Sandison Easson
Accountancy tool
Our Client was An accounting firm specializing in providing services for medical professionals. I was tasked with designing an online tool that simplifies the P87 tax relief form, allowing users to complete it independently, without the need for an accountant.
Visual Design
UI & UX Design User Testing
The P87 form was complex for medical professionals to fill out, often requiring guidance from an accountant. The client wanted a user-friendly tool that breaks the form into manageable steps, guiding users to submit a pre-filled PDF to HMRC.
We collaborated with the client during the wireframing stage to determine which information needed to be displayed on each page. To enhance the user experience, we added context-sensitive tips and links that could be revealed if users needed help.
We collaborated with the client during the wireframing stage to determine which information needed to be displayed on each page. To enhance the user experience, we added context-sensitive tips and links that could be revealed if users needed help.
Key Design Principles
1. One question per page: To reduce decision fatigue and improve clarity.
2. Show only relevant information: We implemented branching (conditional) questions to ensure only pertinent information was displayed. For example, answering one way leads down Path A, while another answer leads down Path B.
3. Use breadcrumbs: To give users a clear view of their progress and how much they had left to complete.
We encountered an issue where users with multiple years of information faced a long, repetitive process, causing frustration due to an overwhelming number of steps in the breadcrumb navigation.
Solution:
We introduced a "looping question" system. Users would select the number of years they needed to input data for, then cycle through the same set of questions for each year. We used a hub-and-spoke design pattern to streamline this process. The "hub" acted as a central routing page, allowing users to start or revisit actions (years), while the "spokes" handled the specific questions for each year.
After updating the design and conducting testing, users found the form much easier to complete. The client was satisfied with the outcome, reporting a significant reduction in the need for accountants to assist clients. They are now exploring similar systems for other forms.
