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CALIBRATION SYSTEM DASHBOARD

Project Overview

 

Redesign of the GFT Tuner Software, a calibration system dashboard for missile engine tuning. The legacy product had evolved through ad-hoc patches over more than a decade, creating a fragmented and inconsistent interface. The project’s goal was to prepare the system for commercialization to defense-sector clients by conducting in-depth research, restructuring the user experience, and delivering a conceptual UI proposal that modernized the product while respecting its operational complexity.

 Domain & Market Research 

 

​The first challenge was to understand an entirely unfamiliar domain: missile engine calibration systems. To build this knowledge, I conducted:

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  • Workshops with engineers who had developed and maintained the legacy platform.

  • Sessions with hardware and software specialists to map workflows, constraints, and technical logic.

  • Benchmarking of design patterns in aerospace, defense, and industrial control systems, where usability, reliability, and error prevention are critical.

 

This process provided a clear picture of the system’s capabilities, workflows, and weak points, and highlighted opportunities for improvement.

 User Research & Pain Points ​

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To validate needs and identify usability challenges, I conducted interviews and usability testing sessions with system engineers, calibration operators, and test staff.

 

Key Pain Points in the Legacy Dashboard:

  • Features scattered across multiple panels with no clear hierarchy.

  • Steep learning curve — weeks of training required for new operators.

  • High cognitive load due to inconsistent terminology and cluttered screens.

  • Limited visibility into calibration progress and system status.

User Insights:
Operators required efficiency, transparency, and error prevention. They needed the system to provide immediate clarity, reduce training time, and support both experienced and novice users.

Empathy Map

Says

  • “It takes too long to find the right control.”

  • “I need to be sure I won’t make a mistake

Does

Navigates across multiple panels, cross-checks data manually, relies on engineers for guidance.

Pains

Fragmented navigation, poor hierarchy, high error risk

Thinks

  • “Is the system responding correctly?”

  • “Am I tuning the right parameter

Feels

Overwhelmed, anxious about errors, relieved when feedback is clear

Gains

Logical structure, real-time feedback, reduced training time, consistent interaction patterns

 UX Process & Information Architecture 

 

Based on research findings, I redefined the system’s information architecture:

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  • Grouped related functions into logical modules.

  • Organized workflows into clear sequences (setup → calibration → results).

  • Prioritized essential functions to reduce clutter and cognitive load.

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I created low-fidelity wireframes and refined them through iterative feedback loops with engineers and operators. This process ensured alignment between user needs and technical constraints before moving into UI exploration.

 User Testing & Validation 

 

Concept screens and prototypes were tested with both experienced and novice operators in simulation environments.

 

  • Experienced users reported easier navigation and improved task flow.

  • New users highlighted shorter learning curves, with reduced training requirements.

  • Feedback shaped refinements in terminology, component placement, and visual hierarchy.

 Project Goals 

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  • Simplify navigation and reduce operator training time.

  • Increase transparency with real-time feedback and process visualization.

  • Create consistency across components and workflows.

  • Support operators with different experience levels.

  • Provide a market-ready vision for defense-sector clients.

 Design Principles 

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  • Clarity First – Prioritize essential data and reduce cognitive load.

  • Consistency – Standardized modules and patterns for predictable use.

  • Transparency – Immediate system feedback and visible calibration progress.

  • Error Prevention – Safe defaults, clear warnings, and confirmatory actions.

  • Scalability – Flexible structure to support future features.

 UI & Visual Design - Conceptual Proposal 

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The visual stage focused on delivering a conceptual UI proposal rather than a full UI system. The concept aimed to demonstrate how a modernized interface could improve usability, trust, and performance:

 

  • Introduced a centralized dashboard with clear sections and logical navigation.

  • Designed a modern visual language aligned with defense-sector standards for clarity and reliability.

  • Incorporated clear process demonstrations to make calibration stages more transparent.

  • Ensured immediate access to critical actions, minimizing errors and delays.

  • Proposed a dark theme suitable for control-room environments.

 

This conceptual UI provided stakeholders with a tangible vision of how the product could evolve, accelerating discussions and aligning engineers, business partners, and design teams around a shared direction.

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 Key Takeaways 

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  • Transformed a decade-old patchwork system into a cohesive, research-driven UX concept.

  • Reduced training complexity and improved confidence for both novice and expert operators.

  • Delivered a conceptual UI proposal that introduced a modernized visual language, centralized dashboard, and process clarity.

  • Provided stakeholders with a validated design direction that balances usability, performance, and operational constraints.

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