Scaling Trello for Multi-Board Teams
A focused productivity effort to unify navigation, introduce a reliable cross-board overview, make filters self-explanatory, and reorganize card details so actions are faster and more confident.
Impact
Navigation is instant, Filters feel safe and clear, Task cards are easier to act on
Navigation is instant,
Filters feel safe and clear,
Task cards are easier to act on
Scope
Navigation, Boards overview, Card details, Labels/Filters, Productivity Software
Tools
Figma, Adobe, Figjam, Notion
Year
Year and Timeline
2023
2023, 2 months
Timeline
2 months
Role
Product Designer - research synthesis, IA, UI, prototyping.
Challenge
How might we reduce confusion during client onboarding, reduce dependency on manual meeting coordination despite tool usage, and streamline access to essential documents for smoother workflows?
As team work scaled - navigation felt crowded, filter state hid results, and card details buried important info.
The goal – clarify way-finding, make state visible, and surface the right details without adding complexity.
As teams scaled beyond a few boards, work slowed: navigation felt crowded, filter state hid results, and card details buried important info. The goal – clarify way-finding, make state visible, and surface the right details without adding complexity.
Challenge
As teams scaled beyond a few boards, work slowed: navigation felt crowded, filter state hid results, and card details buried important info. The goal – clarify way-finding, make state visible, and surface the right details without adding complexity.
The new workspace dashboard centralizes search, board switch, and active state - your tasks and context are always visible.
The new workspace dashboard centralizes search, board switch, and active state - your tasks and context are always visible.
Overview
As teams and boards multiply, three frictions become daily costs: navigation ambiguity, invisible filter state, and crowded card details.
Three friction: navigation ambiguity, invisible filter state, and crowded card details.
This redesign clarifies way-finding, makes state visible, and puts key information first so planning and updates happen without hunting.
This redesign clarifies way-finding, makes state visible, and puts key information first so planning and updates happen without hunting.
Three focused fixes implemented in this project -
Three focused fixes implemented in this project -
1
1
1
Broad Sprawl → Compact Header
Broad Sprawl → Compact Header
Broad Sprawl → Compact Header
Board sprawl made navigation unpredictable → Compact, consistent header centralizes search, board switch, and active state.
2
2
2
Hidden labels → Applied Chips
Hidden labels → Applied Chips
Filters/labels quietly hid cards → Applied chips + result counts make state explicit and clearable.
3
3
3
Buried info → Pinned Primary Fields
Buried info → Pinned Primary Fields
Buried info → Pinned Primary Fields
Card details buried key info → Pinned primary fields with a readable activity timeline.
Before: Board sprawl made navigation difficult, key task difficult to see.
After: The new workspace dashboard anchors key task and information anchored.
Research & User Feedback
A short program combined a heuristic review with lightweight user sessions focused on frequent board‑hoppers.
A short lightweight user research focused on frequent board‑hoppers.
Tasks covered jumping between boards, locating a labeled card, and reviewing/updating a card. Three themes consistently surfaced:
Tasks covered jumping between boards, locating a labeled card, and reviewing/updating a card. Three themes consistently surfaced:
Problems
Through hands-on usability testing, I identified key problem areas for enhancement in Trello's interface, validating user feedback and research findings.
Key problem areas for enhancement in Trello's interface -
1.
1.
1.
Navigation ambiguity.
Home is crowded and high-value actions are buried; low-contrast headers blur orientation when jumping across boards.
Home is crowded and high-value actions are buried; low-contrast headers blur orientation when jumping across boards.
2.
2.
2.
Progress hard to see.
Filters and labels don’t show applied state; board/table views can’t group or sort cleanly – teams can’t read momentum at a glance.
Filters and labels don’t show applied state; board/table views can’t group or sort cleanly – teams can’t read momentum at a glance.
3.
3.
3.
Card details are noisy.
Large media and side menus hide primary fields (assignee, labels, due) and actions, leading to hesitations and backtracks.
Important fields shift position and compete with activity.
Crowded Home = Slow First Click
Competing menus and “recent” noise hide the primary create actions.
Crowded Home = Slow First Click
Competing menus and “recent” noise hide the primary create actions.
Low-Contrast Boards = Lost Controls
Header blends into canvas; sort/group/automation live in scattered spots.
Low-Contrast Boards = Lost Controls
Header blends into canvas; sort/group/automation live in scattered spots.
Flat Tables = No Progress Signal
No grouping or status cues – teams can’t scan key items at a glance.
Flat Tables = No Progress Signal
No grouping or status cues – teams can’t scan key items at a glance.
Noisy Cards = Delayed Updates
Oversized media and side menus bury key fields (assignee, labels, due).
Noisy Cards = Delayed Updates
Oversized media and side menus bury key fields (assignee, labels, due).
Approach
Keep Trello’s mental model (cards → lists → board) intact.
Keep Trello’s mental model (cards → lists → board) intact.
Solve wayfinding and state visibility with a small, repeatable component set used the same way in every view.
Solve wayfinding and state visibility with a small, repeatable component set used the same way in every view.
