The Reference Reframe: Organizing with Mental Models

The Challenge

Customer experience (CE) representatives needed a more intuitive way to document various reference numbers tied to Requests and Containers. The existing system lacked flexibility and clarity, making it difficult to track identifiers across different customer needs.

Team
Product Owner, Lead Developer, Business Analyst, UX Expert, UX Researcher, UX Content Manager

Tools
Figma, Miro, Azure DevOps

Role
UX Designer

My Role & Contributions

As the UX Designer, I led the research, design, and validation efforts to ensure the solution aligned with user expectations and business goals. My key contributions included:

  • User Research & Interview Facilitation
    I co-developed a research plan to understand users’ mental models around references. During interviews, I adapted confusing questions on the spot to recover valuable insights and ensure participant understanding.

  • Design Advocacy & Expansion
    Based on research findings, I proposed separating reference types in the UI—an enhancement beyond the original scope. The Product Owner (PO) accepted this expanded direction, recognizing its value.

  • Prototype Testing & Iteration
    I independently created and tested a prototype to ensure users wouldn’t get lost in the new design. The test confirmed the design’s clarity and usability.

  • Strategic Feature Evaluation
    After testing, I recommended postponing a secondary feature (adding references via the items tab) due to low user value and project constraints. This decision helped keep the project on track and within budget.

Core Competencies

  • User-Centered Research: Conducted interviews, shadowing, and usability tests to ground design decisions in real user behavior.

  • Design Strategy: Advocated for design improvements that expanded the product’s value while staying aligned with user needs.

  • Agility & Adaptability: Adjusted research methods in real-time and responded to project constraints with thoughtful prioritization.

  • Cross-Functional Collaboration: Bridged communication between users, researchers, and product teams to ensure alignment and clarity.

Impact

  • Scalable Foundation: The new Reference Tab accommodates a wide range of customer-specific reference types, streamlining documentation.

  • Clarity Increase: Research-backed design ensures users can quickly find and input the information they need without confusion.

  • Business Value: Strategic feature deferral saved development time and budget, allowing resources to be redirected to higher-impact features.