Vishal Thakur

View Resume

Power Protect Data Manager (PPDM) Reporting

Power Protect Data Manager (PPDM) Reporting

What I did?

What I did?

Redesigned how users efficiently
- access,
- understand, &
- download detailed reports of their backup activities.

Redesigned how users efficiently
- access,
- understand, &
- download detailed reports of their backup activities.

What was my role?

What was my role?

Lead Designer

Lead Designer

  • Identified pain points with clients.

  • Defined and executed design strategy.

  • Tested usability with users.

  • Delivered final design for handoff.

  • Identified pain points with clients.

  • Defined and executed design strategy.

  • Tested usability with users.

  • Delivered final design for handoff.

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

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.

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

What is PPDM?

What is PPDM?

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

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

Why do businesses trust PPDM?

Why do businesses trust PPDM?

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

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

And, what about Dell Reporting?

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.

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

Case Study Structure

1

Talking to Customers

Explore why redesigning the reporting feature became essential after client discussions.

1

Talking to Customers

Explore why redesigning the reporting feature became essential after client discussions.

2

Our Redesign Process

Explore why redesigning the reporting feature became essential after client discussions.

1

Talking to Customers

Explore why redesigning the reporting feature became essential after client discussions.

3

Final Designs

Get a glimpse of the redesigned features that solved real user pain points.

1

Talking to Customers

Explore why redesigning the reporting feature became essential after client discussions.

4

Outcomes & Reflection

See the impact of the changes we implemented and lessons learned along the way.

1

Talking to Customers

Explore why redesigning the reporting feature became essential after client discussions.

1

Talking to Customers

Talking to Customers

Why Are Clients Turning Away from PPDM Reporting?

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:

  1. Unclear Navigation

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

  1. Missing Report Previews

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

  1. Limited Templates

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

  1. Inability to Edit Reports

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

Key Insights that shaped Design Decisions

Key Insights that shaped Design Decisions

Complicated Process & Navigation

Lack of Proper Templates

Missing Basic Functionalities

2

Our Redesign Process

Our Redesign Process

Design starts with Empathy -

Understanding user challenges before creating solutions.

KEY QUESTIONS THAT DRIVE OUR IDEATION

KEY QUESTIONS THAT DRIVE OUR IDEATION

How Might We (HMW):

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?

How Might We (HMW):

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.

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

Sketches
Sketches

TAKING INTERNAL FEEDBACK

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

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.

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

3

Final Designs: Turning Insights Into Impactful Features

Final Designs: Turning Insights Into Impactful Features

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

  1. Report Preview

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

  1. Report Download

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

  1. Template Creation

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

  1. 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

Reflection & Outcomes

Key Takeaways

  1. 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.

  1. 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

  1. 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.

  1. Enhanced Client Satisfaction:

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

  1. Better Insights for Businesses:

    • The new report preview and customization features helped clients make quicker, data-driven decisions, enhancing their workflows.

This project not only improved client experience but also strengthened my skills in
client communication, iterative design, and managing cross-functional teams.

This project not only improved client experience but also strengthened my skills in
client communication, iterative design, and managing cross-functional teams.