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BENTLEY SYSTEMS - 2018

NON-PHOTOREALISTIC RENDERING

  • Eliminated the need of third-party tools e.g. Photoshop

  • Significant increase in efficiency because reduced dependency on external teams e.g. graphic designers.

  • Improved clarity and communication in client facing presentations

What is NPR?

NPR or non-photorealistic rendering was a new feature in MicroStation. Unlike traditional photorealistic rendering, this feature allowed users to apply expressive, stylized filters to CAD models—supporting technical illustrations, exploded views, and artistic presentations. NPR proved especially valuable in scenarios requiring clarity, emphasis, or lightweight rendering for documentation, reviews, and conceptual design.

User Research

While conducting routine user research for MicroStation, I began hearing unexpected but consistent feedback. Users across various domains were requesting the ability to render their models using non-photorealistic styles. Initially, there was no plan to add such a feature, but through more feedback sessions, it became clear that NPR could solve real pain points, especially for users creating technical illustrations, client presentations, or training materials.


Follow-up survey data and stakeholder interviews further validated the demand. Users expressed the need to highlight key components, reduce visual noise, and communicate complex structures more effectively, all of which pointed toward stylized rendering. This user-led discovery shifted the product direction, leading to the development of a flexible NPR feature that balanced technical precision with visual clarity.

My Role & Team

I led this project end-to-end, from discovery to implementation. I began by conducting user research that uncovered the need for non-photorealistic rendering and then validated this requirement through follow-up sessions with key users. Based on these insights, I built a strong case and presented it to stakeholders, clearly outlining the value and impact. I also defined the project scope and worked closely with another UX designer on wireframing and early concept testing. A dedicated visual designer supported the effort by creating custom icons and visuals to bring the interface to life.

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Building the case

I began by organizing the feedback into a structured report that included:

  • Direct user quotes requesting stylized visuals

  • Screenshots of current workaround methods (e.g., exporting CAD images and editing them externally)

  • A breakdown of specific use cases, i.e. manuals, exploded views, internal design reviews, etc.

  • Competitive analysis showing NPR use in similar tools for technical communication
     

I presented this to product managers and engineering leads as an opportunity brief. The goal wasn’t just to add a visual effect, but to solve a communication problem that affected productivity and clarity.

Defining Scope

Once stakeholders saw the user value, the feature was approved for exploration. I collaborated with the product manager to define:

  • Key user goals (e.g., highlight components, reduce noise, simplify documentation)

  • Technical constraints (rendering performance, existing pipeline integration)

  • User profiles most likely to benefit (documentation teams, educators, visual reviewers)

We agreed to build an MVP that supported a set of essential NPR styles like outlines, shading, and sketch filters.

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​When I began working on the feature, I had a number of questions in my mind.

How might  I?

  • introduce NPR styles without overwhelming users with too many options?

  • make NPR filters easy to discover, understand, and apply within existing workflows?

  • reduce the need for users to export images into external tools like Photoshop?

  • ensure the NPR feature feels integrated, not bolted-on, within existing UI?

  • provide quick previews of visual styles to support rapid experimentation?

  • allow users to toggle or fine-tune effects with minimal learning curve?

  • design controls that are useful for both technical users and presentation-focused users?

  • balance performance and rendering speed while enabling expressive visuals?

Sketches

I began by sketching rough wireframes and user flows by focusing on:

  • Entry points to the feature (contextual menu vs. ribbon integration)

  • Filter preview handling (live vs. static)

  • Controls for toggling styles and adjusting intensity
     

These were then built into low-fidelity interactive prototypes using Axure RP. I tested them with a small set of internal users and design advocates, gathering feedback on visibility, ease of use, and overall clarity.

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Iterations

User feedback from the prototype testing led to several refinements:

  • Simplified filter terminology to match user language (e.g., “Outline” instead of “Edge Detection”)

  • Grouped similar styles for ease of discovery

  • Included tooltips and visual examples for each NPR style
     

I maintained weekly syncs with engineering to ensure technical feasibility and UI performance within MicroStation’s complex environment. We used component-driven design to ensure the new interface blended seamlessly with existing UI patterns.

Interactive Prototype

Usability Testing

Before final handoff, I conducted task-based usability tests with a new group of users to validate:

  • Discoverability of the NPR feature

  • Speed and confidence in applying filters

  • Perceived usefulness of NPR for their specific tasks
     

The results confirmed that users could now produce clear, expressive visuals without relying on external tools. Many found it particularly useful for creating simplified views during client reviews and internal presentations.

"I think the feature is well designed and I could present my design to my client without switching between MicroStation and Photoshop or spending time in changing the lighting and rendering."
- User, CommScope
"What I really like is now focusing on technical part of the object is possible for my clients because you removed all the noise."
- User, Graybar

Impact

  • Eliminated the need for third-party tools (e.g., Photoshop or Illustrator) to stylize technical visuals - saving licensing costs and reducing tool-switching.

  • Enabled users to create expressive visuals directly within MicroStation, improving workflow efficiency and reducing time spent on post-processing.

  • Reduced dependency on external teams (graphic designers or technical illustrators) for presentation or documentation graphics.

  • Improved clarity and communication in technical documentation, training materials, and client-facing presentations.

  • Shortened review cycles by allowing teams to generate illustrative outputs instantly instead of waiting for rendering or design iterations.

  • Enhanced MicroStation’s feature competitiveness against other CAD tools by offering built-in creative rendering options.

  • Minimized rework by enabling rapid experimentation and real-time preview of visual styles.

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