Approach

My initial assignment was to conduct a comprehensive competitive audit. I focused on three primary rival products, meticulously evaluating multiple aspects of their user experience. This analysis encompassed the entire spectrum of user interaction, from the out-of-box experience (OOBE) to the onboarding sequences, illustrations, UI design, and voice command functionality. For each product, I crafted detailed user flows, which we then juxtaposed against the Portal's existing flow. This thorough comparison provided invaluable insights into industry standards and potential areas for differentiation, laying a solid foundation for our redesign strategy.

To complement the competitive analysis, I developed a comprehensive flow chart detailing the current version of the Portal device. This exercise served multiple crucial purposes: it allowed us to gain an intimate understanding of the product's intricacies, pinpoint potential areas for enhancement, and identify critical issues that needed addressing. This deep dive into the Portal's functionality helped us formulate questions for our upcoming stakeholder interviews. By thoroughly mapping out the existing user journey, we established a solid baseline from which to innovate and improve, ensuring our redesign efforts would be both targeted and impactful.

Our multidisciplinary team, comprising designers, art directors, and a creative lead, embarked on several excursions to the Facebook campus. These visits facilitated in-depth stakeholder interviews across various departments, providing us with a wealth of insights. After meticulously synthesizing our findings and engaging in extensive discussions about potential trajectories for the next-generation Portal, we initiated multiple rounds of design exploration.

In this phase, each designer worked independently, channeling their creativity into mood boards, concept ideation, and detailed mockups. These individual efforts were then presented to and critiqued by the larger team, fostering a collaborative and iterative design process. This approach allowed us to explore a diverse range of ideas while maintaining a cohesive vision for the project.

The artifacts showcased below are products of my personal contributions during these intensive creative exercises, representing key milestones in our journey to reimagine the Portal.

Alternative layout configurations

Initial concepts

UI animation (created in Principle)

Conclusion

Following several iterations of design explorations and regular client consultations, we honed in on a definitive direction for the project. This convergence marked the beginning of our asset creation phase, where we developed a comprehensive suite of deliverables. The artifacts showcased below include meticulously crafted comps with integrated grid systems, as well as a detailed type ramp, illustrating our systematic approach to typography.

Our efforts and creative solutions resonated strongly with Facebook. They expressed high satisfaction with the outcome of our work, a testament to the quality and relevance of our design solutions. Notably, several elements from our design package were incorporated into the new version of Portal, validating the effectiveness of our approach and the alignment of our vision with Facebook's goals for the product.

This collaboration not only resulted in a successful project delivery but also contributed to shaping the user experience of the next-generation Portal device.