La Boîte Rouge VIF
Designed for faster search, simpler management
MY ROLE
UX/UI Designer —Wireframing · Prototyping · IA · Design System
TEAM
PM · Front-end Developer(2) · Back-end Developer
TIMELINE
Jan 2025
Overview
La Boîte Rouge VIF needed a system to efficiently manage a large media archive related to Indigenous cultures.
The project designed a new desktop-based admin web app that includes core archive management features such as search, upload, detail view, edit, and delete.
Within a limited budget and timeline, we focused on the highest-priority features.
Outcome
Simpler
The client found the archive management process simpler and easier to understand
1
Scalable
The interface remained clear and manageable, even with large amounts of content
2
•
Reduced learning effort
•
Defined a focused management flow
•
Improved search accuracy
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Built reusable UI components
Client needs
"Admins needed to find archive items faster"
"Archive items needed to be organized with tags and categories"
"Admins needed to manage archive items easily"
Design Challenge
1
Maintain the existing archive management workflow while making exploration more intuitive
2
Include core features such as search, upload, edit, and delete without making the interface feel complex
3
Allow users to enter a large amount of archive information in a simple way and easily review the information
4
Use an admin mode to safely control edit and delete actions
Final desgin
Existing users were already familiar with searching the archive through categories and tags
To keep this familiar flow, the category/tag filter was placed on the left, allowing users to filter archive items in the same way they were used to. Search results are displayed on the right, so users can quickly check relevant archive items.
Designing a filter search with combined conditions
The filter panel allows users to search for categories or tags and select multiple tags directly. By combining selected tags, users can narrow down archive results faster and find relevant items with less effort.
Supporting more precise keyword search
A keyword search bar was added to the results area to help users find archive items that are difficult to locate with filters alone. Users can search by details they remember, such as title, description, author, or device, and narrow down results.
Existing users were already familiar with searching the archive through categories and tags
To make the app easier for administrators to use, the same tag selection pattern from the search flow was reused when adding tags to a new archive item.
Creating a new archive required several types of information, including basic details, thumbnail image, tag, file upload and metadata. To reduce cognitive load, related input fields were grouped into clear step-by-step sections.
Reduce unintended mistakes through administrator mode
Since the initial version lacked a login feature, we separated browsing and management tasks using an Administrator Mode toggle. Users can access edit and delete actions only when admin mode is turned on, reducing accidental changes and making archive management safer.
Final desgin
