Designing an Interface for Image Con-version and Management for Non-Technical Users

Digitale Bildbestände spielen eine zentrale Rolle in professionellen Arbeitskontexten wie Marketing, Kommunikation und Produktion. In vielen Organisationen erfolgt die Verwaltung großer interner Bildsammlungen jedoch weiterhin über allgemeine Dateisysteme, die nicht auf visuelle, kollaborative Arbeitsprozesse ausgelegt sind. Dies führt zu Orientierungsproblemen, ineffizienten Workflows und Unsicherheit im Umgang mit gemeinsam genutztem Bildmaterial.

Diese Bachelorarbeit untersucht, wie Interface- und Interaction-Design nicht-technische Nutzer*innen beim Navigieren, Verstehen und sicheren Umgang mit großen internen Bildsammlungen unterstützen kann. Am Fallbeispiel des CAVALLUNA Image Explorers wird gezeigt, wie bestehende Dateistrukturen durch ein dediziertes Interface visuell zugänglich, transparent und langfristig nutzbar gemacht werden können. Der Fokus liegt auf reduzierter kognitiver Belastung, klarer Orientierung und alltagstauglicher Bedienbarkeit, ohne die zugrunde liegende technische Infrastruktur zu verändern.

Abstract English

Digital image material plays a central role in contempo-rary marketing, communication, and production work-flows. In many organizations, however, the manage-ment of internal image collections is still based on general-purpose file system tools that were never de-signed for image-centric or collaborative use. In prac-tice, this leads to fragmented workflows, limited orien-tation, and a constant need for manual workarounds when handling shared visual assets.

This bachelor thesis investigates how interface and in-teraction design can support non-technical users in navigating, understanding, and safely handling large internal image collections. The project is situated in the context of CAVALLUNA, an entertainment compa-ny working with extensive photographic material across shows, tours, and promotional campaigns. Based on qualitative user research conducted with marketing, graphic design, and IT staff, the thesis identifies core usability challenges that emerge when technically functional systems fail to align with every-day working practices.

The practical outcome of the project is the CAVAL-LUNA Image Explorer, a web-based internal tool that reinterprets existing file-system structures through in-terface and interaction design. Rather than aiming for technical innovation or visual expressiveness, the de-sign deliberately prioritizes transparency, predictabil-ity, and long-term usability. Central design principles include persistent path visibility, visual browsing through thumbnails, metadata-driven search and filter-ing, role-based access control, and a restrained visual language tailored to prolonged professional use.

The findings suggest that the value of a dedicated in-terface does not lie in replacing existing infrastructure, but in shaping how users perceive, navigate, and trust it. While the resulting system does not claim to be complete or final, it demonstrates how interface de-sign can meaningfully reduce cognitive load, support diverse working styles, and improve confidence in shared environments. The thesis contributes to inter-face design practice by critically reflecting on the role of design decisions beyond functional necessity and by highlighting the impact of clarity and transparency in internal professional tools.