AWS EC2 Redesign (Case Study)

Role

Product Designer

Project Type

Independent Case Study

Tools/Skills

Figma, User Research, Prototyping

Timeline

May 2025 - June 2025

AWS EC2 is one of the most widely used AWS services—but it’s notoriously hard to navigate.

I independently designed a feature concept for the EC2 desktop platform—“Beginner Mode”—aimed at improving the user experience for newcomers and enhancing the overall UI.

Prototype Overview

The Problem

AWS EC2 is flexible and powerful, but the current UI overwhelms new users with technical jargon, complex decisions, and minimal guidance. This complexity leads to fear, abandonment, or misconfiguration.

How can we enable new users to become comfortable using EC2, while not disrupting it's core functionality?

Understanding Our Users

While the project focuses on beginner users, I still needed to understand overall issues with the existing EC2 UI. To better understand user sentiment, I performed a qualitative review of forum discussions—particularly Reddit threads—where users shared detailed feedback and criticisms of the existing UI. Here are some user quotes that stood out in particular:


While the project focuses on beginner users, I still needed to understand overall issues with the existing EC2 UI. To better understand user sentiment, I performed a qualitative review of forum discussions—particularly Reddit threads—where users shared detailed feedback and criticisms of the existing UI. Here are some user quotes that stood out in particular:


While the project focuses on beginner users, I still needed to understand overall issues with the existing EC2 UI. To better understand user sentiment, I performed a qualitative review of forum discussions—particularly Reddit threads—where users shared detailed feedback and criticisms of the existing UI. Here are some user quotes that stood out in particular:



The major takeaway? Users want a cleaner, more readable design with stronger contrast and easier access to the features they use most.



The major takeaway? Users want a cleaner, more readable design with stronger contrast and easier access to the features they use most.



The major takeaway? Users want a cleaner, more readable design with stronger contrast and easier access to the features they use most.


Ideation and Wireframing

The feedback clarified why EC2 is hard to use, but I still needed to define what a simpler experience could be for beginner users. Through brainstorming, I landed on three main goals for the project:

  1. Redesign the dashboard to increase readability, reduce clutter, and reduce action points to what new users actually need.

  2. Redesign the "Launch Instance" workflow, the most commonly used workflow for all users, and especially beginner users.

  3. Improve UI visuals (contrast, readability, and navigation), based on current user feedback

In Figma, I created some preliminary wireframes to get a better picture of the final product:

Dashboard

The feedback clarified why EC2 is hard to use, but I still needed to define what a simpler experience could be for beginner users. Through brainstorming, I landed on three main goals for the project:

  1. Redesign the dashboard to increase readability, reduce clutter, and reduce action points to what new users actually need.

  2. Redesign the "Launch Instance" workflow, the most commonly used workflow for all users, and especially beginner users.

  3. Improve UI visuals (contrast, readability, and navigation), based on current user feedback

In Figma, I created some preliminary wireframes to get a better picture of the final product:

Dashboard

The feedback clarified why EC2 is hard to use, but I still needed to define what a simpler experience could be for beginner users. Through brainstorming, I landed on three main goals for the project:

  1. Redesign the dashboard to increase readability, reduce clutter, and reduce action points to what new users actually need.

  2. Redesign the "Launch Instance" workflow, the most commonly used workflow for all users, and especially beginner users.

  3. Improve UI visuals (contrast, readability, and navigation), based on current user feedback

In Figma, I created some preliminary wireframes to get a better picture of the final product:

Dashboard


For the "Launch Instance" page, I thought that the use of carded template options would provide a simpler user-experience than the current more manual set-up workflow required for all users:

Launch Instance

For the "Launch Instance" page, I thought that the use of carded template options would provide a simpler user-experience than the current more manual set-up workflow required for all users:

Launch Instance

For the "Launch Instance" page, I thought that the use of carded template options would provide a simpler user-experience than the current more manual set-up workflow required for all users:

Launch Instance


Visual Design

To align with Amazon's existing designs, I crafted my own UI kit to enhance the use of color and contrast in response to user feedback. With that, I was able to produce a dashboard and Launch Instance page with enhanced contrast, readability, and action points.


To align with Amazon's existing designs, I crafted my own UI kit to enhance the use of color and contrast in response to user feedback. With that, I was able to produce a dashboard and Launch Instance page with enhanced contrast, readability, and action points.

Dashboard

To align with Amazon's existing designs, I crafted my own UI kit to enhance the use of color and contrast in response to user feedback. With that, I was able to produce a dashboard and Launch Instance page with enhanced contrast, readability, and action points.

Dashboard

Dashboard

Launch Instance

Launch Instance

Launch Instance


The Final Feature

After prototyping and some preliminary user testing, EC2 Beginner Mode was born!

The final feature includes an streamlined dashboard with a Beginner Mode toggle, and a simplified Launch Instance workflow with the use of templates and reduced jargon. Overall visual UI elements like accessibility and readability were improved through the use of color and contrast.

After prototyping and some preliminary user testing, EC2 Beginner Mode was born!

The final feature includes an streamlined dashboard with a Beginner Mode toggle, and a simplified Launch Instance workflow with the use of templates and reduced jargon. Overall visual UI elements like accessibility and readability were improved through the use of color and contrast.

After prototyping and some preliminary user testing, EC2 Beginner Mode was born!

The final feature includes an streamlined dashboard with a Beginner Mode toggle, and a simplified Launch Instance workflow with the use of templates and reduced jargon. Overall visual UI elements like accessibility and readability were improved through the use of color and contrast.


Outcomes

90% of participants said they would be very or extremely likely to use the redesigned instance overview if launched, validating both its usability and relevance for real-world workflows.

90% of participants said they would be very or extremely likely to use the redesigned instance overview if launched, validating both its usability and relevance for real-world workflows.

90% of participants said they would be very or extremely likely to use the redesigned instance overview if launched, validating both its usability and relevance for real-world workflows.


Takeaways

User research is the foundation of it all.

Throughout my design process, I had to think critically and empathetically about each decision, connecting it back to insights from my user research. This made sure that what I was creating would effectively address the problem space.

The design process will not always look the same.

I had to invest significantly more time into understanding the product and industry for this project. I've grown to value this particular experience because I've learned my natural curiosity and approach to tackling hard subjects is a strength of mine.

The big picture: simplifying complexity isn't just helpful — it's transformative.

With thoughtful design, we can make any aspect of technology more accessible — not by stripping away functionality, but by taking the time to guide new users through it with clarity and intention.

RELATED PROJECTS

VIEW ALL PROJECTS

abstract
abstract
abstract