Design Process
Research and Discovery
At the time, Scorpion did not have a formal UX team, and research was handled by Product Marketing, which posed significant challenges. The data collected wasn’t always relevant to product design needs, and there was no centralized repository for easy access. Despite these limitations, we adapted to work with available data. In January 2024, I co-led a team of three designers and a project manager to establish Scorpion’s first dedicated UX team. This initiative helped streamline research processes and integrate Lean UX methodologies into the workflow.
Check out the entire case study here: Lean UX Implementation at Scorpion - Pilot Project
To jumpstart the project, three of us designers teamed up with our product manager to collaboratively transform available data into actionable insights. We divided and conquered: gathering data from prior client surveys and interviews, we created personas and identified key user pain points, including delays in responding to inquiries, low lead conversion, and user frustration when searching for customer data mid-conversation. This approach laid a strong foundation for our design process, helping us target critical areas to improve the customer communication experience.
Pain Points
1
Need to covert more inquiries to leads
Users are finding that their lead conversion rate is dropping.
2
Can't access customer data and history
Users are not able to access customer data without having to navigate to another app.
3
Hard to keep track of potential customers vs spam
Spam messages can overwhelm clients and they may miss opportunities.
4
Business are unable to respond to customers quickly enough
Not replying to an inquiry quickly, will result in the potential client contacting someone else.
Personas
Sam
Problem Statement:
Sam is a small business owner in the home services industry who needs to streamline customer communication into a unified platform because customers need prompt responses to their inquiries at all times.
Hypothesis:
If Sam can streamline customer communication into a unified platform, then he’ll be able to respond more promptly to inquiries, meeting customer expectations for timely responses.
Emilia
Problem Statement:
Emilia is an office manager at a plumbing company who needs to simplify communication management by quickly identifying high scored leads because she must respond to potential clients first.
Hypothesis: If Emily can quickly identify high-scoring leads through a simplified communication system, then she’ll be able to prioritize and respond to potential clients faster, improving the chances of winning new business.
Jordan
Problem Statement:
Jordan is a law firm owner who needs to centralize client communications because they need to be able to better manage response times and improve client satisfaction.
Hypothesis:
If Jordan can centralize client communications into a single platform, then they will be able to manage response times more effectively, leading to improved client satisfaction and better overall service delivery.
David
Problem Statement:
Statement: David is an office manager at a mid-sized law firm who needs to be able keep all client communications records in one place because he wants to be able to easily track and review them when needed.
Hypothesis:
If David can keep all client communications in one centralized system, then he will be able to easily track and review them when needed, improving his ability to manage cases efficiently and maintain client satisfaction.
User Jouneys
David
Goal:
Search through a client's communications records for specific details needed for a case.
Sam
Goal:
To select and quickly respond to different types of communications in his inbox.
Emilia
Goal:
At a glance, identify high scored leads and prioritize responses.
Jordan
Goal:
Immediately respond to appointment requests from the Connect widget on their firm's website.
Ideation
Wireframes and Flows
Based on business requirements and insights gathered in the empathize phase, we proceeded to ideation, focusing on a unified dashboard for managing all communications. First, we designed wireframes and mapped user flows to show how customers would interact with the chat widget in real-time, seamlessly integrating chat, email, and call logs. We explored multiple layouts to allow users to view entire conversation histories without interruption and experimented with different configurations for the right panel on the dashboard to optimize usability and accessibility.
Wireframes Options - Communications Suite
Wireframes Final - Communications Suite
Hi-Fidelity Screens
As the design lead for this project, I focused on refining details specific to the Communications Suite and Scorpion Connect, while adhering to the main platform's established design language. To improve accessibility, I used color-coded message threads: gray for customers and blue for agents, and incorporated iconography for each communication type.
At this stage, I collaborated closely with our motion designer to develop motion patterns, creating prototypes with animations and quick interactions to enhance the user experience.
Hi-Fidelity Screens - Scorpion Connect
As the design lead for this project, I focused on refining details specific to the Communications Suite and Scorpion Connect, while adhering to the main platform's established design language. To improve accessibility, I used color-coded message threads: gray for customers and blue for agents, and incorporated iconography for each communication type.
At this stage, I collaborated closely with our motion designer to develop motion patterns, creating prototypes with animations and quick interactions to enhance the user experience.
Work
Communications Suite
+ Scorpion Connect with Chat AI
Communications Suite
+ Connect with Chat AI
Overview
The Communication Suite integrates multiple channels—calls, texts, chat, and social media—into a unified inbox, streamlining customer interactions. Scorpion Connect with Chat AI is designed to convert website visitors into customers through AI-driven chat, online payments, and scheduling. Together, these tools optimize client engagement, enhance conversion rates, and simplify customer communication for businesses. Through user-centric design and strategic features, the platform addresses pain points in customer interaction and business management.
