Verizon Express

The Verizon Express Store is a new retail experience model designed to get customers in and out as quickly as possible.

Verizon Express storefront

Verizon Express Storefront - rendering not created by AKQA


Tasks

Prototyping | Create prototypes for user testing
User Testing | Observe and analyze user testing outcomes
Feature Creation & Optimization | Propose feature optimizations to existing features and development of new features
Wireframing | Create wireframes of design concepts
Functional Specs | Produce functional documentation materials for production ready designs
Grooming | Groom requirements and implementation with development team

Project Timeline

7 Months | September 2019 - April 2020


Project Summary

AKQA is tasked with gathering insights into how the Verizon Express store model is operating and performing. From those insights, we will optimize existing or add new features to the main digital touchpoints in the store with a focus on the self service kiosk (see below).

Verizon Express Store with large touchscreen, pickups tracker, and self-serve kiosk

Phase 1 | Research

Key Insights

  1. Customers performing tasks at the kiosks often asked reps over for assistance

  2. Customers expressed frustration with the number of steps in tasks like upgrading

  3. Many customers revealed they didn’t know the Large Touchscreen was interactive

We went to the mock Verizon Express Store in Portland, OR and conducted several user testing sessions to test prototypes and ask our users questions.

 

Phase 2 | Prototyping

With the key moments identified, we began making several hypotheses about why certain gaps or issues were occurring. We selected three key user journeys.

  1. Upgrade Phone

  2. Add a New Line

  3. Switch Phone Plans

We took a critical eye to moments in the journey where we could reduce or simplify the number of tasks. I pulled screens from these flows and wireframed possible adjustments to test. Once we established several flows to test sufficient features and ask specific questions to customers, we stitched them together into a click-through prototype using Invision.

Kiosk screen mockups

Creating mockups to prototype in Sketch

 

Key Insights

  1. Customers don’t understand where they are in the process of completing a transaction on the kiosk

  2. Customers want a different way to compare products

  3. Customers want to see promotions or sale offers in the store, and feel certain that they applied an offer to their purchase

  4. Customers are confused by the ‘Order Summary’ section on the kiosk

Phase 3 | Testing

We went to the mock Verizon Express Store in Portland, OR and conducted several user testing sessions to test prototypes and ask our users questions.

 

Phase 4 | Concepting

We made a project plan for the next several months and divided features among the UX designers on the team. From there I concepted ideas and created wireframes and user flow diagrams that addressed the user need and feature requirements. Once the team approved the concepts, I executed all variations, edge cases, and user journeys that need to be considered before handing off work to our visual designer.

Sketch of a new customer's user journey
User journey with high-fidelity screens in Sketch
Sketch of existing customer's journey
Sketching promo and deal screens
 

Phase 5 | Documenting

With UX work handed off to visual design, I moved into documentation. I created functional specifications for the features, which would explain and account for everything from flow diagrams to error states to copy content matrices. We then reviewed and packaged this work up to be delivered to the development team.

Explore the user journey for Joining Verizon on the kiosk. Mapping the full flow allowed us to understand the complexities and opportunities with optimizing and revising the UX.


Sample Specification Pages

Detailed annotation of screen in specification document
Flow page from specifications document
Detail page from specification document
 

Project Learnings

  1. Trust your instincts (even if it diverges from what’s previously been done)

  2. UX isn’t about finding the right answer (it’s about coming to an outcome that addresses user needs in a clear and effective way)

  3. Be honest when you don’t understand something (or have any concerns about the delivery, timeline, etc.)