Viewpoint Legacy
Overview
The Viewpoint eDiscovery platform is a comprehensive solution for legal and compliance document review, combining advanced analytics with an intuitive user experience to support litigation, investigations, and regulatory workflows. The platform includes a modern, web-based application alongside two legacy on-premise products, Review and Processing, with the long-term goal of consolidating all functionality into the browser-based Web platform. This transition is incremental and requires careful planning to maintain user continuity.
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Viewpoint Review, the most widely used product in the suite, is also the most outdated, presenting a significant usability and design gap compared to the Web experience. Users encountered inconsistent workflows, legacy UI patterns, and limited accessibility compliance. The challenge was to modernize the interface, bridge the gap between the on-premise and Web platforms, and improve usability,while working within the constraints of an aging technology stack and limited development resources.
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This effort required balancing design modernization with practical implementation considerations, ensuring continuity for existing users while supporting a gradual transition to the next-generation Web platform. My work focused on creating a scalable, accessible, and visually consistent UI that could be efficiently developed and deployed. To achieve this, I conducted comprehensive design audits to identify inconsistencies and accessibility gaps, then developed user flows and wireframes to streamline workflows and clarify layouts. I reorganized navigation and action menus, prioritized high-frequency actions through improved visual hierarchy, and created interactive prototypes to gather iterative feedback from stakeholders and developers. All design decisions were documented in epics to guide development, and a final post-QA audit ensured the implemented UI aligned with design standards, accessibility requirements, and user needs. This update needed to be addressed in two stages:
Modernize (Low Risk / High Impact)
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Update typography, spacing, and color usage to align with the Web UI design system
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Standardize core UI components (buttons, inputs, tables, modals) using shared visual patterns
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Improve visual hierarchy to highlight primary actions and reduce cognitive load
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Simplify layouts by grouping related controls and removing redundant or low-usage elements
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Improve accessibility where feasible (contrast, focus states, readable font sizes, keyboard navigation)
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Clarify labels, terminology, and microcopy to match Web UI language
Bridge (Parity Without Backend Changes)
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Align navigation structure and menu organization with the Web UI where technically possible
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Match placement and prominence of primary actions to reduce relearning during migration
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Reorganize workflows visually without altering underlying system logic
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Add inline guidance, tooltips, and messaging to clarify legacy behaviors
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Improve error and system messaging for clarity and consistency with the Web UI
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Ensure visual and interaction consistency across Review and Processing modules
To ensure this work delivered meaningful improvements without creating unnecessary risk, clear constraints and a disciplined execution process were established from the outset. By defining what to intentionally avoid, the team prevented over-investment in a legacy platform and maintained alignment with the future Web UI. A structured, collaborative execution and validation approach, grounded in documentation and cross-functional review, ensured that all changes were practical, buildable, and measurably improved usability while preserving continuity for existing users.
Intentional Constraints and What to Avoid
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Do not introduce new workflows or features that will not exist in the Web UI
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Avoid backend-dependent interactions that exceed legacy technical capabilities
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Limit enhancements to shared, reusable components rather than one-off custom designs
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Do not over-invest in complex UI patterns that cannot be carried forward
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Defer advanced accessibility features requiring backend changes until Web migration
Execution and Validation
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Conduct UI and accessibility audits to identify inconsistencies and high-impact opportunities
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Define user flows and wireframes for priority tasks only
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Create interactive prototypes to validate changes with stakeholders and developers
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Document design decisions and constraints clearly in epics and tickets
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Perform post-QA audits to ensure implementation matches design intent and usability goals
The UI modernization and transition work resulted in a more intuitive, visually cohesive, and accessible on-prem experience that aligns closely with the future Web platform. By systematically addressing high-impact usability issues, standardizing components, clarifying workflows, and aligning visual and interaction patterns with Web UI standards, the project reduced cognitive load, minimized user frustration, and improved task efficiency. Intentional constraints ensured no new unsupported workflows were introduced, preserving continuity for existing users while providing a scalable foundation for migration. Clear documentation, iterative validation, and cross-functional collaboration ensured that all improvements were feasible, consistent, and measurable, ultimately enhancing usability, reducing support needs, and smoothing the path toward full Web parity.