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Earlier enterprise systems work

Mapping complex systems

Complex workflows run across people, systems, and data. I map all three to show how work really moves, and where a person still needs to check, decide, or reassure.

01RefWorks · Research software

Users couldn’t verify what the system did, so they redid the work.

Read the full RefWorks case study
The complexity
Same tools, very different scales: a few references to 5,000+.
My role
Led the research and synthesis, and designed the journey maps.
Systems and data
Search databases, .RIS exports in batches of 200, New RefWorks, a Duplicates folder, and the research team’s own format.
What happened
Informed redesigned flows that let users preview and verify results. The legacy platform retired in June 2023.
A librarian dedupes 5,000+ references for a research team, across several tools and 3 to 4 days of work. The journey ends with “I need to start all over again.”

What I learned

  • No feedback after an action: Users assumed a bug and redid the work.
  • Not enough information to decide: Details showed only on hover, folder names were hidden, and results capped at 2,000.
  • No clear way out: “How do I get back to All References?”

02Leganto · Course materials

The reading list worked. The friction was at its edges.

The complexity
Instructors built reading lists in very different ways, often relying on the library or other systems.
My role
Interviewed 11 instructors, synthesized four personas with journey maps, and designed the artifacts.
Systems and data
Leganto, course sites (Moodle, Blackboard, Canvas), library digitization requests, and Cite It.
What happened
Informed the product roadmap.
Skeptical Susan. The library built her list, but her low point is readings spread across too many places.

What I learned

  • The course site: Readings ended up split across the course site, PDFs, and the list.
  • Library requests: Instructors couldn’t remember how to ask for digitized chapters.
  • Citation formats: Formatting and manual detail entry slowed fast-moving instructors.

What worked: Cite It was a high point for the two most active instructors.

03American Express · Financial services

Publishers and the field both gave up and used email.

The complexity
A central team published content for field teams in five countries.
My role
Led research and synthesis across five countries and sketched the maps. A visual designer produced the final artifacts.
Systems and data
The intranet, team chat groups, email, and the help desk.
What happened
Handed off to inform navigation and content strategy.
Field team Confidence peaks at the client meeting, then drops during follow-up, when they need current, client-ready content fast.
Central team Confidence slides through publishing and drops again when the field asks them to resend content they already posted.
Details blurred for confidentiality.

What I learned

  • Field team: “Is this the latest and greatest?” They couldn’t tell which version was current.
  • Central team: “I hope they can find my content easily.” They didn’t know where to post or who saw it.
  • Both sides: “We have over 120 people nearby if I need to find the answer to something.” Email became the real intranet.