Between 2016 and 2018 I had the wonderful oppertunity to work for Fogwise. As in-house designer my work for Fogwise included developing an admin interface, an agent interface, and brand identity, to name a few.
Admin Interface
Complete overhaul of the admin interface, moving from Silverlight, into a fully responsive interface build on Bootstrap. Incorperating all old websites into a cohesive new look, in both a light and dark theme.
Planning
During the initial planning stages I got myself familiarized with the system they were using. Both to understand the features, and how users were interacting with the interface.
We went through some of the pain points in the original system, and what they wanted to see for the new interface. Because some features needed a complete overhaul, we thought of the on boarding as well as ways for users to give feedback on the new system during and after updates.
The team had selected Bootstrap 3, which meant that during this time I experimented with this framework to learn it, and prepare ideas on how it could be used in the design of the interface.
Then we got to work creating the new information architecture and navigation, and began conceptualizing the layouts, wire frames and mock ups.
Design
For the design of the interface I wanted to create cohesion by using colors that were similar to the original interface, including the dark grey colors the interface was build in, but also the orange brand color. We paired orange with teal, which I think worked out quite
Development
Most of my work was writing the HTML and CSS, which I then handed over to the back-end developers, who added functionality to the design. We worked together testing the features, making adjustments and ensuring cohesion was maintained across the entire website.
The final result ended up really being a product with all our ideas and influences incorporated. My experience creating interfaces such as this were limited before working with Fogwise, but together as a team I’m really proud of what we were able to accomplish together.
Launch
Unfortunately I was never able to enjoy the launch f the system. While we were working on the project we also worked on the agent interface, and an alaytics interface for the customer support team. Additionally the team nearly doubled in size, we started ICO certification and moved to a bigger office.
However after nearly two amazing years at Fogwise the company filed for bankrupcy, and from one day to the next, we all lost our jobs. It was very tough on all of us, but I look back on this time positively, because it was an amzing learning experience, and I got to work with an amazing team, and if I had to do it all again, I would do so in a heartbeat.
If I would know then what I know now, I hope I would ask questions earlier, speak up when something doesn’t feel right, and hopefully deliver a product that is better looking and easier to use.
