Unifying Xfinity’s App Ecosystem
A consolidated app strategy.
Role: Associate Design Director
Strategic design, Service design, UX/IA, UI and Interaction design
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Challenge
The app ecosystem reflects the siloed nature of the products, resulting in a fragmented and confusing customer experience that doesn’t reflect the value Xfinity delivers.
11 apps with Over 200 app features, most of which go unused
Redundant capabilities built in multiple places
The more apps people have, the more likely they are to call
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Insight
Growth over the next 5 years will be fueled by digital natives, and emergent players in the connectivity space are already introducing products to meet these needs.
Digital natives expect to find everything they need easily and consistently
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Opportunity
Define a simplified app strategy that illuminates the value Xfinity provides customers, and design an experience that brings it all to life.
Top line goals
rNPS: increase 215%
Calls per year: reduce 61%
Churn: reduce 15%
Bridging design team silos
This effort required collaboration across a multitude of design teams assigned to specific product verticals and channels.
I had the opportunity to lead a unique tiger team with representation across:
9 design teams | 8 design leaders | 3 cities
Design
Mariana Castro, VP Design
Jonathan Zweifler, Sr. Design Director
Gina Swindler, Associate Design Director
Neil Epstein, Sr. Design Director
With representation from each product design teamProduct
Rui Costa, VP Product
Josh Gerber, Executive Director
Rushi Kothari, Executive DirectorResearch
Rachel Peri, Consumer Insights Director
Max Snyder, User Research Specialist
Our process
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Understanding the problem
We audited the existing Xfinity app ecosystem to understand how we meet needs today.
I co-led the audit with product partners
200+ feature mapping
MAU & call driver mapping
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Clarifying the value
We conducted discovery research to understand unmet needs & defined a new unified Xfinity value proposition.
I led research and synthesis, and drafted Consumer Value Propositions
Strategic narrative design
Value proposition design
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Defining the jobs
We elevated core jobs & experience requirements based on customer needs and unique Xfinity value.
I led the team in experience definition
Benefit theming workshops
Documenting experience requirement
Narrative journey maps
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Bringing it to life
We designed a unified app prototype spanning the customer lifecycle.
I prototyped & iterated on UX, UI, and IA
New UX/IA framework
Validation & iteration
Brand & motion studies
A simple experience — that works.
In designing the information architecture, I pushed the boundaries of simplification. Looking across the app audit, the jobs to be done, and the value Xfinity provides I synthesized everything down to three core areas:
Connectivity service & experience jobs
Protection services & experience jobs
Relationship (account management) jobs
A flexible & robust structure.
I mapped all the jobs to this architecture, designing a system that works for every customer type across every need and every Xfinity service combo. This ensured our solution could work for the business, and then we put it through many rounds of testing to ensure it would work for users as well.
Initial tree testing and low-fi usability told us:
People prefer to see who and what is connected in one tab.
They grouped Mobile and Internet data usage together.
They expect to find both physical security and digital security together.
We brought the experience to life in key moments across the customer journey.
Super easy setup
A warm welcome
We reinforced the value of Xfinity services and the benefits of the app with a simple onboarding tour.
Seamless activation
I partnered with product to define how we could leverage customer context to simplify the xFi Gateway modem/router activation experience from 25 steps to just two.
I raised the bar for design craft, partnering with and directing a motion designer in key narrative moments to showcase how motion can elevate the product experience from the very beginning of idea conception.
Research showed customers relied on the app to learn about their new service. I designed an easy and immersive way to dive in, straight from the overview.
A monthly recap
Discover benefits & rewards along the way
Today, a majority of customers only use their Xfinity apps to troubleshoot when something goes wrong. We evolved this app (and our business’ mindset) to not only solve customer issues, but also spark delight.
I elevated rewards in key experience moments, and designed a strategy for an Xfinity Monthly Rewind to remind customers of the value they get from using the services they have.
Pushing the brand vision
At the time, there was some momentum within the company to evolve Xfinity’s overall brand. But, ideas for what that could look like were corporate, safe, and cold. We leveraged this project as an opportunity to push the boundaries of the brand evolution vision, showing how Xfinity could achieve its aspirations of a lifestyle brand.
After extensive exploration (spotlighted below), we aligned on the emotional and vibrant work of Cabeza Patata to showcase the recommended direction to secure funding and resourcing to design a unique Xfinity illustration style in alignment with Xfinity’s mission and values.
Outcomes
The app strategy initiative set a north star that influenced how the company operates and delivers consumer value over the next 3 years.
Unified every product vertical under one Xfinity value proposition and brand architecture— that’s still in use today
Company-wide new brand architecture
Set forth a path to begin migrating 11 apps into 1 unified, simple digital touchpoint
Value proposition team created
New Connected Living team dedicated to digital customer experience
Launched the Xfinity App, enabling customers to easily manage and enjoy their services
3X growth engagement since phase 1 launch
27% reduction in call-in rates
50% churn reduction with Self Protection
Inspired future initiatives & elevated expectations of design craft
Xfinity Rewards
Unified Messaging
Unified Activation
Monthly Rewind
Account 2.0