Streamlining Pre-Sales Operations with a Centralized Web Hub
Spectrum's Community Solutions Department, a key player in residential broadband services, needed a greenfield solution to unify its pre-sales costing and design processes. The existing workflow relied on disparate spreadsheets and tools, leading to inefficiencies, manual errors, and high operational costs. Our team was tasked with building a centralized web hub that integrated various platforms, reducing manual work and saving Spectrum time and resources.
COmpany:
Spectrum (Charter Communications)
Industry:
Telecom & Mass Media
Project name
Operations Systems Integrations (OSI)
Timeframe
NOV 2022 - APR 2023
Scope of work:
Stack:
Goals
Efficiency and Cost Reduction
The team workflow is highly dependent on outside software like Salesforce, Jira, and Excel, which is both costly and inefficient. Our proposed Operations Systems Integration aims to streamline workflows, reduce reliance on external software, and enhance efficiency and profitability.
Phase .4
Beginning with a Bite-Sized Solution
The initial phase for OSI is deemed “Phase .4” because it does not offer a complete web app but rather starts the project by offering a solution to a small, isolated problem. In the current workflow, users must spend about 20 minutes copying and pasting information from Salesforce to Jira to transfer data for new tasks.
User Personas
A diverse group of stakeholders
As an internal project, the users are all Spectrum stakeholders who work for the Community Solutions department. Any of these users could complete the main action afforded by Phase .4 of OSI. • Field Technicians • Sales Engineers • Software Engineers • Project Managers
Device Considerations
Focusing on the Laptop
Spectrum stakeholders will access this product during business hours using their work laptops. Consequently, our design focuses on laptop and desktop screens rather than mobile devices.
Initial Rollout
Swift Deployment and Positive Feedback
After collaborating closely with the Front-End Engineer to ensure UI quality, usability, and aesthetics, Phase 0.4 of OSI was rolled out to a select group of users. Initial feedback was overwhelmingly positive: • An executive marveled at the efficiency: “it’s just amazing that they can do now in only 10 seconds, what before may have been a 20-30 minute lift.” • Users appreciated the visually appealing and responsive nature of the web app.
Key Consideration
Project Shot Clock: Tracking Milestones
As projects progress, input is required from various teams. Key milestones trigger the “shot clock”: • When the Sales Rep completes an Intake, the project enters the Engineering Queue. • After Engineers finish Product Costing, they wait for approval. The clock restarts at each stage, ensuring transparency and team accountability.
Data Model
Understanding the information
Portfolio
• A collection of properties owned by an individual or entity
Property
• A real estate property, which is often part of a portfolio
Project
• Represents an opportunity to provide services/products for a single property
Offer
• A scripted collection of services and products at a specific price • A single Project may contain multiple offers
Stakeholder Collaboration
Bringing the SME’s Vision to Life
Having immersed ourselves in the product space, user personas, business requirements, and goals, we swiftly transitioned to rapid wireframing and prototyping. Our primary focus? Accommodating our subject matter expert (SME) and translating their vision into tangible design elements.
Stakeholder Collaboration
Alignment with Engineering for the MVP
As we breathed life into the SME’s vision, close collaboration with our Engineering Manager and team ensured technical feasibility. When faced with scope creep or unnecessary features, we exercised discernment, carefully selecting what to include and what to discard.
Presentation
Earning "Buy-in" from Executives
Before diving into development, we presented our concept to executives for approval and funding. Our Figma slideshow/prototype showcased three critical tasks: • Submit a Sales Intake (User: Sales Rep.) • Pre-Sale Costing (User: Engineer) • Escalate a Project (User: Sales Director) The positive reception prompted us to swiftly move forward with development.
Project Management
Leading Agile Processes in the Absence of a Scrum Master
After successfully completing the design work for our MVP, our team faced an unexpected challenge when our Scrum Master was reassigned to a different team, leaving us without a project manager. As the most knowledgeable team member on this project, aside from the Product Owner/SME, I stepped up to fill the gap. Having led the discovery phases, conducted generative research, and crafted the UI design, I was well-prepared to take on this responsibility. For approximately three weeks, I assumed the Scrum Master’s role, effectively communicating with developers, writing user stories, breaking down tasks, and managing tickets.
Testing
Collaborating with User Researchers
Given the OSI project’s significance, we enlisted the help of a UX Research Director and two UX Researchers. Their planned exercises included:
Salesforce Walkthrough
• Meeting with one user from each persona to understand their existing processes (now being replaced by OSI).
Focus Groups
• Small-group discussions guided by facilitators to gather user thoughts and opinions on specific topics or interfaces.
Moderated Usability Testing
• One-on-one sessions with participants, evaluating user behaviors and prototypes for system improvements.
Iteration
Fine-Tuning Based on User Research
Testing validated our design’s success, allowing users to complete tasks with minimal confusion. We made adjustments, primarily refining terminology, to enhance the overall experience.
