If there’s one thing I’m an expert in, it’s time tracking software for lawyers. Wait. No, that’s definitely not something I know much about. If there’s ever a glaringly obvious time and place for user research, it’s when you’re faced with designing an easy-to-use, well-designed application, related to subject matter you’re completely unfamiliar with.

Thankfully, I was working at Mule Design Studio where research is an integral part of the design process. It didn’t require many interviews to understand that entering time was not the favorite part of every lawyers day, that there wasn’t really an app that people enjoyed using at the time, that there was very high-tech back-end functionality that was mandatory to integrate, that the application had to be fully customizable for each individual firm, and that it would be really helpful if they could enter their time quickly, easily, and reliably during their commute.

It was no small feat, but we had our marching orders. So we took what we heard and created an app that was easy to understand right off the bat, without the tutorial overlay most complex apps require; was optimized for fast, easy to tap, small screen use on-the-go; and integrated all the whiz-bang, high-tech functionality that Intapp had already built into the desktop software. I'm happy to say, that Intapp Time is very well-rated in the App Store, and I like to think that time entry is no longer the arduous task it once was for lawyers.

Along with this came the challenge to design a suite of logos for a family of Intapp products including Time, and a dozen or so different color palettes that firms could choose from when customizing their experience. It made for a handsome family, if I should say so myself, and was a fun challenge to boot.