C-RAM / MSHORAD - Adapting a Legacy Defense Interface for Tablet
Northrop Grumman | 2019–2024 | UX Designer
Context
As part of a U.S. Army counter-rocket, artillery, and mortar program, I was tasked with redesigning an existing desktop interface for tablet deployment. The goal was to make a complex, information-dense system operable on a touchscreen device — in field conditions, by operators under stress.
The Problem
The legacy interface was built for desktop — mouse-driven interactions, dense information layouts, and UI conventions that assumed a keyboard and precise cursor. Moving to tablet introduced two simultaneous challenges: fitting complex operational data into a significantly smaller screen without sacrificing clarity, and redesigning interactions for touch rather than mouse and keyboard. Neither could be solved independently — every decision about information density affected touch usability, and every touch-friendly layout change affected how much operators could see at once.
My Process
I had limited but meaningful access to operators during this project — enough to understand their workflows and where the existing interface created friction. I used that input to prioritize which elements of the interface were most critical during active operations versus secondary tasks, which informed how I restructured the layout hierarchy for smaller screens.
From there, the work was iterative — balancing touch target sizing, information density, and visual hierarchy against the technical constraints of the platform. Designing for field use also meant accounting for conditions a typical product designer rarely considers: bright outdoor light affecting screen legibility, and operators who may be wearing gloves, affecting how precisely they could interact with the interface.
Constraints & What I Learned
This project sharpened my ability to make difficult tradeoffs between competing design priorities — in this case, information completeness versus interaction simplicity — with limited user access and within a requirements-driven environment. It also deepened my understanding of how physical context shapes interface decisions in ways that lab or office-based design rarely surfaces.
This program did not proceed to production. I'm happy to discuss my process and design decisions in detail.