I won't go into a full case study for this. If you would like to hear my thoughts on design process, click here. For design thinking, click here.
My role
At Voxox, I set us down the path of a more user data-driven approach. I introduced the visual design direction for both applications and brand. I hired and built the design team. Finally, I served on the leadership team to champion user-centered design as we strategized and grew the organization.
What is Voxox?
Voxox is an enterprise communication application. iOS, Android, and Desktop apps form an ecosystem with our enterprise PBX software called CloudPhone. A PBX is a powerful administrative system capable of answering calls, and routing customers to different departments, extensions or inboxes depending on complex sets of variables. If you've ever called your insurance company, you've used a PBX.
Internal business communication systems can be daunting. Our opportunity was to simplify, automate, and modernize an old-school, manual product. Based on conversations with our customers, we knew we needed to utilize new mental models around communication like Whatsapp, Viber or Line, and layer these into an enterprise solution.
Collaboration
As designers we are champions of customer empathy. To me, this includes empathy for your cross-functional partners. People that feel included and have internalized goals as a team are much more likely to align and succeed. I wanted to make this happen, and it paid off. We worked directly with our product and engineering teams on every aspect of this project. Our developers sketched with us. They contributed ideas to design and workflow. We even sat together. I'm calling out all design teams, include your developers. Work right alongside them. Foster a team environment.
Research
I asked the Product, QA and Customer Support teams to gather customer data using a combination of Mixpanel, Interviews, and Surveys. This data, along with prototyping and testing our solutions, led to measured increases in usage, conversion, and advocacy.
Growth
Voxox for a time was able to use what we designed to provide communication solutions for companies across the world like HP Voice Pass and VTC Asia.
Visual design
Beautiful design is important to me. It's important to customers. It should be tailored to help solve their problems. Part of the UX discipline rests on visual design. What do metaphors mean to customers? How does the color space make them feel? Your use of negative space, typography, and positioning on the page are huge usability factors. Well executed visual design enables ease of use, excitement, engagement, and even forgiveness when the interaction isn't quite what it should be.
