SaaS productivity platform

Arcline

Arcline helps teams plan and track their work. Its most experienced users loved its flexibility — and new teams found that same flexibility overwhelming. The challenge was to make it approachable without taking anything away.

Sector
SaaS productivity
Role
Senior product designer (consultant)
Scope
User research, interaction design, onboarding
Platform
Web and desktop app
Arcline planning board with tasks arranged in four columns

The challenge

Every option was visible all of the time. New teams struggled to get started, while experienced users were wary of any change that might slow them down. Both groups needed to be served by the same product.

The approach

  1. 01

    Two groups, one product

    Interviews and observation sessions with new and experienced teams identified what each relied on and what simply got in the way.

  2. 02

    Progressive disclosure

    Advanced options remain available but appear when they are relevant, rather than all at once.

  3. 03

    Faster for experts

    Keyboard shortcuts and bulk actions were made consistent, so experienced users gained speed rather than losing it.

  4. 04

    A gentler start

    New teams begin with a guided setup that leads to a working plan in their first session.

Arcline compact views showing a task list, task detail and a weekly plan

The outcome

Arcline now introduces itself gradually to new teams while keeping the depth its long-standing users value. The interaction patterns defined during the project became the reference for new features.

Disciplines User research · Interaction design

Next step

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