How to Transition to Collibra’s New UI: Key Changes, Deadlines, and Best Practices

How to Transition to Collibra’s New UI: Key Changes, Deadlines, and Best Practices

As Collibra evolves, so must your business. The platform’s new user interface (UI) offers modern features and a streamlined experience, designed to enhance usability across various roles in your organization. With the deprecation of the classic UI set for early 2025, now is the time to plan your transition to the new interface. Murdio’s Collibra Ranger Bozhena Baranovskaya was tasked with leading the beta testing of the new UI at one of Murdio’s clients. For this article we interviewed her to give us a comprehensive overview of the updates, differences between the old and new UIs, and how to do it right, so you avoid unpleasant surprises. Here is a summary of what we found out. 

1. The Latest in Collibra’s UI: What’s New?

Collibra’s new UI is all about modernization and efficiency. The revamped design features a more spacious, aesthetically pleasing layout with updated icons and color palettes. This cleaner look is designed to reduce clutter and improve navigation. Key changes include:

• Streamlined Navigation: Applications previously located in the top-right corner are now on the left side, making them easier to access. The “At a Glance” section, prominently displayed on asset pages, provides users with a summary of key information.
• Tailored Asset Pages: A significant improvement is the ability to customize asset pages. Admins can now group asset characteristics, control their display order, and even hide optional ones.

As Murdio’s Bozhena Baranovskaya, UI beta testing lead, notes: “The tailored asset pages and customizable features give admins more flexibility. You can group fields and display them as you see fit, which really enhances the user experience.”

2. Transition Deadlines and Key Dates

While the new UI has been available in non-production environments since May 2024, it remains disabled by default in production environments. You must manually enable it via the Collibra Console. However, time is running out to make the switch: Collibra will deprecate the classic UI in Q1 2025.

With less than six months to go, it’s crucial for organizations to start testing the new interface now. Failure to plan adequately could lead to workflow disruptions and a rushed transition process.

3. Shaping the New UI

Over the past year, Bozhena (with several other testers) conducted rigorous tests on the interface on behalf of a Murdio’s client, identifying and reporting over 80 bugs, ranging from database issues to scaling problems. 

Bozhena explains: “We began testing as early as December 2023. Each month, we tracked Collibra’s updates and re-tested fixed issues, ensuring the platform was improving steadily.” 

4. Old vs. New: The Key Differences

Several changes set the new Collibra UI apart from the classic version, and while many improvements simplify user workflows, some legacy features have been removed or adjusted:

• Add Characteristic Button: The “Add Characteristic” button has been replaced with a toggler for optional characteristics, which changes how users interact with asset details.
• Workflow Management: One significant change is the handling of workflow tasks. In the new UI, tasks are either displayed at full-screen or a default width, removing the flexibility users had in the classic UI.
• Removed Features: Some features like the Metrics Tab and References Tab are no longer available in the new UI.

As Bozhena points out, “Some legacy workflows didn’t migrate smoothly, especially those built before the workflow designer was introduced. Admins need to thoroughly test these before fully committing to the new UI.”

These differences are important, particularly for users familiar with the old UI, as they represent a shift in how information is accessed and managed. Organizations need to plan for these changes in their workflows and user training.

5. Steps for a Smooth Transition to the New UI

To ensure a seamless transition, organizations must approach the migration with a detailed, step-by-step plan. Key steps include:

• Enable the New UI in a Non-Production Environment: Begin by testing the new interface in a controlled environment. This allows you to assess how the new features function without disrupting your production workflows.
• Thorough Testing Across Roles: It’s essential to test the new UI from the perspectives of different roles—data consumers, stewards, and sysadmins will all interact with the platform differently. Ensure that customized workflows, especially legacy workflows, are tested for compatibility in the new environment.

Bozhena advises: “It’s crucial to test with users across different roles. Data consumers, for example, will see a different layout than sysadmins. Understanding these variations early helps avoid last-minute issues.”

• Prepare Updated Training Materials: The changes in navigation and layout may take time for users to adjust to. Developing clear training guides that compare the old and new UIs can accelerate user adoption and minimize frustration.
• Check Custom Workflows and Integrations: Ensure any custom workflows or integrations, particularly those relying on HTML code or older configurations, are fully functional in the new UI. This is especially important for companies with heavily customized Collibra environments.
• Tailored Asset Pages: Explore the tailored asset pages feature and develop best practices for organizing and managing your data governance assets within the new layout.

6. The Risks of Not Thoroughly Testing

Failing to properly test the new UI before fully migrating can lead to several complications. Broken workflows, difficulties in finding data, or outdated links can cause business disruptions and impact productivity. These issues, though unlikely to result in data loss, can create adoption challenges and necessitate extra time to fix.

Murdio’s experts can help mitigate these risks. We have developed a comprehensive checklist to ensure all critical areas are tested before migration. Furthermore, our familiarity with edge cases allows us to address unique scenarios specific to your business environment.

7. How Murdio Can Assist with Your Transition

With over a year of hands-on experience testing Collibra’s new UI, Murdio is well-equipped to guide your organization through the transition. Here’s how we can help:

• Custom Testing Plans: Based on the areas of Collibra your business relies on, Murdio can create a detailed testing plan that focuses on your unique needs.
• Expert Troubleshooting: Should bugs arise during your migration, Murdio’s team will provide timely support. We’ll help determine if these issues have been reported, their status in Collibra’s roadmap, and how to address them.
• Training and Documentation: We can assist in preparing training materials and adoption plans tailored to your organization, ensuring that your team is ready to take full advantage of the new UI.

8. Conclusion

Collibra’s new UI is a powerful way of improving data governance, but the transition requires careful planning. With Murdio’s expert guidance, you can ensure a smooth and successful migration. Contact us today to learn how we can assist you in navigating the complexities of the new UI and optimize your data governance strategy.