先认清“是什么”First, identify the material
黑色节点是材料本身。例子里的病毒载体有三种上游质粒；它的来源不是单一的一条线。Black nodes represent materials. The viral vector in this example has three upstream plasmids, so its origin is not a single chain.
02 / SIGNALS NOTEBOOK02 / 实验笔记本
Where did this
material
come from?这份材料，
是从哪里
来的？
My work on material workflows and lineage.
Finding a record is only the beginning.我负责材料工作流与谱系交互。
找到材料以后，还要查清它和谁有关。
一个抗体背后，
不止一份记录Behind one antibody,
a chain of records
我和产品经理的前期调研材料里，一个抗体连着上游的 DNA 材料、细胞和培养液。科学家要查的不只是“它是什么”，还有“怎么得到它、用了哪一批、在哪个实验里”。这才是谱系图要接住的任务。In the early research materials I developed with the product manager, an antibody connects back to DNA materials, cells and culture fluid. Scientists need more than an identity: how was it made, which batch was used, and in which experiment? That is the task behind the lineage map.
01
材料Material
研究中登记的一种对象，
例如一株细胞。A registered research entity,
such as a cell line.
02
批次Batch
同一种材料的具体批次，
有各自的记录。A specific lot of that material,
with its own record.
03
谱系Lineage
把来源和衍生关系连起来，
看清谁从谁而来。The source and derivative links
that show what came from what.
美国 · 产品经理UNITED STATES · PRODUCT MANAGERAdrian Papas
高级产品设计师SENIOR PRODUCT DESIGNERJoey Zhao
材料工作流 · 谱系交互 · 界面设计Material workflows · Lineage interactions · Interface design
我和产品经理的前期调研材料Early research with the product manager
≈ 5 个月months项目周期Project duration
1 + 10产品经理与研发工程师Product manager and engineers
内部实验室 + 欧美客户Internal labs + US & European clients产品经理、人力团队协调科研人员，开展线上访谈PM and HR coordinated scientist recruitment and online interviews
Signals 的客户SIGNALS CUSTOMERS
他们来自这些药企The companies behind the researchers
An ID tells you
which material — then what?知道材料编号，
还不够
Our early research first explored creating child materials directly from an experiment table, reusing existing information. During investigation, the direction reverses: a scientist may have only a material ID and need to recover its origins, batches and related experiments.我和产品经理在前期调研中提出：在实验材料表里直接登记衍生材料，沿用已有信息。到了追溯阶段，问题反过来了：科学家可能只有一个材料编号，需要找回它的来源、批次和关联实验。
THE DESIGN SHIFT设计调整
用户手里有材料编号，
就该能从材料开始查。When the user has a material ID,
the investigation should start there.
原始方案把材料智能文件夹作为统一入口。在材料详情里增加谱系页签，保留已有的属性和批次页面。用户进入熟悉的记录后，就能继续查关系。The proposal uses the Materials Smart Folder as a common entry point. A Lineage tab sits inside material details, alongside existing properties and lots. Researchers can continue into relationships from a familiar record.
材料相同，批次不同
去向也不同Same material
Different batches, different paths
一份材料可以做出多批。每一批，又可能进入不同的实验。只把同名材料连起来，仍然找不回那一次实验的来路。One material can have several batches, each used in different experiments. Connecting names alone does not recover the path behind a particular experiment.
早期业务草图EARLY BUSINESS SKETCH我与产品经理的前期调研Early research with the PM
再问“用的是哪一批”Then ask: which batch?
黄色节点是具体批次。两个批次分别通向不同的细胞材料，往后又继续分批。追到材料，还不等于追到了实验。Yellow nodes represent batches. Two batches lead to different cell materials, which branch into further lots. Reaching a material is not yet reaching the experiment.
回到我的设计BACK TO MY DESIGN图里看关系，
图里看关系，
记录里查清楚Follow the graph
Check the record
我的方案把谱系放进材料详情，同时保留批次与关联表格。图谱负责指路，具体身份和记录仍然有地方核对。My proposal places lineage inside material details while retaining lots and related tables. The graph gives direction; records provide the detail needed to check it.
