T-Mobile
T-Mobile.com
Universal Navigation
Role: Lead UX Designer
Results:
Designed and launched 14 new business specific navigations.
Role and Responsibility
A few weeks into my tenure as a Senior UX Designer at T-Mobile, I was given the opportunity to be UX Lead for Universal Navigation (UNAV). This meant being tasked with leading the redesign and enhancement of the UNAV template across multiple T-Mobile business units, demanding high-level strategic thinking, stakeholder management, and the ability to navigate complex organizational structures.
My primary responsibilities included:
Spearheading the redesign of the UNAV template to work across diverse business units
Managing stakeholder relationships and expectations
Directing user research initiatives
Providing UX copywriting and wayfinding design consultation for various business units
Driving adoption of the UNAV template across T-Mobile's digital ecosystem
The Holy Navigation Bar
Collaboration
The UNAV project was a highly collaborative effort that required me to work across multiple teams and organizational levels:
Formed a core two-person team with the Technical Product Manager, meeting multiple times weekly to drive the project forward
Engaged with heads of web and mobile from various T-Mobile business units to gather feedback and present ideas
Initiated and managed weekly stakeholder calls to provide updates and educate on UNAV elements and technical limitations
Navigated complex organizational dynamics and politics by collaborating with my team and manager
Worked closely with internal research teams and external resources to gather insights for informed decision-making
This experience honed my ability to manage diverse stakeholder interests and navigate corporate politics effectively - crucial skills for a senior UX leader.
Process
I approached the UNAV redesign using a double diamond methodology, emphasizing thorough research and iterative design:
1. Discovery:
Conducted extensive precedent analysis and consulted resources like Baymard Institute and Nielsen Norman Group.
Initiated multiple research projects to understand our diverse user base and their navigation expectations and preferences.
Sought insights into T-Mobile's long-term strategic plans to align UNAV with future initiatives.
Gathered feedback from multiple digital leads about business requirements.
2. Problem Definition:
Identified key challenges: inherited inflexible system, diverse business needs, varied user requirements
Scoped the project to focus on header and footer elements to manage complexity
3. Ideation and Design:
Developed multiple concepts and iterations based on research findings
Balanced conflicting needs (e.g., T-Mobile Business's preference for detailed navigation vs. general users' need for simplicity).
Proposed development of a more flexible, customizable UNAV template.
4. Testing and Refinement:
Planned collaboration with research teams to test designs and gather user feedback, with further map of iteration based on findings and stakeholder input
Throughout the process, I maintained a strategic focus, always considering how UNAV could support broader business goals and enhance the overall user experience across T-Mobile's digital touchpoints.
A/B Testing
Outcome
Despite facing significant organizational and technical challenges, the project achieved notable successes:
Increased adoption of the UNAV template from 16 to 30 sites.
Boosted overall usage by 23%, resulting in a more unified navigation experience across T-Mobile's digital properties.
Developed a comprehensive case for a flexible, future-proof UNAV system, presented to senior management and VPs.
Established myself as a go-to resource for all things UNAV.
While the full redesign wasn't implemented during my tenure due to budgetary and organizational constraints, I laid a strong foundation for future improvements.
Reflection
The UNAV project was a crucible that rapidly advanced my skills in strategic UX leadership:
Designs still standing after the years
1. Stakeholder Management:
I learned to navigate complex organizational dynamics, balancing diverse needs and expectations while maintaining a user-centered focus.
2. Strategic Thinking:
The project reinforced the importance of aligning UX initiatives with broader business strategies and future-focused thinking.
3. Research Leadership:
I honed my ability to scope, direct, and leverage user research to drive design decisions in a large-scale, complex environment.
4. Adaptability:
Working with inherited systems and diverse business needs taught me to find creative solutions within constraints.
5. Knowledge Transfer:
Recognizing the importance of continuity, I developed comprehensive documentation and transition plans, ensuring my successor could build on the groundwork laid.
This experience solidified my capability to lead high-impact, enterprise-level UX initiatives. It demonstrated my readiness to tackle the complex challenges faced by staff and principal-level UX professionals, where strategic thinking, stakeholder management, and the ability to drive organizational change are paramount.
Moving forward, I'm excited to apply these lessons to even more ambitious projects, continuing to push the boundaries of what's possible in UX design at an enterprise scale.