SourceForge Before

SourceForge After

Key Challenges

• SourceForge was originally designed for the open source community as a web site that generated revenue through ad dollars. The application had accreted over time in a haphazard manner. It had not been productized for the enterprise.
• The application did not look like a professional product.
• Navigation was inconsistent and shifting. Users could not find or re-find the sub-applications that they needed.
• The application stored vast amounts of information and didn't give users sufficient information about the importance of any given piece of information.
• Information hierarchy was inconsistently indicated by different font sizes and locations.
• Nomenclature was inconsistent.

Key Accomplishments

• Overhauled the information architecture to provide consistency in nomenclature, information hierarchy, and to provide clear indicators of where users where located in the system. Added breadcrumbs where appropriate.
• Designed a user-configurable alert-based system to let users know when information might be important to them.
• Designed new ways to navigate the information space to help users get the information they needed.
• Designed role-based access control to allow organizations to fine-tune who can view and change information.