看这怎样进入界面See it in the interface ↓看懂关系之后，
怎样查到记录？After seeing a relationship,
how do you reach its records?
把对照落到具体任务上。怎么找到材料，怎样沿关系查记录，最后带走哪些信息？这几个问题，决定图谱在 Signals 里应该怎样工作。I compare the tasks around the graph. How does someone find a material, follow a relationship into a record, and take the relevant information away? Those questions shape the workflow in Signals.
WormWeb
可视化参考Visualization reference用高亮，保留阅读路径Keep a highlighted path
前期调研中，我们参考它是因为：生物学家熟悉沿细胞发育关系探索。黄色路径让当前分支更突出；值得借鉴的是探索方式。Our early research explains the reference: biologists are familiar with exploring cell-development lineages. The yellow path emphasizes the current branch. The useful precedent is the way people explore.
分支多了，怎样不迷路？How do people stay oriented as branches grow?
原参考Earlier referenceLabKey
样本管理Sample management选中节点，旁边看详情Select a node, inspect it alongside
这张原始参考把下游分支和当前对象的属性放在一起。我和产品经理在前期调研中也关注到：不必每次都看大图，也要能从材料记录直接找到关联对象。This original reference pairs downstream branches with the selected object’s properties. Our early research also highlights direct access to related entities from a material record, without always needing a full graph.
图谱到记录，能否顺着走？Can the map lead directly into the record?
产品资料Product sourceIDBS
细胞株开发Cell line development关系图与记录，放在同一屏The graph and its records share a screen
左侧控制筛选与显示代数，下方保留选中对象、祖先和后代记录。关系探索与逐条核验各有位置。Controls on the left set filters and generations. The selected item and ancestor/descendant records remain below the graph.
回查来源时，需要哪些背景？What context is needed to trace the source?
产品资料Product sourceBenchling
材料登记Material registry
材料有身份，也有关系An identity with connections
材料登记连接对象与批次；关系图支持查看上下游并跳转到关联对象。Registered entities connect to batches. Entity Map supports upstream and downstream exploration and navigation to related entities.
统一材料身份之后，怎样接上关系？How do relationships connect to a stable identity?
产品资料Product source调研来源Research sources ＋
WormWeb、LabKey、IDBS 同时出现在原作品集与 我和产品经理的前期调研材料 中。LabKey 使用 PPT 中的原始图片；其余两张沿用原作品集。Benchling 是后续补充研究。WormWeb, LabKey and IDBS appear in both the original portfolio and the early research materials I developed with the product manager. LabKey uses the original embedded image from the deck; the other two retain the portfolio captures. Benchling is later supplementary research.
落到我的方案IN MY DESIGN
从材料进入。用图看关系。
需要具体信息时，仍能回到表格和记录。Start with the material. Follow the graph.
Keep tables and records within reach.
Following a material
through the interface找到材料后，
顺着关系往下查
01 / FIND01 / 查找
First, find the right material先确认找对了材料
02 / 入口02 / ENTRY POINT
把谱系放进已有的材料详情Put lineage inside the existing material record
03 / ORIENT03 / 定位
Make the selected material easy to locate展开关系后，还认得出自己在哪
04 / VERIFY & EXPORT04 / 核验与导出
Then inspect the linked records看清关系，再查具体记录
How I split the work
between map and table图和表格，
各自解决什么
保留熟悉的入口Keep the familiar entry point
材料智能文件夹负责查找，详情页负责查看一份材料。谱系作为其中的页签出现，让新能力接上原来的操作习惯。The Materials Smart Folder supports discovery; the detail page holds one material. Lineage appears as a tab within that record, extending the existing navigation.
展开哪一支，表格就跟到哪Expand a branch, keep the table in step
Miro 方案里，点击节点逐步展开关系，下方的祖先与后代表格同步更新。悬停看属性，点击进入材料详情；遇到无权限记录时给出提示。把这些状态做清楚，才能让图谱里的探索接上实际操作。The Miro flow expands relationships on demand and updates the ancestor and descendant tables with the visible nodes. Hover reveals properties; clicking opens the material; restricted records show a notice. These states connect exploration to real actions.
