Mobile Messaging Tools
The Story
My Role
Lead UI/UX Designer
Year
2018
OpenMarket, now Infobip, provides cloud-based mobile messaging solutions to enterprises, including global one-way and two-way SMS, MMS, RCS, and short codes, local numbers and text-enabled toll-free messaging solutions. When you sign up for text message notifications and get alerts, OpenMarket is one of the many companies behind that service.
The Problem
One of OpenMarket’s largest products was the Mobile Engagement Platform (MEP). It allowed customers to create a variety of messaging solutions, from simple one-way alerts, two-way corporate communications and more, either through an API or a user interface.
User feedback made it clear that the dated interface had some usability issues, and it was beginning to impact sales and retention.
No user experience
There was no user experience process at this time, and direct contact with customers was not allowed. There was a fear that asking users about design would make them feel inconvenienced.
I needed to deliver an improved product without direct access to customers. There were no usable data sources for me to view either, so I had to find workarounds to gather insights.
Competitive Analysis
& Interviews
I studied several major competitors to see how they implemented features and tools, gauging which would work best for our users.
My presentation impressed the project manager and encouraged the team to move in a specific direction.
I then interviewed 5 different account managers and other subject matter experts who had direct contact with users. This was not ideal, but better than nothing.
Wireframes
Based on my findings, I created a set of wireframes depicting a product space with a more expansive left-sided menu.
The existing product architecture was not organized efficiently for users, so I created a structure that would feel more intuitive. Instead of jumping back and forth across a horizontal navigation, users could now proceed with their work with a fairly top-down direction.
Tools were now grouped into categories:
Assets (lists of numbers, images, templates, etc)
Applications (types of messages like SMS, MMS, and RCS)
Reporting & Insights
Through our iterative meetings with stakeholders, I was able to refine these ideas into detailed mockups (see below).
View the mockup
Outcome
I succeeded in changing several minds about the importance of user experience in both product and engineering.
OpenMarket began hiring UX designers, and the project manager saw great value in the little research I could accomplish. I consider this my greatest accomplishment here because it will positively impact their future products and customers.
✅ Proved the value of UX
✅ Built a more usable product
? Retention
