View Resume

Vishal Thakur

View Resume

Power Protect Data Manager (PPDM) Reporting

What I did?

Redesigned how users efficiently
- access,
- understand, &
- download detailed backup reports

What was my role?

- Led user workshops to gather feedback.
- Redesigned the reporting feature for better usability.
- Created new UI patterns and contributed to the design system.

Let’s simplify PPDM –
What is it, and why does it matter?

We often hear about Data Protection, but what does that mean in practice? That's where Dell PPDM comes in.

What is PPDM?

It’s a smart data protection tool designed to help businesses secure, manage, and recover their critical data seamlessly.

Why do businesses trust PPDM?

It protects valuable digital assets through reliable backup and recovery solutions across physical, virtual, and cloud environments.

And, what about Dell Reporting?

It’s a feature within PPDM that generates reports on backup activity. These reports offer businesses a clear picture of their data protection, helping them stay informed and proactive.

Case Study Structure

1 Talking to Customers

2 Our Redesign Process

3 Final Designs

4 Outcomes & Reflection

1 Talking to Customers

2 Our Redesign Process

3 Final
Designs

4 Outcomes & Reflection

1 Talking to Customers

Why Are Clients Turning Away from PPDM Reporting?

When we spoke with our clients, we uncovered a surprising insight: the PPDM reporting feature was underutilized.
Instead, clients like Walmart, Presidio, and Duke Energy were relying on alternative software solutions like Veeam and DPA to meet their reporting needs.

This highlighted a significant gap - PPDM's reporting feature wasn’t meeting user expectations, pushing them to look elsewhere.

————————

Key issues we identified were:

Unclear Navigation

Confusing terms in navigation items made it hard for users to find reporting features.

Missing Report Previews

Users couldn't preview reports before generating them, leading to wasted time and frustration.

Limited Templates

Only a few pre-made templates were available, making it hard for users to meet their reporting needs quickly.

Inability to Edit Reports

Once created, reports couldn’t be edited or reused, limiting flexibility and efficiency.

————————

Key Insights that shaped Design Decisions

Complicated Process & Navigation

Lack of Proper Templates

Missing Basic Functionalities

2 Our Redesign Process

Design starts with Empathy -

Understanding user challenges before creating solutions.

How might we (HMW)

Key Questions That Drive Our Ideation:

1/ Simplify the process of generating reports to save users time?

2/ Offer personalized templates tailored to individual needs?

3/ Reduce the learning curve for new users interacting with the tool?

4/ Provide real-time previews of reports before generating them?

Key Questions That Drive Our Ideation:

1/ Simplify the process of generating reports to save users time?

2/ Offer personalized templates tailored to individual needs?

3/ Reduce the learning curve for new users interacting with the tool?

4/ Provide real-time previews of reports before generating them?

SKETCHING IDEAS

Translating concepts into visualts - early-stage wireframes and sketches formed the building blocks of our solution.

TAKING INTERNAL FEEDBACK

Collaboration drives innovation - feedback from stakeholders shaped and refined our designs.

ITERATIONS, ITERATIONS, ITERATIONS

Perfection is iterative - we refined our designs repeatedly based on feedback to meet user needs.

3 Final Designs: Turning Insights Into Impactful Features

After many iterations and user feedback, our solution evolved into four key features.

Report Preview

See it before you save it - users can now preview their reports in real-time, saving time and avoiding errors.

Report Download

Simplified downloading - choose formats like CSV or PDF effortlessly with just a few clicks.

Template Creation

Personalization made simple—users can now create and save customized templates for recurring needs.

Report Customization

Flexibility at its core - users can edit existing reports on the fly to suit their specific requirements.

View the interactive prototype here to explore the designs in action.

4 Reflection & Outcomes

Key Takeaways

Healthy Communication is Key:
- As a design lead, I learned the value of open and active conversations with stakeholders.
- Actively listening and knowing when to push back led to better collaboration and solutions.

Healthy Communication is Key:
- As a design lead, I learned the value of open and active conversations with stakeholders.
- Actively listening and knowing when to push back led to better collaboration and solutions.

Direct Client Interaction:
- Engaging directly with clients gave me invaluable insights into pain points we hadn’t previously considered.
- This experience highlighted the importance of stepping beyond secondary research and directly understanding user needs.

Direct Client Interaction:
- Engaging directly with clients gave me invaluable insights into pain points we hadn’t previously considered.
- This experience highlighted the importance of stepping beyond secondary research and directly understanding user needs.

Outcomes

Increased Adoption:
- Within the first month, 20% of clients began actively using the redesigned Dell Reporting feature.
- By the third month, this number increased to 42%, showcasing the effectiveness of our user-centered redesign.

Increased Adoption:
- Within the first month, 20% of clients began actively using the redesigned Dell Reporting feature.
- By the third month, this number increased to 42%, showcasing the effectiveness of our user-centered redesign.

Enhanced Client Satisfaction:
- Post-launch surveys showed a 27% increase in user satisfaction scores, indicating a positive reception to the redesign.

Enhanced Client Satisfaction:
- Post-launch surveys showed a 27% increase in user satisfaction scores, indicating a positive reception to the redesign.

Better Insights for Businesses:
- The new report preview and customization features helped clients make quicker, data-driven decisions, enhancing their workflows.

Better Insights for Businesses:
- The new report preview and customization features helped clients make quicker, data-driven decisions, enhancing their workflows.

This project helped me improve client experience and also strengthened my skills in
client communication, iterative design, and managing cross-functional teams.

What I did?

What I did?

Redesigned how users efficiently - access, - understand, &- download detailed backup reports

Redesigned how users efficiently - access, - understand, &- download detailed backup reports

What was my role?

What was my role?

Let’s simplify PPDM – What is it, and why does it matter?