 Information Architecture Challenge:
Review the navigational model of the information workspace for for a tax data organizer application for international assignees (employees deployed overseas).
 Solution:
This application was intended for enterprise employees to gather information needed to evaluate international tax ramifications both in Japanese and English. We reviewed and consulted with the application's developers on the information space taxonomy. We used this to develop a navigation map, separating the anticipated information and functionality into functional sections and readied us for designing the user experience.
 User Experience Challenge:
Design the user experience of a Japanese/English tax data organizer application for the International Assignees Solutions group keeping the need for localization in mind. Localization presented one of the greatest user experience challenges since colors and visuals are interpreted differently between cultures.
 Solution:
Using the navigational model, we determined the application required:
- a highly refined visual design
- visual clues to identify the application
- queues to common elements such as log out, to do and start over to be accessible at all times
The user experience likely to consist primarily as a web forms. Designing these and other pages of complex data collection were outside the scope of this project. Therefore, the solution for visual design of the application needs to be highly flexible. This suggests using identifying graphics reinforced with a font and color scheme. We also determined we needed conform PwC corporate guidelines to brand the application.
 Visual Design Challenge:
Design a flexible look and feel for of a Japanese/English tax data organizer application for the International Assignees Solutions Group. Keep the need for localization in mind since the application will be deployed in both Japanese and English. Satisfy the requirements of the user experience challenge. The application graphics and colors need to be harmonious for both American and Japanese users.
 Solution:
We designed basic layout locking the common elements in place using a top frame, then designed the common elements: a PwC graphic, the PwC logo and navigational elements.
For the navigational elements, we created a family of icons. We designed a series of brushwork pictograms to represent underlying concepts for these icons. We chose this approach to reflect not only the international aspect of the application, but also to reflect the pictograms are the historical basis of Asian characters.
We designed a color scheme with both Western and Japanese audiences in mind. For example, we avoided using pure yellow because it is a color for mourning in Japan and pure red which is very positive to Japanese but has many negative connotations in Western cultures. We delivered font and color schemes for various kinds of pages (static help, forms, etc.) for CSS so the application could remain consistent as it evolved.
Client: International Assignees Solutions Group of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
Application: Tax data organizer
Users: International Assignees (employees deployed overseas)
Usage: Infrequent
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Information Architecture
User Experience
Visual Design