Case Study Enterprise UX Project
VMware by Broadcom

"Flexible Image Customisation"
Base Image Customisation (vSphere 8.0.U3)

Base Image Customisation

📄 Project Overview

👤 Role: UX Designer (collaborating with another UX designer)
🗓️ Timeline: 2023
🤝 Cross-functional collaboration: Product Managers, UI Engineers, Lifecycle Engineers, Architect and Backend Engineers
🔵 Product: vSphere 8.0 U3

🛠️ Tools: Figma, Jira, Confluence
📚 Design Patterns / Libraries: VMware Clarity Design System, internal enterprise UI patterns

Summary
I designed new customization options for system images, giving administrators simple, flexible controls to remove or downgrade components while keeping workflows consistent and easy to use.

1. Design Problem

VMware introduced vSphere Lifecycle Manager (vLCM) to replace the older update manager (VUM). While vLCM improved automation, customers lost flexibility in customizing ESXi base images. The users (admins) wanted more control over the base ESXi image to meet security, performance, or internal policy requirements.

Goal
Let users customize the image components while keeping the workflow simple, clear, and aligned with VMware Lifecycle Manager.
User Needs
1. Keep the system lightweight for better security and performance.
2. Remove unnecessary settings components (like esx-gui or VMtools) for internal policy compliance.
3. Downgrade or remove vendor-specific add-on components from the ESXi base image.
UX Goals
- Make customization easy and clear using familiar UI patterns.
- Keep users informed about their actions and outcomes.
- Maintain the current UX flows while adapting to engineering and lifecycle constraints.

2. UX Solution

Worked with another UX designer, UI engineers, and cross-functional partners to translate user needs into user-centered and accessible UI screens:

Discovery Phase:
Proposed new screens for:
1. Downgrading vendor add-ons
2. Removing vendor add-ons
3. Removing esx-gui and VMtools
Design Decisions:
- Removed unsupported or overly complex options to avoid confusing users.
- Ensured the design was aligned with Lifecycle Manager workflows.
Prototyping:
- Created mockups for read-only view and edit view of the base ESXi image.
- Added clear guidance for each action (downgrade, remove, retain).
- Incorporated UI team feedback for clarity and usability.
Use Cases Covered:
1. Downgrade a vendor add-on component
2. Remove a vendor add-on component
3. Remove esx-gui / VMtools only
4. UI engineering team case about Updates / Image "Read-only" view for better transition from VUM to vLCM flow

Base Image Customisation Mockups:

Prototype phase mockups (gallery, 21 screens)

Video walkthrough of the project mockups coming very soon! Stay tuned!

3. Outcome & Results

Delivered user-centered mockups that made base image customization simple and clear.
Improved workflow efficiency by keeping actions consistent with existing UI patterns.
Reduced potential errors by making component states and outcomes explicit.
Avoided adopting designs from vSphere+ (Arctic project) due to inconsistencies and unclear patterns.
Supported the transition from VUM to vLCM, ensuring feature parity and user trust
Ensured smooth integration with Lifecycle Manager,
Supported enterprise security and performance goals by allowing admins to tailor images to their needs.

📈 Project Impact

Enhanced admin efficiency by reducing the need for manual image editing workflows.
Addressed one of the top feedback requests from enterprise customers regarding lifecycle operations