Build a next-generation wireless home router with voice and an integrated home controls platform accessible via a companion mobile app with IFTTT capability.
Product commericalization with recurring revenue stream. Evolved device portfolio requirements with UX refresh and new over-the-air device management capability.
To achieve success, a methodical user-centric design approach was followed - research, analyze, define, design, & verify.
A test early, test often cadence was utilized to ensure the evolution of standing requirements were exhaustively verified and tested not only for product success, but to mitigate risk as the new requirements would ripple through the entire Data Device portfolio.
Evolving product portfolios and creating transformational experiences involves looking forward, anticipating user needs, experience gaps, consumer desire, and the trajectory of intersecting with other emerging technologies. Here is where this project began, with a future vision of remotely controling a interconnected ecosystem of "Things" in the home while in a remote location via a secure wireless network.
I created a vision for a mobile application that I socialized with a cross-functional leadership team to assess and discuss the concept feasability based on existing requirements.
A UX workstream schedule was produced based on typical development processes, activities, and other cross-functional dependencies.
A new hardware product design language was being introduced for the evolution of Verizon branded products. Part of driving market change via the product portfolio included expanding functionality and capability of peripherial products in the the consumer market and providing access through Verizon's robust telecom network, this opportunity was ripe to execute on the UX vision.
I conducted a review of the competitive product landscape, benchmarking the current state and identifying opportunities for an enhanced UX that would contribute to producing a best-in-class product and presented findings to organizational leadership and other business stakeholders.
Target segements and users were identified to support use case and requirements development.
I produced concept illustrations of ideal user expereince surrounding the devices display and UI controls along with other technical capabilities that surfaced through product domain knowledge and prior CX/UX research. A third party industrial design vendor was utilized to evole the hardware look and feel.
Initial marketing requirements were drafted to identify the target segment, specific users, product use cases, and other items which addressed the business case and rationale for the project.
Working in a textually abstract way allowed for sharing of ideas with other stakeholders. Collectively, the cross-functional product team contributed to the definition process. Cross-functional stakeholders collaboratively weighed in with domain expertise. Ultimately these base requirements would be evolved and repbulished to articulate a new UX, information architecture, interaction, and style guide.
I reviewed an contributed to the definition and evolution of the early product requirements in support the Product Line Manager that would ultimately be responsible for the entire Go-to-market plan, P&L, and product lifecyle.
Starting with the base set of requirements for all Data devices in the portfolio, I began to draft experience requirements for the new product.
The out-of-box and first-run experience was defined through multiple iterations of experience flows and service blueprinting of system and network touchpoints that would impacts on the user experience.
Here, additional requirements were developed and the beginning of error hanlding was also being documented.
Initial content and information flow was created to accomodate a low resolution black and white display which affored a lower hardware Bill-of-Material (BoM) cost. All aspecte of the experiece were consindered includeing out-of-box collateral, device clings and experience setup flows for both mobile app and web.
After product marketing decisions change the direction of the devices capability, by including a higher resolution, color display, The on screen first run experience was modified to accomodate the new device capability.
Various branches of the first-run UX were also fleshed out.
The finalized and user verified first run setup experience with a mobile device was documented.
The finalized and user verified first run setup experience with a computer was documented.
Working product samples were received and quality assurance reviews and network testing began. All use cases and requirements were tested. Bugs and Issues were logged and addressed through software regression builds.
Customer facing information and printed collateral was reviewed for accuracy by all stakeholders including customer support to develop post-sales tecnical support scripts.
After multiple rounds of user testing, rigorous quality assurance, and network testing, the product was commercially launched into the consumer market.
