"BEA WebLogic Workshop™ is an integrated development framework that empowers all application developers - not just J2EE experts - to rapidly create, test, and deploy enterprise-class Web Service applications on the BEA WebLogic Enterprise Platform™."

As the lead product designer working with a team of developers, testers and program managers, I created a custom interface for BEA's WebLogic Workshop 1.0 which was implemented in Java/Swing. For direction, the product planners specified these three Design Goals: Simple, Distinctive in look and feel, and Familiar in functionality, metaphors and layout. To achieve this, I created visual specifications and placement guidelines for all screen layouts, the overall navigation, a complete set of custom controls, splash screens and other dialogs, including a consistent and unique family of icons for the entire product.

One of the main screens of the product is the Design View, a graphical representation of the user's Web Service. This area proved most challenging to design due to the complexity of the data present and the many layers of communication that are to be conveyed.

Six months after shipping V1, I was invited back to BEA to continue work on a slightly different interface which resembled Adobe Photoshop's movable, diagonal tabbed windows. After updating the Design View to match the look and feel of the new product design, I concentrated on updating all the icons and dialogs to the new visual style for Version 2 which was released in May 2003.