1.

Looked for the best 3D tool to meet these needs:

• Easy to learn.
• Models can be animated.
• Good surface and lighting choices.
• User can interact with it.
• Not too expensive, with a trial period available.

2.

Once I decided on Vectary, I signed up for the trial account and expored their examples to get an idea of what was possible.

3.

Then I came up with an idea of what to create that might actually be used in the real-world DIRECTV project I am currentluy working on.

4.

I then dove into all the animated tutorials I could find to learn how to create the shapes needed.

5.

Once I was happy with the shapes, I dove into tutorials for editing surfaces, colors, lighting, and camera angles.

6.

Adding animation and interactivity was the easiest part of the process. And Vectary gave me the code to paste into my portfolio html.

1.

Defined "Success" as increased user satisfaction and decreased calls or chats after use of the online guided steps. Steps need to be both easy and helpful.

2.

Then I gathered info on our users. Most of them were adults between 31 and 57 years of age and willing to try a few things if they thought they were quick and easy. Most prefered non-tech feeling visual help and using their mobile devices for support. Approximately 67% of them were male, didn't care about the details, and only wanted to get back to watching TV.

3.

Biggest challenge:
Guiding the user with enough direction to avoid them going down the wrong path and yet not end up with too many steps.

How I resolved it:
The use of animated svg's with video style controls to enable them to learn visually at their own pace.

Tryout the clickable examples below:

4.

Also designed a way to ask two questions in a single step using buttons with simple icons. Some icons, like the equipment icons I illustrated from scratch.

5.

I was also able to do moderated usability testing and user interviewing for one flow (Error 775). Increased user satisfaction rating from 2.8 (original design) to 4.0 (my v1 design) out of 5. Additional testng is scheduled for January 2024 for my v2 design.

1.

Collected user data from search engine research and internal sources.

Most any adult, but more likely between the ages of 25 and 34 and quite often women who are taking charge of their own health and those of others like children and parents.

2.

Biggest challenge:
To present lots of helpful content in a clean, inviting, and engaging way.

How I resolved it:
So I started by looking at what others were doing.

3.

Then I dove into medium quality mocks good enough to test different ideas.

4.

I also worked with the other designer working on similar projects to align on design language consistency.

5.

The contract ended before testing could be done, but the PM liked the general direction and the idea of a checklist the user could customize to their needs.

2.

Exploring solutions challenge:
Getting buy-in on limiting the data to only the essentials that the user would want for their next task. The idea that more isn't always better.

How I resolved it:
I mocked it up both ways and was able to show how much easier one was to comprehend and navigate. It also started a mind-set of asking with each new screen what was the "essential" content and what could be removed.

3.

After each feature or screen was approved, I provided redlines and image assets to the dev team.

4.

This is early in my career with no testing budget
Now, I would at least test with fellow workers.

2.

As a person new to AI myself, I dove into learning the terms and concepts through research and working with the dev team.

3.

Once I had a basic understanding of the terms and concepts I did a competitive analysis. At the time, the two main competitors (Amazon and Google) did not have a first-run/onboarding experience. They had some really good documentation and learning videos, but only terminology help inline as show in the image above.

4.

Then I created wires and mocks with these ideas to stand out from the competition:

• Have them learn by doing, and show them success as quickly as possible
• Provide only the information they need for the current step in small easily consumed chunks
• Provide links all along the way if they want to dive into more detail
• Let them learn at there own pace by opting in or out of tours at will through the use of a checklist
• Enhance instructions with animation when needed like shown below:

5.

The app was tested with Facebook developers at an internal hack-a-thon with some initial success. However, we did not get any testing done on the onboarding flow before my contract term ran out.

2.

I started with whiteboarding to understand the roles and permissions of the different types of users. Then with each business requirement I whiteboarded again to decide what design options to explore in wireframes and prototyping.

3.

Then I created mocks for each functionality and a prototype to get stakeholder and user feedback. Once the design was finalized I created a design spec and style guide for the offshore dev team to build from per user story.

4.

