Jan 2022 - Apr 2022
Wix lacked a robust SMS communication solution, so they asked Omnisend to collaborate. For Omnisend, this meant potential growth but also serving a new type of users that little was known about. I worked on shaping the initial version of the app for Wix users.
My role as a Senior product designer involved user research, ideation, prototyping, final designs, and ongoing improvements. I collaborated closely with product management, developers, multiple product teams, marketing and the Wix team.
Due to time and resource constraints we couldn’t conduct extensive user research. Therefore, we had to rely on direct communication with the Wix team to understand user needs and problems.
How might we create a helpful app for Wix users that enhances customer engagement through SMS and introduces them to Omnisend?
How might we get to a good design without the possibility of conducting user research beforehand to understand their needs and problems?
To facilitate discussions, illustrate ideas, and explore possible solutions, I designed a number of wireframes, mockups, and prototypes. This helped teams align on the project's vision and define its initial scope and stages.
Our approach was to start with a lightweight solution and iterate based on real data and user feedback. To guide our ideation process, we outlined key assumptions:
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Wix Booking users value automated SMS and email for brand trust and cost savings.
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A solution is needed to reduce no-shows through automated reminders.
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SMS is the preferred channel for sending booking reminders.
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Wix Booking users prioritize automated SMS over other features.
We agreed to start with four main automated SMS workflows:
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Booking confirmation
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Booking reminder
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Booking cancellation
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Booking reschedule
Before delving into the design work, I worked together with a designer from the automations team to shape the user flows and de-risked them with developers.
After a bunch of iterations and discussions I designed the initial concept experience in Figma, emphasizing key functionality for Wix users - SMS workflows.
Recognizing that we couldn't expect to get everything perfect without testing it with real users, we released the initial app version to gather insights for future improvements.
After the launch, I conducted user research with real users to validate our solution, gather feedback, and plan our next steps. My activities included:
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Analyzing analytics for insights on product usage.
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User interviews to understand workflows, SMS/Email strategies, challenges, Omnisend experience, and desired features.
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Engaging with customer service to identify recurring issues and concerns from customers.
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Surveys to uncover reasons for app uninstalls.
Low number of sign-ups
Poor SMS subscription UX
We knew that SMS subscription process in the Omnisend app had significant flaws and was not user-friendly. Despite being a low priority for the main app, addressing these issues for Wix users was essential due to user feedback and data analysis. Users struggled to understand and subscribe to SMS credits, resulting in drop-offs and frustrations.
To improve the experience, I focused on redesigning the flow with multiple entry points, explanatory information, and an enhanced notification system for low SMS credits. Multiple experiments were conducted, leading to a 9% increase in revenue, albeit below expectations. Additionally, over time, there was a noticeable decrease in support tickets related to SMS subscription.
From the beginning, we approached this project as an experiment. To determine its success, we analyzed revenue and the number of monthly paying users. Over a year, user numbers grew to almost 20k, with around 62% as paying users, confirming its value for Wix users. However, due to a relatively small potential audience, limited impact, and potential overlap with existing Wix features, further development wasn't pursued. This project provided valuable learning experiences, with a couple of key takeaways.
Gut feeling is important
Testing a product early is fantastic, but this project taught me that gut feeling plays a significant role in product design decisions, especially when communicated and discussed with the team. Despite some initial assumptions being proven wrong, our discussions and best guesses helped us get the initial solution pretty close to right.
Bring the team in early
Sharing initial solutions with the team early in the process ensures alignment and buy-in for the project scope. Involving developers from the beginning is essential to minimize rework, and understanding technical limitations informs the design strategy.
Failures provide valuable insight.
Negative user feedback is discouraging, but understanding results is crucial. What is even more discouraging is to witness that changes don't drastically improve the outcomes. Despite this, we gained valuable insights that helped us understand the bigger picture of what needs to be done next, emphasizing the importance of strategic prioritization in product improvements.