Allowing users to connect to the world through hearing
Challenge
Redesign a tool for customers, professionals, and customer support to easily understand what phones and other technology are compatible with sound processors.
My Role
Led the UX strategy, UX design, and research for redesigning a compatibility tool.
Met with stakeholders, product owners, and SMEs to define the problem and discuss the business needs and desired outcome for the project.
Created and presented flows, high-fidelity wireframes, and prototypes to communicate new features and experiences to designers, engineers, business analysts, product owners, and stakeholders.
Created a high-fidelity prototype for user testing and synthesized research to give recommendations and prioritization for the experience design.
Supported development and QA throughout the development cycle.
Deliverables
UX Design
Annotated Wireframes
Low-fidelity prototype
High-fidelity prototype
Interaction design
Web responsive design (desktop & mobile)
MVP & goal definition
User testing plan
Research synthesis
Product strategy
Requirement gathering
Discovery
In the initial phase, my objective was to determine both user needs and potential business opportunities. I engaged in discussions with various stakeholders, including product owners, customer support representatives, and Subject Matter Experts (SMEs), aiming to gather crucial insights necessary to lay a strong foundation for the project. Additionally, I conducted a comprehensive audit of the existing page to assess the current state of data and product design.
Key Pain Point Insights
Sound processor identification. A significant challenge identified was users' difficulty in recognizing their sound processor models, compounded by the lack of easy accessibility to crucial information.
New phone launches. The launch of new phones and operating systems emerged as pivotal events triggering a surge in customer inquiries. Users sought updated compatibility information, leading to heightened demands on the internal support team, causing stress and pressure.
Information organization. Users encountered confusion in determining the compatibility of their devices based on the information provided. This confusion resulted in escalated support requirements from both professionals and internal Cochlear staff, indicating a need for clearer, more user-friendly information presentation.
Internal business processes. Internal translation and testing procedures posed significant obstacles to providing information promptly to users, even for minor updates. Delays in conveying crucial information arose due to inefficiencies in these processes, impacting user experience and satisfaction negatively.
Defining Requirements, MVP Goals, and Success
In our project, we followed the structured approach of the double diamond process and employed a lean UX methodology. This approach enabled us to seamlessly integrate the stages of discovery, definition, ideation, and solutioning, ensuring the development of a superior product.
Define phase tasks:
Use Case Development: I developed use cases tailored for each distinct user group, including customers, professionals, and the internal support team. These use cases served as foundational elements, guiding our experience design efforts and fostering a deep sense of empathy towards our users. Understanding their needs and experiences was fundamental in shaping our product.
MVP Goal Definition: I clearly outlined the Minimum Viable Product (MVP) goals, what was within the scope of the MVP and what was not and presented to the product owner for apporval. This focused our team's energy and clarified our collective vision, ensuring that our efforts were concentrated on building the core features essential for the product’s functionality.
Scope and Business Improvements: I identified potential business improvements achievable through the tool. Simultaneously, I discerned elements that fell outside the MVP scope for this project, such as improving the testing and translation process. This strategic decision-making provided a clear roadmap, outlining the immediate priorities and setting a foundation for future enhancements.
By aligning our efforts through these defined objectives, we not only streamlined our development process but also ensured that the end product would address the core needs of our users and fulfill the strategic objectives of our business.
Wireframing and Prototyping
New phones launches
A design decision I made was showing phones and other devices that are new or in the process of being tested to cover the main use case so users had their questions answered quickly and customer support would not receive so many inquiries.
Information heriarchy
I grouped relevant supplemental information and documentation, such as pairing instructions, together on the results page so that users did not have to search for it and could maintain the current position in the page.
Sound processor identification
I included a link for users to identify their sound processor because it was one of the main challenges users had to overcome to understand what the hearing devices compatible with.
Prototyping to improve communication
I developed a prototype to effectively convey the flow and interaction design to both the product owner and the development team.
User testing
The next step in the process involved the development of a test plan and a high-fidelity prototype specifically tailored for user testing. This phase was pivotal because the redesigned involved an overhaul of the page flow and information architecture. Ensuring the intuitiveness of these changes was paramount before committing valuable development resources.
The high-fidelity prototype not only facilitated a realistic user experience but also incorporated a feature that saved participants' selections. This nuanced approach provided a genuine interaction scenario, allowing us to gather more accurate and insightful results.
Research synthesis and iteration
Upon synthesizing the research findings, it became evident that the redesigned flow and UI had elicited an overwhelmingly positive response from users. The intuitive design resonated well with the participants, confirming the success of our efforts. This positive feedback provided the green light to proceed with the design and development phases of the project.
One noteworthy finding that prompted an alteration was the need for less technical language. For instance, we revised the language on the homepage, transforming “Sound Processor Compatibility” into the more approachable and user-friendly phrase “Get the most out of your technology.” This change aimed to enhance user engagement and understanding, aligning the interface more closely with the users' perspective.
"I think it's easier to find the pairing instructions. If they were on the previous compatibility page, I never did find them.”
“Yes, I did think it was very intuitive. So very easy to understand, even for people that perhaps aren't that tech savvy."
“Smart bimodal. That's confusing… It should just say stream to your hearing aid as well.”
Design & development collaboration
Following the incorporation of minor adjustments derived from the research findings and approval, I updated annotations. These annotations comprehensively documented the decisions made, encapsulating the project's intent, functionality, and interactions. This meticulous documentation served as a valuable reference point for the team.
Subsequently, I engaged in close collaboration with the visual design team. This collaboration was pivotal in communicating the project's intent effectively. I communicated which aspects that warranted further visual exploration, ensuring that the design aspects were not only functional but also aesthetically refined.
During the development phase, I actively supported the story grooming process. I remained readily available to address any queries that arose during the build, ensuring a smooth translation of the design into the final product.
Final designs
Case Studies
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Get in Touch
Have a question or just want a chat? Please send a message if you’d like to work with me or want to learn more about me or my work.