Redesign: Asset Page - Manage

Vital Source
Overhaul of the existing interface of VitalSource’s Asset Management experience to streamline workflows through intuitive navigation, structured information architecture, and a modernized UI that reduces complexity and improves efficiency
Vital Source

Redesign: Asset Page - Manage

Project Overview:‍
VitalSource’s Asset Manager is a core internal tool used to manage complex metadata across digital content, but over time the experience became difficult to navigate, fragmented, and inefficient for everyday workflows. While the underlying system and data structures remained robust, users struggled with disorganized metadata fields, unclear page hierarchy, and workflows that were buried or disconnected from where work actually happened.

This redesign focused on improving the usability—not reinventing the system—by restructuring the Asset Metadata page to better align with how users think and operate. The updated experience introduces logical groupings of related fields, persistent and scroll-aware navigation, and embedded workflows that surface key actions in context. These changes reduce cognitive load, improve orientation within long and complex pages, and enable faster, more confident metadata management.

Rather than replacing existing functionality, the redesign enhances it—bringing clarity, structure, and efficiency to a critical workflow through modern interaction patterns and a more intuitive information architecture.
Role:
UX/UI Design
Visual Designs
Low & High Fidelity Wireframing
Product Concepting
Tools:
Sketch
Marvel

Redesign enhancements

— To create a more intuitive and frictionless digital environment, we reimagined how data is presented and interacted with on the page. Key UI enhancements include:
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‍Accessible Toggle States: Enlarged, high-contrast Yes/No toggles provide immediate visual feedback, reducing ambiguity and improving overall accessibility.
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‍Predictive Input Fields: We introduced smart form fields with auto-suggest functionality to minimize manual data entry and accelerate user workflows.
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‍Contextual Workflows: Inline menus were embedded into primary actions, allowing users to make rapid edits and additions without losing their place on the screen.
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‍Clear System Boundaries: Metadata locked by administrative permissions is distinctly color-coded, establishing a clear visual hierarchy and setting accurate user expectations.
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‍Modular Saving: To reduce cognitive load and user anxiety during complex tasks, we implemented section-specific save functions, allowing users to progress at their own pace without the pressure of completing an entire page at once.
Original Version
Before the redesign, the legacy interface presented several usability hurdles. Asset metadata fields were disconnected, forcing users to hunt for related information across the platform. High-priority workflows were buried behind multiple clicks, adding unnecessary friction to daily tasks
Updated Experience
Here you can see changes to the metadata groups (left-hand menu) and sub-menu pages (top bar) in turn. The grouped related metadata, now prioritizes essential workflows, and utilizing dynamic navigation to make on-the-fly updates effortless.
Dashboard mockup
New ISBNS section

Maximized discoverability

Here all available ISBNs were added. Linking multiple ISBNs helps buyers easily find alternative or updated editions if an item goes out of distribution. To update, simply click the pencil icon in the table.
New Title section

Clarity and Control

Clear Toggle States: Enlarged, high-contrast buttons provide immediate visual feedback on what is turned on or off.
‍Prominent Save Actions: Enlarged save buttons provide a clear call-to-action, ensuring users can confidently secure their progress as they go.
Dashboard mockup
New Sub Menu

Role-Based Sub-Menu

A newly designed navigation bar allows users to manage granular title metadata without losing their place on the page. To keep the UI uncluttered, options dynamically adjust based on user permissions and asset types:
Core Management: Open access to manage distribution Channels, check Status, and review build histories.
Permission-Driven Actions: Elevated tasks, such as modifying Prices or locking manual Distributors, are securely restricted to authorized roles.
Contextual Tools: Specialized features, like Access Code generation, intelligently surface only when a user is working with applicable digital resources..
— Let's explore some screenshot examples that show how the primary metadata groupings and contextual sub-menus integrate to create a cohesive information architecture.
Distributors
Authorized users can view all manual and set-based distributions and authorizations.
Pricing
Filter by duration to view manual and set-based distributions, or add a new distributor.
Channels
View or update distribution channel settings based on user permissions and authorization.
Status
View title status and build history, with permission-based controls to limit or halt distribution.

Conclusion

— Reflecting on this project, the biggest takeaway was finding the right balance between user needs and the client's business vision. We needed to accommodate the complex, heavy data requirements of the VitalSource enterprise ecosystem without overwhelming the people actually managing it daily. By establishing a scalable information architecture with logical metadata groupings and dynamic, role-based navigation, we successfully removed visual clutter and system friction. Pairing this structural foundation with empathetic UI decisions—like progressive saving and high-visibility toggle states, proved that even the most robust administrative tools can foster a seamless, intuitive human-to-machine relationship when designed with accessibility and clarity in mind.