Dao Design | PowerMax — AI-Driven Storage Management

Summary

Mission

Dell set out to enhance the user experience of Unisphere for PowerMax — a sophisticated storage management platform used by large enterprises—by leveraging AI to simplify storage provisioning and deliver an end-to-end graphical interface that enables users to efficiently view, configure, and troubleshoot workloads and data protection.

My Contributions

As a Product Designer, I applied creative, user-centered thinking to solve a complex challenge. I designed an intuitive interface that consolidates all workload configurations and error messages into a single, unified view—enabling users to efficiently monitor system status and troubleshoot issues.

Impact

I partnered with the Dell Research team to conduct usability testing on the new design, and the results were overwhelmingly positive. Participants consistently described the interface as intuitive and easy to use. They especially praised the unified view for presenting system configurations, connections, and statuses in one place—emphasizing that it would save them considerable time compared to the legacy UI.

Services

User Interface Design
User Experience Design
User Research & User Flows

Wire-framing
Usability Study

Discovery & Planning

Discovery

To effectively plan the project, I conducted a series of discovery sessions with key stakeholders:

Met with management to understand the strategic vision and project goals
Collaborated with engineering to explore how AI technologies could be applied to enhance the user experience
Engaged with customers to learn how they currently use PowerMax Unisphere and identify key pain points
Analyzed the existing user interface to pinpoint areas where users experience friction or confusion

Planning

After the discovery phase, I mapped user flows and defined key configurations for hosts, source systems, and destination systems — including their interconnections and status. I also documented all replication types to ensure comprehensive coverage of system protection within the provisioning process. This effort involved close collaboration with management, engineering teams, and customers through a series of focused discussion sessions.

Design & Usability Testing

Wireframes

In the legacy Unisphere UI, users had to navigate through many sections to understand workload configurations and troubleshoot issues—making the experience cumbersome and time-consuming. To improve this, I designed wireframes that introduced streamlined workflows and intuitive navigation, significantly reducing clicks and enhancing overall usability.

UI Design

Once the team aligned on the wireframes, I translated them into high-fidelity UI designs, adhering to PowerMax’s existing design guidelines. I conducted multiple review sessions with Dell management, the design team, and engineering teams to ensure alignment across stakeholders and secure final approval.

Single SRDF Configuration

Metro with DR SRDF Configuration

Usability Study

I partnered with the Dell Research team to conduct usability testing, supporting the study with an interactive Figma prototype. We conducted multiple rounds of testing with real PowerMax customers. Feedback was overwhelmingly positive — participants praised the simplicity and intuitive design. The new experience significantly reduced clicks, streamlined workflows, and enabled users to view all storage configurations and potential issues in a single, unified view.

Implementation & Handoff

After the usability study, I delivered a complete set of high-fidelity UI designs and specifications to the engineering team, collaborating closely to ensure accurate implementation and alignment with the design intent.

PowerMax — AI-Driven Storage Management

Summary

Discovery & Planning

Design & Usability Testing

Implementation & Handoff

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