In focus: Interface optimization – enhancing user experience in media asset management

picturemaxx has launched a redesigned user interface, now available to all photo agencies, archives, museums, PR agencies, and businesses using its media asset management solution. The new interface features a cleaner design, a more intuitive layout, and even more structured navigation.

Lisa Schmidt, Head of Product Development & Innovation at picturemaxx, and Marcus Zelend, Head of Research & Platform Engineering at picturemaxx, share some background information about the new design.

What were the reasons behind the decision to redesign the user interface of the picturemaxx Media Asset Management solution?

Marcus Zelend: Over time, our media asset management solution has grown alongside our customers’ needs. Its functionality has evolved significantly, but its appearance and usability clearly couldn’t keep pace. A much-needed “makeover” was due to deliver a modern, attractive, and intuitive interface.

What was your approach to redesigning the user interface, and who was involved in the process?

Lisa Schmidt: To prepare for the redesign, we began by interviewing customers and internal experts, especially those who work with our solution daily. The goal was to find out: What works well today? Where are the usability hurdles? What do our users want for the future? We also incorporated ideas and requests that had already been gathered earlier, for example during project work, in customer meetings, or at trade fairs. As the project progressed, every department at picturemaxx became actively involved in the process.

Guided by customer feedback and insights from our internal customer support team, we quickly established a priority list of topics related to User Experience (UX) and User Interface (UI) — two closely connected aspects of interface design. While UX design focuses on the overall experience of using the software, UI design is concerned with its visual and interactive elements.

Which aspects were particularly important to you when redesigning the user interface?

Marcus Zelend: Some of our customers know our Media Asset Management solution inside out and make full use of its extensive features — whether for simple tasks or complex challenges. For this group, we focused more on targeted improvements that boost efficiency.

For new customers, however, our solution with its many possibilities seemed somewhat “overwhelming.” Here, we focused on clarity and accessibility, guiding users directly to the features most relevant to them. A good example of this is our redesigned “empty states” –areas that previously appeared blank and are now designed to intuitively guide users to data entry.

What was especially important to you, Lisa?

Lisa Schmidt: For my team and me, it was clearly user-friendliness, visual clarity, and a contemporary design. We deliberately based our work on established UX standards. For example, placing the “Save” button at the bottom right, as this feels intuitive for most users. At every step, we asked ourselves: Does this change create real added value or is it just “cosmetic”? In the end, many small, targeted adjustments had a big impact on the overall user experience.

Did you bring in any external support for the project?

Lisa Schmidt: When optimizing the user experience, it was important for us to obtain a good mix of internal and external input and not just view everything through the “picturemaxx lens.” That's why we brought in the UX design agency 8reasons, which specializes in designing complex user interfaces, to help us with the concept. Working closely together, our team of experts and the agency's design specialists achieved extremely productive results.

What role does the user experience play in the B2B sector, especially in the context of media asset management?

Lisa Schmidt: A well-designed user experience is just as important in the B2B sector today as it is in consumer applications, perhaps even more so. Our users work with the system intensively every day. The more intuitive the interface, the faster they can find what they need. This saves time, reduces errors, and increases efficiency in day-to-day tasks. In a complex environment like Media Asset Management, that can be the decisive factor between frustration and “flow.”

Was there a particular challenge during the project?

Marcus Zelend: Especially in the final days before releasing the new interface, the programming became increasingly challenging, which is common for a project of this scale. What did surprise us was how much we enjoyed working in the development systems of the new, modern interface. Switching back to the old one soon started to feel strangely out of place.

What are your personal highlights of the redesigned user interface?

Lisa Schmidt: A real highlight for me is the new notification system, which offers direct, interactive feedback as you work. For example, after saving, you receive visual confirmation that the action was successful. This builds user confidence and noticeably streamlines the workflow. The context-sensitive help for empty states, which Marcus mentioned earlier, is also part of this.

And for you, Marcus?

Marcus Zelend: The corporate design features. For me, the ability to customize the new interface is one of the most important updates. Users can highlight relevant information in the main navigation and in individual input forms to work with greater focus and efficiency. The color scheme can be adapted to match the company’s corporate design, and even the company’s own logo can be integrated if desired.

What’s next for UX/UI design?

Lisa Schmidt: Even though we have achieved a major milestone, interface design is an ongoing process that we continue to shape together with our customers. And I can say that we already have one or two projects in the pipeline.

Further information:

About the company: www.picturemaxx.com 

Contact: marketing@picturemaxx.com