system, and their overall feedback, including areas for improvement and features to retain.

Key Findings

Editable Work Hours – Allowing users to edit hours directly, without manager approval, increases satisfaction.

Real-Time Notifications – Real-time alerts for requests and updates keep users informed and engaged.

Simplified Shift Management – Systems that offer easy shift scheduling and swapping improve coordination and reduce friction for shift-based employees.

Role Analysis - General Employee

Role Level - Mid to entry level position under direct supervision of higher managers, errors primarily impact individual pay rather than others.

System Competency - Basic digital proficiency and adaptability to new systems.

Required Skills & Knowledge - Essential knowledge of company operations and labor laws regarding work hours.

Role Related Goals - Varied per employee, key responsibility is accurate time reporting, crucial for payroll accuracy.

Task Analysis - Tasks according to role, hour reporting, communication with various entities, adherence to company policies.

Tools - Time management system, role-relevant equipment, chat system, calendar and meetings, payroll deductions.

Task Analysis

We assessed and prioritized essential tasks in employee management systems, rating each by importance, frequency, and difficulty on a scale from 0 (low) to 5 (high). The average scores helped shape system accessibility guidelines.

Designing the Solution

We began by developing an Information Architecture to organize the system’s structure and ensure intuitive navigation. Next, we explored User Flows to highlight specific needs. Finally, we walk through Design Solutions to bridge usability gaps and enhance essential tasks.

Information Architecture

The system architecture is designed for simplicity and ease of navigation. All users start at the Log-In screen, which provides access to main screens like Home and personal profile. With only two primary levels and no sub-screens, navigation remains direct and user-friendly.

User Flows

Shift Submission

Design Solutions

Preventing User Errors in Time Clocking - Working memory is limited, especially during repetitive tasks, leading to forgotten actions. To prevent errors in clocking hours, the usability heuristic "status visibility" was applied.
The system informs the user of their status regardless of the page they are on.

On Shift

Clock out

Time in shift 1:45:34

Off Shift

Clock in

Time in shift 1:45:34

Correcting System Errors - Mistakes happen, and not being able to fix them leads to frustration and avoidance. By implementing the usability heuristic "user control and freedom", we allow users to undo actions, correct errors, and edit information, promoting engagement and trust.

Increasing User Engagement and Completing Tasks - Submitting shifts is frequent and time-consuming. Users may struggle with the submission form or meeting quotas. We used gamification to boost engagement, turning the screen into a game board with immediate feedback and "points" for each shift, helping the employee meet the quota.

Results and Impact

This project emphasized the importance of user-centered design for EMS platforms, highlighting the need for flexible time entry, easy navigation, and real-time notifications. The process revealed challenges in balancing technical constraints with user needs, underscoring the value of simplicity and clarity in task management. If further developed, the next steps would include usability testing to validate design choices and integrating analytics to monitor user interactions, ultimately enhancing engagement and reducing errors.

Full Wireframe Prototype