STNext
Product Replacement
STNext is a tool for intellectual property search professionals. STNext supports the search and display of patent information, including substances, biologics, and related assets.
Role
Lead UX Designer, Prototyping, UX Research Support
Project Goals
STN Classic was developed in the 1980s and was beginning to show its age. CAS aimed to replace it, but three previous attempts to create a new version had not achieved widespread adoption.
Our goals for the new design were:
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To create a more modern web experience that aligns with the new branding.
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To ensure that we do not alienate older users while providing tools to facilitate adoption for new users.
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To achieve higher adoption rates, as the previous three redesigns suffered from very low adoption rates.
Discover
CAS gained valuable insights from three unsuccessful attempts. From those insights came three key design elements.
With no margin for error, I established key design principles that would guide my design decisions for every future discussion. The stakeholders agreed to these principles.
Design Principles
Keep the Best of the Original STN
Build on the robust "Messenger" infrastructure. Identical search commands and content)
Flexibility
Allow for quick and inexpensive addition of new features—no software or plugin installation required.
Efficiency and Supportive
Enhance the efficiency of experts and new users. Have little to no mouse interaction; keep your hands on the keyboard.
User Research
Partnered with the User Research group at CAS, we developed a plan for a successful Phase 1 release.
I created high-fidelity prototypes to facilitate testing, participated in research analysis, and made design improvements based on the findings.
This effort included five studies focused on behavior-based usability testing. Two of these studies utilized the RITE method, each consisting of three rounds.
We tested 50 different search professionals.
Design System
Project Outcomes
This was a multi-year project with three phases, resulting in an 84% adoption rate among existing customers by the end of 2019. Some of these customers included the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the World Intellectual Property Organization, the European Patent Office, and numerous other organizations.
Redesigned STN
Created a modern experience with the best of the old experience.
Kept Existing Customers
84% adaption rate by existing users as of the end of 2019.
Sunset Older Versions
STN Easy, STN Web, STN New, and STN Express (Original) were retired at the end of 2020.
Major Takeaways: Start with the hygienic features, do those well, and then build on them.