图谱之外，表格继续保留Keep the table alongside the map
图里能顺着分支看来源与去向；表格方便逐条核对，也保留导出入口。这意味着维护两种视图，但能照顾探索和核验两种任务。后台生成报告还需要额外服务，团队把 PDF 与 API 导出拆成后续需求。The map supports following origins and descendants; the table supports checking records and accessing export. Maintaining both views adds work, but serves both exploration and verification. Server-generated reports needed additional infrastructure, so the team separated PDF and API exports into follow-up work.
Later exploration · October 2026后续设计探索 · 2026 年 10 月 ＋
This later exploration revisits information hierarchy and selection between the graph and records. It is shown separately from the original project.这版后续探索继续调整信息层级，以及图谱与记录之间的选中关系，单独放在这里，方便和原始项目区分。
一次具体的设计选择ONE DESIGN CHOICE属性越来越多，
属性越来越多，
难道要让人
从头翻到尾？More properties
More scrolling
There had to be a better way
Adrian 把生物业务周会上讨论的属性面板，整理成几个方案，在 Miro 里问我怎么选。After our weekly biology meeting, Adrian put several properties-panel options in Miro and asked which I preferred.
我选了第三种：先筛选，再勾选。材料类型和属性放在一起，但不用让用户在一长串选项里找。我更新了原型，又补上“全选／全不选”。I chose Option 3: filter first, then select. It kept material types and attributes together without making people scan the whole list. I updated the mockup and added select all / select none.
Adrian 确认了这个组合。
讨论最后落在一个很小、却会反复用到的动作上。Adrian agreed with the combination.
A small interaction, used again and again.
讨论最后落在一个很小、却会反复用到的动作上。Adrian agreed with the combination.
A small interaction, used again and again.
追完一条谱系，
从 2 小时到 40 分钟Tracing one lineage,
from 2 hours to 40 minutes
产品经理和人力团队协调公司内部实验室科研人员，并与欧洲、美国客户开展线上访谈与任务验证。这个数字衡量的是材料谱系追溯任务。PM and HR coordinated internal laboratory scientists, alongside online interviews and task validation with European and US clients. This result measures the material-lineage tracing task.
原流程Earlier workflow120 分钟min
Lineage Map40 分钟min
上线后 60 天 · LineageFIRST 60 DAYS · LINEAGE
25→30NPS
净推荐值提升 5 分Net Promoter Score increased by 5 points
用户体验团队收集，用户研究员协助Collected by the UX team with a UX Researcher
面向 1000 多名用户开展线上问卷，了解他们是否愿意推荐这项功能。An online survey covering over 1,000 users measured their willingness to recommend the feature.
MY CONTRIBUTION我的贡献My work
My work
on this project这个项目里，
我做了什么
我与美国产品经理 Adrian Papas、10 位研发工程师合作，在约 5 个月中负责材料工作流、线框、交互原型、用户测试与最终界面。原始提案保留了从材料入口到图谱、关联表格与导出的完整设计过程。I worked with US-based PM Adrian Papas and ten engineers over approximately five months, covering material workflows, wireframes, interaction prototypes, user testing and final UI. The original proposal preserves the path from material discovery to the graph, related tables and export.
Signals Notebook我的工作获得的认可RECOGNITION FOR MY WORK
2025 Q3来自首席产品官
来自首席产品官
的一封嘉奖邮件A note of recognition
from the CPO
Josh Bond 确认了产品管理团队给予我的季度表彰与奖励，并肯定了我在 BioDesign、BioReg 和库存移动端的工作。Josh Bond confirmed a quarterly recognition and reward from product management, highlighting my work on BioDesign, BioReg and the Inventory Mobile app.
“谢谢你的创造力、
灵活应变和出色工作。”“Thank you, Joey, for your creativity,
flexibility, and outstanding work!”
邮件原文节选EXCERPT FROM THE ORIGINAL EMAIL26 SEP 2025