LaunchBox
Epic Games, 2020
LaunchBox is an Epic Games internal tool used to connect people to the Epic-supported software and tools that help in daily tasks.
This currently includes the “Dailies” tool, which is used to submit daily work, and the “Launcher” tool, used to launch Epic-supported software. Within LaunchBox, users can navigate between their projects and assets on the “context browser” page. A user’s context will determine which software and tools are visible, creating a tailored experience.
LaunchBox is an Epic Games internal tool used to connect people to the Epic-supported software and tools that help in daily tasks.
My goal was to find out what time-sinks artists and producers were encountering in Launchbox and propose a design that made their workflow more efficient.
I took a three step approach to my research:
1.) Research similar tools to familiarize myself with competitor's interfaces
2.) Conduct user interviews and usability tests on Epic artists and producers to discover pain points
3.) Create a UX report to explain findings and propose solutions to the team
Competitive Analysis
For my competitive analysis, I collected a list of apps similar to LaunchBox and studied each to discover the major UX positives and issues. These apps included Ftrack, SideFX, Artella, Kraken and others.
I explored the apps through a variety of methods, including free trials, demo versions, and observing others use the software through online videos. I took note of commonalities between the software and read through reviews to see what users thought of the programs.
Unfortunately I cannot share my findings from this analysis for confidentiality reasons, but my research revealed key UI errors to avoid and some inspiration for new interface designs. I learned about what experts in the industry expect out of these apps and how to effectively meet their needs.
User Interviews and Usability Tests
I gathered six Epic Games employees who use LaunchBox or would soon. They had a variety of jobs, experiences with LaunchBox, and time spent at Epic Games. I arranged information about the users in a table similar to the one shown below.
Before the user tests, I wrote a protocol and script to assure I would successfully gather the information I wished to gather from each interview.
My protocol for this test included a few steps: A brief interview for background information, an interview about LaunchBox experiences, and finally a usability test where users completed specific tasks in LaunchBox. All of the interviews were recorded and transcribed.
UX Report
After finishing the user tests, I synthesized all my findings in a UX report that I would send out to stakeholders.
Three Major
Goals of My
UX Report
1.) Communicate positive UX findings
2.) Describe UX issues, triaged as Critical, Medium, or Low priority
3.) Suggest solutions to UX problems
While the UX report remains confidential, I am pleased to share annotated before-and-after screenshots of LaunchBox's two main tools: the Launcher and the Dailies Tool. The first four annotated screenshots cover Launcher navigation and icon improvements, and the rest show the Dailies Tool functionality and experience design improvements.
These designs were created in collaboration with the Epic Games Pipeline team.
Launcher Home
Before
Launcher Home
After
Launcher Context Browser
Before
Launcher Context Browser
After
Dailies Media Submitter
Before
Dailies Media Submitter
After
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