My WiFi
As more internet connected devices such as laptops and smartphones become affordable, and more consumer products become part of the "internet of things," a customer's in-home WiFi experience becomes critical to any High Speed Internet service. Until now, in-home WiFi installation, management, and troubleshooting was left largely up to the customer. If they were unable to solve their issue or set up their device successfully, they would call into Cox for support, and sometimes would trigger in-home assistance, costing Cox valuable resources.
As more internet connected devices such as laptops and smartphones become affordable, and more consumer products become part of the "internet of things," a customer's in-home WiFi experience becomes critical to any High Speed Internet service. Until now, in-home WiFi installation, management, and troubleshooting was left largely up to the customer. If they were unable to solve their issue or set up their device successfully, they would call into Cox for support, and sometimes would trigger in-home assistance, costing Cox valuable resources.
What It is
Consumer facing web app that allows users to troubleshoot and manage their in-home WiFi.
Goals
Reduce cost to call centers and in field techs by increasing the success of self service solutions.
Who It’s For
All Cox internet subscribers.
Hurdles
Displaying internet and the product as an approachable tool.
Overview
Our business partners came to the UX team asking us to create a product that the customer could easily use to troubleshoot their in-home wifi and improve its performance. With a company wide focus on self service, we undertook the task of a customer solution which would save the company millions over the next 5 years. Working with multiple teams within in the business including technology, quality assurance, customer care, product ownership and more; over the course of a year, we researched, designed, tested, iterated, and developed in an agile environment.
Taking into consideration current UX and UI standards of the brand, as well as the desire to innovate, I created a dashboard with three main sections that answered the guiding principles discovered in research and testing. "Is my internet connected?" "If not, is it me or the network?" and "How do I fix it myself?"
Internet Connection & Data Usage
Through in-depth user interviews and affinity diagraming, I discovered multiple themes. The most common question/obstacle that users had with their in-home wifi was understanding if their internet was connected at all. I created a simple 3 step visual confirmation to provide a quick-look view of the user's network status as well as a more approachable break down of how the network functions.
If the internet fails in the first "check" of connectivity (service area) the user is provided transparent information on the status of the network, creating confidence in Cox's ability to identify and convey issues.
A secondary feature requested from the business team was to provide insight into the user's data consumption. After informal hallway testing and gathering data from other teams working on similar initiatives, I created a simple visual indicator as well as text based messaging to clearly state the user's current data usage.
Modem Connection & Network Info
The second layer of network status is the user's wifi modem and router. If the first "check" is successful, the modem's connected status would then show.
If the connection is successful, the user would see their active networks. If the modem is not connected, they would be prompted with the initial troubleshooting tool of rebooting their modem. If that step does not work they would be taken through a step-by-step guide of other checks to be done on the hardware and devices.
A secondary request from business was to surface the enabled networks name and password. After analyzing data, we discovered a huge spike in calls at the beginning of the school year and and the holidays when consumers are attempting to connect new devices to their network and cannot remember their network information. Making this information easily accessible greatly reduces call volume and use of company resources.
Connected Devices
The final step of connectivity is the user's connected devices. A list of devices currently connected to the user's in-home wifi would allow the user to easily see what devices have weak signals. If a device is encountering connectivity issues, the user can click through to troubleshooting options and instructions to improve signal strength. The user can also click through on a device to discover further insight to that particular device activity, including data usage, connection time, as well as customize device settings.
User Flows
After analyzing the in-person interviews and understanding user paint points, I identified common flows observed in how users currently resolved their in-home wifi issues. Through this visualization I discovered friction and obstacles that weren't necessary. From there I created flows that would make self-service troubleshooting easier and less technical so the most common user would feel confident in their abilities to solve problems and control their network.
Results
The product received unanimous approval from our business partners and senior leadership. It has been used as a model for other UX products as well as a common tool for leadership to convey the value of UX. This product launched in late 2016.
Affinity Diagramming & Card Sorting
Working with a UX research firm, our team took a deep dive into customer insights. Taking granular thoughts and comments and sorting them into categories, sub categories, and themes. From this "card sorting" approach, we were able to develop a personal understanding of the guiding principles and therefore keep those a priority throughout the design and development process.
Behavior Profiles
Affinity diagramming revealed insights and themes which helped us shape and create our behavior profiles and guiding principles. These aided me in designing one solution for different users with different needs.
User Testing
Using the ample resources of the Cox network, we were able to complete user testing with subjects on multiple platforms and devices, with users ranging from many backgrounds to create a more accurate picture. Working with our research team I created test scripts and flows as well as captured feedback and notes. This first hand approach allowed me to have a deeper understanding of the positives and negatives, which I then was able iterate into my design with a clearer approach.
Agile Development
The final step in the project was working with our product owner, development team, and QA within an Agile environment. With the ability to address edge cases, changing technology capabilities, and QA concerns, I was able to provide immediate feedback which increased the efficiency of production and over all execution of the product.