Redesigning the user experience of a yacht management platform

IDEA Data Solutions GmbH is a Germany-based software company with over 20 years of experience building yacht management solutions for superyacht owners, captains, and fleet operators worldwide. Their flagship platform, IDEA Yacht, supports critical operations such as maintenance tracking, safety compliance, crew management, inventory, and financial reporting.

One of the core modules of the platform is the Vessel Database. While functionally critical, the module had become outdated over time, with inconsistent layouts and navigation patterns that made daily operations slower and more error-prone.

Exline Labs was engaged to redesign the Vessel Database UI and UX, with the goal of improving usability while creating a scalable foundation that could extend across other modules of the platform.

The challenge was not missing functionality. It was usability at scale.

Key issues included:

• Confusing navigation across workflows

• Form-heavy screens that slowed down everyday tasks

• Inconsistent layouts between modules

• Reporting views that were difficult to scan and compare

These issues directly affected efficiency for crews, managers, and finance teams who relied on the system daily. The client also needed a long-term solution that could scale across the platform without repeated redesign efforts.

Before redesigning interfaces, we focused on understanding how the system was actually used.

We worked closely with the client’s leadership and core user groups, including yacht managers, crew administrators, and finance teams. Through workshops and journey mapping, we identified where users hesitated, made errors, or spent unnecessary time completing tasks.

Key UX decisions focused on:

• Simplifying complex, form-heavy workflows

• Aligning navigation with real operational tasks

• Reducing cognitive load in reporting and data tables

• Designing layouts that are hard to misuse, especially in high-frequency actions

The redesign prioritised clarity and predictability over visual novelty.

Upon discovering the core issues, we moved to the next phase. Our next step was to redesign the Vessel Database in a way that can actually make sense for everyday users. There, Exline Labs restructured the entire system. Consequently, tasks could move smoothly from entering vessel details to generating financial reports without going through extra steps that slowed people down before.

Moreover, we reorganized the confusing navigation menus and fixed them into a clear, logical structure. We created layouts that were easy to follow and harder to get wrong especially for form-heavy areas like expenses, revenue proposals, and approvals. By redesigning the information architecture and simplifying task flows, we could set the stage for a system that feels straightforward and super efficient.

One of the core requirements of IDEA Data Solutions GmbH was to transform the entire platform's UX into a cohesive platform. In order to meet that requirement, we created a scalable design system that could bring every module into alignment. Buttons, input fields, tables, modals, and navigation were standardized for consistency and ease of use. Moreover, responsive layouts ensured that the entire system worked smoothly across devices.

Furthermore, we integrated IDEA Data Solutions GmbH’s brand kit including colors, typography, icons, and spacing. Consequently, the software not only looked modern but reinforced the IDEA Data Solutions GmbH’s identity. This approach makes future updates faster and keeps the platform feeling polished, trust-building and professional.

The Vessel Database was restructured to support everyday workflows more naturally.

Core areas included:

• Vessel information and documentation

• Crew and operational records

• Expenses, revenue proposals, and approvals

• Reporting and financial summaries

• Admin-level oversight and validation

The information architecture was redesigned so tasks flow logically from data entry to review and reporting, without unnecessary steps or navigation jumps.

The project timeline was somewhat tight and the entire redesign process was completed in just 8 weeks:

The redesigned Vessel Database significantly improved usability and operational efficiency.

• Form completion times were reduced

• Error rates dropped due to clearer layouts and validation patterns

• Navigation became consistent across modules, improving user confidence

• Reporting tasks became faster and easier to interpret

In addition, the new design system allows future modules to be added with minimal effort, supporting long-term scalability for the platform.