The stakeholders quickly got excited about the design and started asking when we could get it all developed. To triage what to work on first, I conducted user interviews with six end users to find out what was most important to them.

2.

Exploring solutions challenge:
To cleanly present data heavy content (50+ agents at a time) with filtering parameters to wall monitor users who can't interact with the app, while also providing robust filtering options for desktop and tablet users who can.

How I resolved it:

• Utilized a filter drawer that showed the filtering parameters of the current results in the collapsed state, and filtering options in the open state
• Added a narrow band of customer metrics at the top to leave as much room for results as possible
• Incorporated clean visual data visualization (with a limited number of metrics) to improve data comprehension

3.

Testing the design
User data was collected by Microsoft managers via onsite observation and interviews. We also received design requests and code bugs through our in-app feedback feature.

1.

Collected user data from the outside agency marketing study and multiple internal sources.

2.

Collaborated with the PM to understand all of the different scenarios possible for registration, depending on role, contract type, and verification choice.

3.

Looked for ways to reduce the number of steps from the old non-admin flow

4.

Created wireframes with specs per agile user story. My idea of including a creative brief and Journey map at the beginning of each Axure set of wireframes became part of the full UX Team procedure.

5.

This project was one of the first to implement the new design system and I ran into several instances where I needed a new pattern to ensure a good user experience. One of those is shown above. The circled area shows the pattern that I collaborated with the Design Standards Team to get added.

• I presented to them why I needed this pattern
• Presented possible design solutions
• Then integrated their tweaked final version

6.

This a new control I designed and got approved to be built and added to the library for others to use. This is common design pattern you see now, but it was one of the first back in 2017.

Purpose.
To provide feedback to the user on their progress of creating a valid business level pasword as they type.

Benefit.
With validation happening in real time with each character entered, the user is much more likely to create a valid password the first time, that they can actually remember. Re-setting a password was the most common support call driver.

• I presented to them the value of this pattern
• Presented possible design solutions
• Collaborated with them to get it through design, development, and accessibility approvals

7.

I coordinated the usability testing with our UX Researcher. Above are the results from that testing.

• I built the Axure prototype
• I created the task list for the participants to accomplish
• I listened, watched, and learned from the remote moderated testing
• I then made the minor adjustments needed to the design for the next day's testing

8.

Because this was a succesful and highly visible project, I got to present it with my team mates to the executives.

2.

Exploring solutions challenge:
Discovering patterns that would work across a diverse set of team needs.

How I resolved it:
I worked on pages for several different teams at the same time to see what was needed and where commonalities could occur. I started with making secondary versions of existing patterns, like a shorter hero version to allow more room for content heavy type pages. Then I came up with new patterns where needed.

4.

No opportunity to test, relied on internal subject matter experts

2.

Exploring Solutions Challenge:
This project was functionally a step flow inside of a step flow. We first ask you a couple of questions and suggest things to try before sending your device in for repair. Then if that doesn’t resolve the issue we send you through a step flow of creating a repair order that has different options and costs depending on what you chose in previous steps.

How I resolved it:
I began with a task flow to understand the order and relationship of tasks.

3.

Then I began iterating on mocks. I tried first to visually represent the nested flow and it always turned out too busy and confusing. While collaborating with the other designers in my team the idea of flattening it out came out - and it worked!

4.

No opportunity to test, relied on internal subject matter experts

2.

Exploring Solutions Challenge:
Come up with the best design and copy to express this unique vision as simply and quickly as possible.

How I resolved it:
I designed the logo and wrote the first draft of copy to describe the vision of the project. I then designed low fidelity wires to make sure I was being as minimal and clean as possible to make sure it worked well for all breakpoints.

3.

I then created mocks to get the design just right

4.

I then tested my design with a free version of usertesting.com called "Peek". And I am so glad I did! As it turns out, I had a major usability issue.

5.

Here's what I learned:
The panel that explains the purpose and method of the website was open on page load, but closed automatically after 8 seconds to get out of the way of browsing the songs. The world we live in is far too distracting for that to work and so I now have a static panel that stays open until the user clicks the "Listen to the songs" button. I will never make that mistake again.