Credential Portal and User Testing
Creating a new online certification and support portal for VMWare using the current CMS (Content Management System) system involved a strategic approach to ensure the platform meets the needs of users seeking certification, support, and resources related to VMWare products and services.
Here's how I approached this project:
- Identify the primary goals of the online certification and support portal, such as providing comprehensive resources for certification preparation, offering technical support, and enhancing customer satisfaction.
- Determine key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure the success of the portal, such as certification completion rates, user engagement metrics, and customer satisfaction scores.
- Evaluate the capabilities and limitations of the current CMS system being used by VMWare.
- Determine if any additional plugins, extensions, or customizations are needed to support the requirements of the new certification and support portal.
- Conduct user research to understand the needs, preferences, and pain points of VMWare users seeking certification and support.
- Create user personas representing different segments of users, such as IT professionals, administrators, developers, and system architects.
- Create an information architecture that defines the structure and navigation of the portal, ensuring intuitive access to certification resources, support materials, and community forums.
- Design a user interface for the certification and support portal that aligns with VMWare's branding guidelines and visual identity.
- Create wireframes and mockups to visualize the layout, navigation, and visual elements of the portal, incorporating user feedback and usability best practices.
- Conduct thorough testing of the certification and support portal to identify and address any issues related to functionality, usability, performance, and compatibility.
- Test the portal across different browsers, devices, and operating systems to ensure consistent user experience and functionality.
- Launch the new certification and support portal, communicating its availability to VMWare users through email newsletters, announcements, and social media channels.
- Promote the portal's features and benefits through targeted marketing campaigns, webinars, and events to encourage adoption and engagement.
- Gather feedback from users and stakeholders after the portal launch to identify areas for improvement and iterate on the design, content, and functionality as needed.
- Continuously monitor user engagement metrics, certification completion rates, and customer support ticket trends to inform ongoing enhancements and optimizations to the portal.
Overall this was a very accellerated project, but in the end it allowed VMWare to create a comprehensive and user-friendly online certification and support portal using its current CMS system, providing valuable resources and assistance to its users while leveraging existing infrastructure and capabilities.
If you would like links to any of the figma files - or you would like to schedule a call to learn more...please let me know.

