Telstra Home Dashboard™
A free app that makes it easy to manage your broadband, troubleshoot problems and run speed tests. Home Dashboard replaced the Wi-Fi Maximiser App.
I was part of an aspiring team tasked improve and redesign the app where it lacked great potential due to convoluted user journeys and limited features.
The Challenge
The objective of the task was to reconsider the work processes and how our people connected with the application. Our principal was to help and guide the person from start to finish, investigating and empowering them to utilize Home Dashboard for all their wifi needs.
My Role
I drove portions of the application developments. The arrangement and setup of your modem/Boosters, wifi tab, saving your Wi-Fi network, and the support tab. I teamed up with two other designers on the Dashboard screen, Map my wifi and Profile tab.
Besides, I worked alongside a UI Designer, researcher, and a couple of project managers. Additionally, I worked closely with the Engineers (IOS/Android) and the QA group during the development and execution process.
Know Thy Customer
We user tested the existing Home Dashboard app with 5-7 participants on our and conducted large focus group tests to determine the performance of the features.
We needed to understand the challenges users were facing throughout the app. We were able to test the physical modem and Booster products in some of our client’s homes while having them utilize Home Dashboard throughout the on boarding process and use of features.
The Research & Discovery
After intensive research, when we gathered our findings, we would then conceptualize and work through our highlights of the application. I worked through the research, user experience journeys, visual plan and prototyping. We would conduct user testings on a 7 weekly cycle.
After intensive research, when we gathered our findings, we would then conceptualize and work through our highlights of the application. I worked through the research, user experience journeys, visual plan and prototyping. We would conduct user testings on a 7 weekly cycle.
This empowers us to continually drive for a better product and pin down the issues that our people were confronted with. Our work process consisted of sketches (with pen and paper!), prototyping, and user testing. We utilized a range of apparatuses such as; whiteboards, notepads and loads of sticky notes. I transferred these ideas into some Adobe Creative Suite products, Sketch and Invision.
Lost & Found
Before jumping into design, it was important to define success and understand where the person was coming from.
The wifi speed test was very difficult to interpret and the navigation on the dashboard was difficult to comprehend, where you were and what the functionalities were.
I sat closely with our other UX designers and also communicated with the engineers of the wifi speed functionality.
The Redesign
I looked into the existing user-flows and determined how to reinvent them to conquer the needs of our people. Starting at the beginning I created personas and came up with different user-flows that were easy to navigate and to comprehend. I tweaked the wireframes and journey maps to the desired outcome and proposed these solutions and functionalities of the app to my manager and others in my team. After some guerrilla and user testing, reiterating, we moved to designing high-fidelity wireframes and began working with the engineers and UI designer to ensure that our ideas came to life!
During the reiteration process I developed some prototypes to demo, allowing early testers and stakeholders see how the app could potentially function. Also, letting the QA team test on the prototype to gain more feedback.
The Final Product
I’m grateful that the deliverables were met and we were able to test on a lot of our users. I personally learned a great deal about testing and research, collaboration among different services within the firm and wifi. Overall, I achieved a lot in terms of the project, research and experienced more leadership skills, by mentoring other designers and educating those who weren’t confident with our product.
Home Dashboard has significantly increased engagement and has repeated usage. The rating in the app store increased by 1+ star!
“So far so good, no problems detected. Thank you TELSTRA. I use it daily to see how many devices are connected etc, being FTTN I can’t get passed approx 36 mbps on 50 tier with the boost, saying that I can watch 4K MOVIES no worries and use the laptop wireless, so I have NOTHING to complain about.”
Troy Ritcher ★★★★★
“A technician was at my house yesterday upgrading my broadband internet. He used an app not only to run Wi-fi speed tests but also to map the quality of connection around my house. I found and downloaded this one, and I have been using it all day today to optimise the position of router and extenders in my house. A really, really, useful app.”
Arkspur ★★★★★
Sahvanna 