Project Duration
March 2022–October 2024
Product Statement
Users and customer support agents faced issues with disjointed communication channels, leading to a fragmented experience, inefficiency in response, and decreased satisfaction. The objective was to create a unified platform that could handle multi-channel communication and streamline responses with AI-powered assistance.
Goal
-
Centralize customer communications within a single, accessible platform.
-
Integrate AI-powered chat to assist agents with quick responses and relevant suggestions.
-
Improve customer-agent interaction continuity and reduce response times.
My Role: Lead Product Designer
As the Lead UX/Product Designer for the Communication Suite, I collaborated closely with the product manager to develop enhanced features. I designed user flows, wireframes, and high-fidelity screens based on product requirements. To bring interactivity to life, I created quick prototypes and worked on storyboards with our motion designer to add animations. I was also deeply involved in daily collaboration with the engineering team, ensuring seamless integration of designs, and addressing technical constraints throughout the project’s development.
High Fidelity Screens - Communications Suite
These are the initial screens for the Communications Suite, showing basic layout, component handling, iconography, and copy.
User Testing and Validation
To ensure usability and clarity, our team (two designers, one marketing agent) in close collaboration with Product conducted tests with ten clients across five verticals (Attorneys, Medical, Health Care, Home Services, and Franchise). Each participant completed tasks on mobile or desktop, focusing on flow, layout, and UI intuitiveness.
Objectives
-
Identify communication types
-
Access and verify content
-
Track activity history
-
Locate details panel info
-
Respond to messages
Interview Findings
With new data gathered, we identified three key items that could be improved:
1
Responding to Incoming Messages
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Issue: Some struggled to find the response panel (desktop only).
-
Issue: Some participants did not realize the ability to change communication methods.
Recommendations
-
Add animation to guide users on where to type.
-
Default communication tab to the last communication on the thread,.
2
Viewing Customer Account Data
-
Issue: Confusion in finding the details panel (mobile)
Recommendations
-
Use clearer language like "customer details."
3
Identifying Different Types of Communications
-
Misunderstanding between communication and customer details.
Recommendation
-
Use colors/icons for clearer distinction.
Solutions and Design Hightlights
Final Designs
Scorpion Connect
Using collected data, the updated design enhanced three key areas:
Action Bar: Streamlined options for quick engagement.
Conversation Thread: Inline actions within threads for effortless user interaction.
In-Widget Features: Users can schedule appointments or process payments without leaving the experience.
Hi-Def Prototype - Scorpion Connect
Communications Suite
To address businesses needs to accommodate different communication methods and new feature integrations, the design prioritized flexibility:
Comms List: Card-based layout with indicators for quick access to key messages and inquiries.
Activity Feed: Displays communication history and interactive highlights of the customer journey.
Response Panel: Enables responses through the original communication method for a seamless experience.
Details Screen: Adaptable layout for customization based on app placement, featuring account and activity information.
Hi-Def Prototype - Scorpion Connect
Refined Designs
The Final Product
Our team’s collaborative efforts brought the final product to life, incorporating complex layers of design, content, and user flows that can only be partially illustrated in this case study. Built with scalability in mind, the Communication Suite and Scorpion Connect are structured to accommodate new features and evolve over time to meet expanding user needs. This flexible foundation allows for future enhancements, ensuring the platform remains adaptable and relevant.
Takeaways
Impact
Data Collection Methods: We tracked conversion rates, appointment scheduling, and digital payments with user analytics and in-app tracking software like Amplitude. We observed a 19.84% increase in average conversion within the first 20 days of AI Chat activation and a 34% increase in appointments scheduled after hours. Digital payment usage rose by 89%, illustrating significant user engagement.
Control Groups & Comparisons: To ensure accurate attribution, we used businesses not yet using the Communication Suite as control groups. Comparing these baseline results with businesses that adopted the Suite showed that average communications volume increased by 52%. Lead conversions rose from 36% to 44% between Q2 2023 and Q2 2024. For productivity, a 20% boost was noted in Q1 2024 among users of both Scorpion Connect and the Communications Suite.
Additional Metrics: Weekly tracking allowed us to detect immediate trends and validate improvements, while A/B testing helped isolate the impact of new features on conversion and productivity. This approach ensured reliable and actionable insights into user behavior.
What I Learned
Challenges: While the lack of a formal UX process posed initial challenges, particularly in feature outcomes that missed the mark, this experience highlighted the need for a structured approach.
Key Takeaways: Working across three interconnected projects was a unique opportunity to approach user challenges from multiple perspectives, resulting in a cohesive solution where users could seamlessly manage all communications in one place.
Looking back, I’ve learned that balancing timely feature delivery with regular validation is crucial for creating impactful, cost-effective solutions.
In large, complex projects like these, collaboration is equally essential—I was fortunate to be part of a highly collaborative team that made these projects possible from start to finish.