User Experience Design
LIDS CUAS
Designed and modernized a mission-critical defense system by integrating human-centered design across software, hardware, and operational workflows.
Led UX redesign of a multi-sensor command-and-control system, unifying fragmented interfaces and enabling faster, more confident threat response.
The platform integrates radar, EO/IR, and electronic warfare systems into a unified interface for detecting, tracking, and defeating low-altitude unmanned aerial threats in various environments.
User Research
Observational Studies
Journey Maps
Information Architecture
Interaction Frameworks
UI Design
Usability Testing
User Research Observational Studies Journey Maps Information Architecture Interaction Frameworks UI Design Usability Testing
Program Impact
$426M U.S. Army contract awarded
Supported $1B Foreign Military Sales opportunity
Contributed to modernization of mission-critical defense platform
The Challenge
The platform was a technically mature, deployed system integrating multiple sensing and defeat technologies to protect against low-altitude aerial threats.
However, its interface was originally developed in the early 2000s, and had never been reevaluated against modern usability or human factors standards. As operational demands evolved, government stakeholders began pushing for reduced sustainment costs and less reliance on highly specialized maintainers.
In reality, operators and maintainers were navigating engineering-centric tools that increased cognitive load, buried critical information, and required deep system knowledge to operate effectively.
All of this existed within a hard constraint: modernization could not disrupt a live, mission-critical system already deployed in the field.
The result was a growing misalignment between mission demands, business constraints, and the realities of the user experience—where complexity didn’t just slow performance, it risked operational effectiveness.
Modernize a mission-critical counter-UAS defense platform without disrupting active operations.
Project Highlights
Defined modernization strategy by aligning executive goals, customer feedback, and mission needs.
Led Human-Centered Design approach, conducting field research and translating insights into various engineering and business teams.
Drove end-to-end design execution from ideation through prototyping, testing, and iterative refinement.
Delivered and scaled solutions in a live system through engineering partnership, implementation support, and continuous improvement.
Project Details
Company - SRC
Role - UX Designer
2021 -2024 - Research & Design
2024 -2026 - Management & Sustainment
The Work
Modernizing maintenance and system readiness workflows.
Research & Analysis
Understanding real-world maintenance workflows
To evaluate a complex, multi-system defense platform, I developed a field evaluation framework that integrates operational environment testing, user observation, system performance analysis, and data-driven insights. This approach allowed me to identify usability gaps, assess system reliability, and inform design decisions grounded in real-world conditions.
Field Insights & Findings
Through field analysis of operational and maintenance workflows, several systemic usability challenges emerged. While the platform was technically capable, the human-system interaction layer had not evolved with its growing operational complexity.
Key Operational Findings
Engineering-Centric Tools
Built for diagnostics, not field workflows—making navigation difficult even for experienced users.
Outdated Documentation
Manuals were complex, disconnected, and not integrated into the system workflow.
Fragmented Workflows
Tasks spread across subsystems, forcing users to rely on memory instead of guided flows.
Limited System Feedback
System status and fault information lacked clarity, slowing troubleshooting and decision-making.
High Interdependency
Operators and maintainers depended on each other, using informal workarounds to complete routine tasks.
Gap Between Design & Reality
System architecture favored technical implementation over usability, increasing reliance on expertise.
User feedback
“ Right Now, we’re using multiple tools and relying on experienced maintainers just to complete routine tasks. We need one system that guides us through clearly and efficiently. “
- Maintainer
CROSS-FUNCTIONAL CONTRIBUTIONS
Integrating HCD Across the System
The field findings revealed systemic gaps across workflows, tools, and team boundaries. I worked across engineering, product, and operational teams to integrate Human-Centered Design into the system, bridging gaps between user needs and system implementation.
Translating Findings into System-Level Change
Translated field insights into system-level requirements to ensure usability was considered early.
Aligned user needs with system behavior, improving clarity of interactions, alerts, and feedback.
Ensured interface and workflow decisions aligned with physical system constraints and operations.
Redesigned legacy interfaces to reduce cognitive load and establish consistent interaction patterns.
Structured technical training content to better support real-world usage and reduce reliance on expertise.
Driving System & Organizational Change Through HCD
System Health & Maintenance Framework
The System Health & Maintenance Framework was designed to address fragmented, engineering-centric workflows by providing a unified view of system status across multiple connected systems. The framework introduces a navigation model that prioritizes faulted systems, enabling faster identification, clearer system understanding, and more efficient maintenance actions.
Review Case Study
The Impact
Enabled faster fault detection and more efficient maintenance workflows by prioritizing critical system information and reducing navigation complexity.
Physical System Modernization & Human Factors Integration
I contributed to the physical modernization of the LIDS system by grounding design decisions in real-world user and environmental needs. I built on existing research and conducted additional field-informed analysis to understand operator workflows and operational conditions.
I collaborated closely with Systems, Mechanical, Safety, and Integration & Test teams to ensure human factors and HCD principles were integrated into the physical design. This included participating in technical discussions, supporting testing and integration efforts, and validating design decisions across operational scenarios—including on-the-move conditions—to ensure usability and effectiveness in real-world environments.
The Impact
Products implementing it reported significant usability gains, with one redesign achieving up to a 80% improvement in usability scores.
Design System Integration & Enablement
The field insights revealed inconsistent patterns, fragmented workflows, and a lack of shared design standards driving the need for a unified design system to support modernization and improve usability across the platform.
I led the integration and adoption of the design system across the program by building the internal platform, managing UI kits and documentation, and enabling designers and developers through training and workshops, ensuring consistent and scalable implementation across teams.
The Impact
Reduced usability risks and improved operator interaction by validating physical design decisions against real-world workflows and operational conditions.
Reflection
What began as usability challenges revealed deeper systemic issues across workflows, team boundaries, and technical constraints. By integrating human-centered design across disciplines, I learned that real impact comes from aligning the entire system—not just improving individual interfaces.