AOL Mobile
Redesigning the wireless web version of the popular AOL Instant Messenger (AIM) desktop application was a unique challenge. The previous version suffered from a high rate of abandonment after the first month of use, so the business goal was simple - fix the problem in order to grow and retain users.
I conducted user research and usability studies, resulting in the identification of key factors that led to abandonment. Working closely with product management and engineering, I defined use cases to model the workflow and interactions required to support the user goals, then I produced a functional design spec to describe the user interface design. I developed a software prototype to validate the usability of the design and provide a working model to assist development.
The redesigned product resulted in more growth and retention of users than any other mobile AIM service.
Information Architecture, Information Design, Interaction Design, Visual Design, Code, Usability Research
There is no substitute for personal experience when it comes to understanding why and how a user interacts with the product. In this case, the user research goal was to understand why users were not interacting with the product. I planned and facilitated a user study on a population of over 450 users of AIM for the wireless web.
The study comprised of an online user survey and telephone interviews to answer the following question, "Is the current user interface design a significant factor effecting perceptions about the wireless web version of AIM?"
The research findings allowed me to fully address the user needs and fix the usability problems with the design. In addition, I identified the need for several new product features, including custom 'away' messages and sending frequently sent 'text' messages.
The following documents are sample user experience research deliverables.
I developed a user-centered Use Case Model that focuses on connecting user goals to user interactions and illustrating where a user interface is required within the workflow. My scalable use case diagrams combine requirements, constraints, scenarios and additional attributes to model the flow and functionality of a product design. The diagram itself serves as an effective tool to assess impact to the design from any change, and changes to the diagram can be managed easily due its scalable format.
I developed a software prototype to step through the product design based on the use cases. The prototype was used to validate the design, and it provided sample code and a working model to assist development.
My software engineering expertise allows me to explore capabilities of technology and software architecture to identify opportunities for improving the user experience or adding functionality that benefits the user and adds value to the brand. Developing prototypes is a contribution I can make to assist with producing quality product designs.
Producing the functional spec for this project was the culmination of a well executed user-centered design process. To call it a 'functional spec' is only partly true – it was the 'Holy Grail' of design requirement documents. I included in this single document: personas, success criteria, user goals, product features, use cases, user scenarios, detailed design requirements, graphic design styles, user and system error messages and new ideas to enhance the product design of future versions.
My spec included summary information for the business leadership that inspired confidence in the design process and fostered investment in the product design. In addition, I provided as much detail as possible to assist development and QA that shortened the development timeline and made it possible for QA to rapidly produced quality test plans and test cases. The return on the investment in a rigorous user-centered design process resulted in delivering a product design that customers used to achieve success. A collaborative team effort made success possible, but the well-managed design process made success more predictable.