Card
Card
List
List
Board
Board
Trello's mental model
Trello's mental model
1.
1.
1.
Consistency over complexity.
Consistency over complexity.
Consistency over complexity.
Repeat patterns, don’t add features.
Repeat patterns, don’t add features.
2.
2.
2.
Visible state.
Visible state.
Visible state.
Applied filters/labels are explicit and dismissible.
Applied filters/labels are explicit and dismissible.
3.
3.
3.
Glanceable first.
Glanceable first.
Glanceable first.
Overviews summarize; details avoid duplication.
Overviews summarize; details avoid duplication.
Information architecture and guardrails that keep the model simple.
Information architecture and guardrails that keep the model simple.
Information architecture and guardrails that keep the model simple.
Highlights
Clearer wayfinding, trustworthy state, and action-ready cards speed up everyday work.
Clearer wayfinding, trustworthy state, and action-ready cards speed up everyday work.
+Navigation & Wayfinding (Home)
+Navigation & Wayfinding (Home)
Problem – Dispersed controls and noisy modules make orientation unclear.
Solution – A predictable workspace header + consolidated menus and focused Home metrics.
Why it matters – You always know where you are and what needs attention.
Problem Dispersed controls and noisy modules make orientation unclear.
Solution A predictable workspace header + consolidated menus and focused Home metrics.
Why it matters You always know where you are and what needs attention.
Removed noise and centralized actions into a compact header with one clear Create, task counters, and grouped upcoming work – so orientation is instant and the next step is obvious.
Compact header, one Create, task counters, grouped upcoming → instant orientation.
Removed noise and centralized actions into a compact header with one clear Create, task counters, and grouped upcoming work – so orientation is instant and the next step is obvious.
+Planning in the Board (Kanban view)
+Planning in the Board (Kanban view)
Problem – Low contrast and scattered actions; no quick way to sort/group.
Solution – Cleaner hierarchy for the board toolbar; sort/group controls sit together; contrast improved.
Why it matters – Faster triage and planning without hunting for actions.
Problem – Low contrast and scattered actions; no quick way to sort/group.
Solution – Cleaner hierarchy for the board toolbar; sort/group controls sit together; contrast improved.
Why it matters – Faster triage and planning without hunting for actions.
A task efficient header with a fixed toolbar puts sort, group, and filter in one predictable place, cutting triage time and the need to hunt for controls.
High-contrast header + fixed toolbar for sort/group/filter → faster triage.
A task efficient header with a fixed toolbar puts sort, group, and filter in one predictable place, cutting triage time and the need to hunt for controls.
+List View - Labels & Filters
+List View - Labels & Filters
Problem – Minimal signals; no grouping or progress at a glance.
Solution – Grouped rows by status, visible progress/timeline chips, and quick Add column actions.
Why it matters – You can read status and momentum in one pass.
Problem – Minimal signals; no grouping or progress at a glance.
Solution – Grouped rows by status, visible progress/timeline chips, and quick Add column actions.
Why it matters – You can read status and momentum in one pass.
Lists now group by status with sticky headers and lightweight progress / timeline chips, letting teams read momentum at a glance and edit faster.
Group by status, sticky headers, progress chips → momentum at a glance.
Lists now group by status with sticky headers and lightweight progress / timeline chips, letting teams read momentum at a glance and edit faster.
+Card Details (Key Info First)
+Card Details (Key Info First)
Problem – Primary fields are buried; large media and many buttons compete for attention.
Solution – Pinned key fields (assignee, labels, due), organized dropdowns, compact media, and dependencies inline.
Why it matters – Quick edits happen without losing context.
Problem – Primary fields are buried; large media and many buttons compete for attention.
Solution – Pinned key fields (assignee, labels, due), organized dropdowns, compact media, and dependencies inline.
Why it matters – Quick edits happen without losing context.
Pinned key fields – assignee, labels, due plus compact media and tidy menus make updates quick and blockers easy to spot.
Pinned assignee/labels/due, compact media → quick updates, clear blockers.
Pinned key fields – assignee, labels, due plus compact media and tidy menus make updates quick and blockers easy to spot.
Conclusion
What Changed
People know where they are, see what’s applied, and can update a card without losing context.
People know where they are, see what’s applied, and can update a card without losing context.
What I'do next
Inline bulk actions in List view (assign/label/due on multi-select).
Saved filter chips per board to speed common views.
Lightweight progress tiles on Home for cross-board rollups.
Inline bulk actions in List view.
Saved filter chips per board to speed common views.
Lightweight progress tiles on Home for cross-board rollups.
What I learned
Show state, always. Making filters/labels explicit (applied chips + counts) killed “where did it go?” confusion.
Pin the essentials. Putting assignee, labels, and due date at the top sped edits and cut errors.
Glance first, drill later. Clear headers and grouped status overviews reduced orientation time before any click.
Show state, always. Making filters/labels explicit killed “where did it go?” confusion.
Pin the essentials. Putting assignee, labels, and due date at the top sped edits and cut errors.
Glance first, drill later. Clear headers and grouped status overviews reduced orientation time before any click.