Studying and Redesigning a Web Application: User-Centered Analysis and Process Optimization

In modern companies, resource management plays a critical role in the context of operational efficiency, security and cost control. The thesis focuses on the analysis, redesign, and optimization of the AROL S.p.A. IT Portal, a web-based software application useful for hardware and software tracking and management, used by the company's IT department. The project aims to improve usability, facilitate workflows, and support user experience (UX) through a user-centered approach. The study started from the evaluation of the existing IT portal, highlighting usability issues, based on Jakob Nielsen’s 10 Usability Heuristics. The analysis focused on the research of unnecessarily complicated navigation patterns, inefficient data presentation and inconsistencies in interaction design, leading to a poor user experience, increased cognitive load and a slower execution of daily tasks. These limitations significantly affect IT employees' operations that strongly depend on the IT Portal and that critically rely on it. In order to address these problems, the project follows an iterative yet structured process, that begins with the definition of functional and non-functional requirements. This phase sets the starting point for the work to be performed during the next steps. This document was produced through numerous meetings and interviews with AROL managers and the IT department's users, crucial for understanding both the vision of the company and the detailed daily operations. The redesign step focuses on the production of a new interface prototype in Figma, exploiting rapid prototyping methodologies to encourage early-stage feedback and iterative interface improvements. The new design concerns intuitive navigation, enhanced data organization and a responsive layout, ensuring a seamless and efficient user experience across different devices, adapting to diverse workflows. Particular attention was paid to hierarchical information architecture, consistency in UI elements, and interaction fluidity, all crucial aspects to optimize daily IT operations. The implementation phase was carried out using modern web technologies, such as Angular for the frontend framework, combined with PrimeNG for UI components and ngx-scanner for QR code integration. The new system introduces a more structured dashboard, enhanced filtering system and an improved user interface that supports users' workflow. The application also adheres to better accessibility standards, ensuring improved usability for a diverse range of users. To validate the success of the redesigned portal, many usability tests were conducted, involving IT professionals from AROL S.p.A. The evaluation considered task completion times, operation error rates, and user satisfaction metrics that demonstrated a significant improvement in these fields. This research highlights the importance of human-centered design in enterprise software development, providing a replicable approach to optimizing web applications in similar corporate environments. By combining UX principles, modern web technologies, and iterative prototyping, the project sets a reference for improving IT asset management systems through design-driven innovation.