Sony Pictures Entertainment User Registration

Overview

The Digital Media Group (DMG) support team, specializes in supporting DMG’s product portfolio of asset management and delivery solutions for Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE). One of the products they support is Runner, a digital asset management system.

Problem

Runner’s expedited growth of supporting multiple lines of businesses, has led to the maintenance of more complex folder structures and user permissions. Over time, the complexity of the system has made the user registration process extremely manual for the support team and delegated admins—users with special administrative permissions that can manage accounts and folder permissions.

Lack of transparency: When a new user needed a Runner account, they would either contact the Global Support Desk (GSD), DMG, or a delegated admin. This lack of transparency in who to contact led to confusion and frustration for new users and account managers.
Inefficient processes: Typically, the first group that was contacted would not be the correct group, which resulted in long email chains and frequent over the phone follow-ups. For instance, if GSD was contacted, they’d relay the user’s request to DMG, who would then relay the information to the corresponding delegated admin.

Solution

Streamline the user registration process for delegated admins and support team members by putting transparency and automation at the center of the experience. With this new solution, both internal and external SPE employees could request access to Runner via a share link and delegated admins would have a more automated process for approving or declining their account request.

Request flow

First iteration Users would request access to Runner from the login page and submit a form for the delegated admin or support team to review. On this form, users would specify their role, justify their request, and indicate which folder they’d like access to, along with its corresponding permissions. For instance, a user might need share and download permissions to Folder A but only need download permissions to Folder B.

First Iteration | Login Page

Users can click the ‘Request Access’ button link to register for an account on Runner’s login page..

First Iteration | Registration Form

Users enter information about their job and justify their request in the ‘Request Access’ modal.

First Iteration | Access Form

Users specify which folder they’d like to access and its corresponding permissions.

First Iteration | Success Page

After the user submits the request form, they see a success message and directions for next steps in the registration process.

User testing We found that most users didn’t know what permissions they needed for each folder they requested—making the form difficult to fill out correctly. Delegated admins also felt uncomfortable having the ‘Request Access’ link accessible to the public on the login page and were worried they’d be filtering out requests from irrelevant users.

Final iteration To improve the security of the request form, we made the registration modal its own page with a separate URL that delegated admins and the support team could share at their own discretion. We also added a ‘Contact Support’ link on the form if users couldn’t find the folder they wanted access to. When ‘Contact Support’ was clicked, it would automatically generate an email with all of their pre-entered information. Additionally, we added more logic on the backend so that every approved request will automatically create an account with view, share, and download permissions. By doing so, users wouldn’t have to indicate which permissions they needed for each folder.

Final Iteration | Registration Form

Users enter information about their job and justify their request on the Request Access page.

Final Iteration | Registration Form (Internal User)

Internal users requesting access, fill out fields on the Request Access page including their SPE division and department.

Final Iteration | Registration Form (External User)

External users requesting access, fill out fields on the Request Access page including their company name and SPE contact person.

Final Iteration | Access Form

Users specify which folder they’d like to access. If they can’t find the folder they’re looking for, users can contact support.

Final Iteration | Confirmation Page

When the users submits the request form, they see a success message with directions for next steps in the registration process.

Approval flow

First iteration Delegated admins would receive a ‘Request Runner Access’ email where they could choose to accept or decline the request. The email displayed who the request was from, when it was created, their business justification, and the folder being requested. If the delegated admin accepted the request, they would be navigated to a web page confirming their response was successful. If they declined the request, they would be taken to another web page where they would need to provide justification.

First Iteration | Request Account Email

Delegated admins receive an account request email and can choose to approve or decline the request. Runner’s support team also receives a copy.

First Iteration | Approve Page

If the delegated admin accepts the request, they’re navigated to a web page explaining their response was successful.

First Iteration | Decline Page

If the delegated admin declines the request, they’re taken to a web page where they need to provide justification.

First Iteration | Request Update (Declined)

If the user is declined their request, they’ll receive an email with the delegated admin’s justification and an option to re-submit their request.

First Iteration | Request Update (Approved)

If the user is approved for their request, they’ll receive an email with the option to go to Runner.

User testing We found that delegated admins wanted to see more information on the email before making a decision. Additionally, delegated admins found it to be frustrating to always justify their response so we needed to further simplify the decline request flow.

Final iteration Rather than remove the justification, we collaborated with delegated admins to narrow down their most common reasons for declining requests so they could choose between these pre-generated reasons in addition to having an open field to write their own justification. Additionally, we added all of the user’s information to the request email so delegated admins were more informed.

Final Iteration | Request Account Email (External User)

Delegated admins receive an account request email and can choose to approve or decline it. Runner support team also receives a copy.

Final Iteration | Request Account Email (Internal User)

Delegated admins receive an account request email and can choose to approve or decline it. Runner support team also receives a copy.

Final Iteration | Approve Page

If the delegated admin accepts the request, they’re navigated to a web page explaining their response was successful.

Final Iteration | Decline Page

If the delegated admin declines the request, they’re taken to a web page where they need to provide justification.

Final Iteration | Request Update

Users who requested access to multiple folders can view the status of their requests. If the user’s request was declined, they’ll see the delegated admin’s justification and an option to contact support.

Sony Pictures Entertainment User Registration

Overview

Problem

Solution

Request flow

Approval flow

Results

80%

95%

Sony Pictures User Registration

Sony Pictures Entertainment User Registration

Overview

Problem

Solution

Request flow

Approval flow

Results

80%

95%