Drake's workhorse, desktop-based tax preparation software.
Business Case: Improving usability of Drake Tax data entry screens to reduce Support call volume and increase revenue.
Product Definition: Drake Tax is the legacy professional tax preparation software offered by Drake.
Project Goal & Outcome : With a user base of approximately 70,000 users, a 2% reduction in Support call volume could result in significant cost savings. Improved data input screens, such as what I am presenting below, had just this type of impact.
These incremental improvements were also part of a larger modernization effort. Drake Tax was orginally written in Power Basic and was being re-written in C#. In collaboration with my Development colleagues, I was able to deliver meaningful, impactful improvements: reducing user confusion, streamlining workflows, and ensuring the new system aligned seamlessly with the ongoing modernization effort.
In the series of screens below, I first present the "legacy" screen with call-outs for aspects that I felt needed to be addressed. Then, I present the re-designed screens. These re-designs were often "validated" in a short "hallway test" of a Figma prototype with a Drake colleague. Some feedback is better than none...
“Incremental improvements go a long way in helping to retain our dedicated user base.”
— Drake Professional Product Team
I'd love the opportunity to discuss how my skills and experience can align with and support your organization's goals.
