Fortune 50 telecommunications company
Domain
Telecommunication, E-commernce
Redesigning the Sales Funnel for a Leading Global Telecommunications Company
Role
UX Strategist
UX Design
User Researcher
UI Design
Prototyping
Duration
Phase I - 5 Months
Phase II - 4 Months
Teammates
Design - Me ,
Business Partner -
Content Strategist -
Tools
Figma
Figjam
Usertesting.com
"During my ~2 years as a Senior Experience Designer at a leading global telecommunications company, I had the opportunity to lead end-to-end design initiatives for the Home Sales team, shaping the user experience across critical touchpoints. While confidentiality agreements prevent me from sharing the full scope of my work, I can highlight one of the most impactful projects I drove during this time.
In this case study, I’ll walk you through the complete sales funnel revamp — a project I was fortunate to design and lead from inception. Beyond laying the foundation for the first MVP release, I also defined the longer-term roadmap, setting the vision and strategy for how the funnel would evolve in subsequent phases. This example showcases the first stage of that transformation.
The case studies I share represent just a glimpse of the broader impact I was able to deliver in this role. I’m always happy to discuss the challenges, methodologies, and outcomes in more detail, where permissible. If you’d like to dive deeper into any of these experiences, feel free to connect."
About
A leading global Fortune 50 telecommunications company is dedicated to transforming how people connect, work, and engage with the digital world. Known for a strong focus on innovation and customer-centric solutions, this company consistently pushes the boundaries of connectivity—empowering individuals, businesses, and communities.
They offer a wide range of services, including mobile communications, broadband internet, and digital solutions, ensuring seamless connectivity across various aspects of life. The company maintains a robust market presence with significant annual revenue, ranking prominently among the largest corporations globally. Its commitment to sustainable long-term growth is reflected in consistent shareholder returns and strategic investments.
Beyond its business achievements, the company is deeply invested in corporate social responsibility. It has pledged substantial funding toward initiatives that promote digital inclusion, environmental sustainability, and responsible product innovation. These efforts focus on bridging the digital divide, minimizing ecological impact, and developing technologies that improve everyday experiences.
At its core is a diverse and talented workforce united by a mission to create meaningful impact. The company prioritizes employee growth, well-being, and work-life balance, fostering a culture of innovation and inclusivity across its global operations.
As a pioneer in the telecommunications industry, this company continues to shape the future of technology and connectivity, delivering intuitive, user-focused solutions that enable people and businesses to thrive in the digital age.
Challenge
The checkout process for a leading telecommunications provider faced significant usability challenges, creating friction that negatively impacted the overall user experience. Users encountered difficulties navigating multiple steps, finding essential information, and efficiently completing purchases. These issues contributed to decreased conversion rates and lost revenue potential.
What success looks like
Increase in conversion rate
Increase in close/activation rate
Reduction in time spent on funnel
My Role
As the Experience Designer and Project Lead, I led a five-month project aimed at improving the checkout flow for a major telecommunications company's existing customer base. My role included:
Strategic Leadership: Defining project scope, goals, and developing a phased roadmap.
Research & Insights: Integrating findings from data analytics, custom market intelligence, and usability testing.
Design & Development: Directing the creation of concepts, wireframes, prototypes, and high-fidelity designs for an enhanced express checkout.
Cross-functional Coordination: Managing communication and obtaining alignment among product, engineering, legal, and design teams.
Usability Validation: Organizing and conducting testing sessions to validate design assumptions and drive iteration.
Launch Oversight: Supervising the staged MVP release and subsequent performance tracking.
Design Timeline
AUG
SEP
OCT
NOV
DEC
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
NOV
DEC
MVP:Express checkout (Existing customer) - 10% Throttle
25% Throttle
100% Throttle
Express checkout prospect
25% Throttle
100% Throttle
Vision & enhancement
2025
Design Process
Understanding the problem space
To build a clear picture of where users struggle and why, a multi-pronged research approach was used to triangulate insights from analytics, prior research, and expert evaluation. Together, these methods surfaced concrete friction points and informed a focused plan for improvement.
Methods
Data analysis
Leveraged Adobe Omniture and Glassbox to pinpoint conversion barriers, track user behavior patterns, and diagnose page-level drop-offs—highlighting where and why users disengage.
Review of prior CMI studies
Synthesized key consumer and market learnings—especially across telecom purchase funnels and accessibility—to ground design decisions in user needs and industry context.
UX audit
Performed a heuristic review of the end-to-end checkout, identifying usability gaps, content clarity issues, and interface inconsistencies to direct targeted remediation.
CX and Analytics Insights
Elevated churn on the plans page
Behavioral data indicated that the plans selection step is a major attrition point, signaling issues with clarity, comparison, or perceived effort.
Checkout length directly impacts churn
The number of steps in the checkout correlated with higher abandonment, underscoring the need to streamline the flow and reduce cognitive load.
Consumer and Market Insights (CMI)
Complexity and cognitive load are key blockers
Users struggled to parse plan details, add-ons/perks, and cart summaries—reflecting high mental effort and poor information architecture.
Unclear information impedes progression
Ambiguous headings, confusing “one-time charges,” and unclear payment timing created uncertainty and frustration—especially on mobile, where excessive scrolling further hindered cart comprehension.
UX Audit Findings
Funnel friction and high drop-offs
The evaluation revealed a combination of factors driving attrition:
Overloaded, unclear content increasing cognitive burden
Slow page performance undermining engagement
Dense layouts with weak visual hierarchy
Primary CTAs buried below the second fold, reducing discoverability and next-step clarity
Review Order page: critical friction
The final step combined a detailed order summary with mandatory T&Cs, but:
The T&Cs appeared around the fourth or fifth fold, making discovery and completion difficult
Lack of anticipatory guidance led to confusion when users attempted to proceed without accepting T&Cs
These issues disrupted task completion at a pivotal moment in the funnel and likely contributed to last-mile abandonment.
Implications for Design
Reduce steps and simplify decision-making to lower cognitive load.
Clarify plan details, perks, fees, and payment timing with concise labeling and progressive disclosure.
Improve visual hierarchy and place primary CTAs above the fold across breakpoints.
Optimize performance to support engagement throughout the funnel.
Elevate and streamline T&Cs acceptance with clear guidance and inline error prevention on the Review Order page.
User flow
Old “Add a home line” checkout funnel
Pick your plan
Enhance your service
Setup option
Here your cart
Shipping option
Finalize your order
Order Confirmation
Understanding the User
Following the initial analytical research phase, I focused on comprehensive user experience analysis to identify pain points and system constraints. This involved an in-depth examination of existing persona documentation and user research materials to establish a foundation for user-centered design decisions.
Research Methodology:
I conducted extensive collaboration with the research team to analyze user journey documentation and behavioral insights. This cross-functional partnership enabled a thorough understanding of user interactions, motivations, and friction points throughout the customer experience.
System Architecture Analysis:
To complement user insights, I worked closely with the development team's architects to map existing system infrastructure. This technical collaboration provided crucial context about current platform capabilities and limitations that directly impact user experience.
System architecture
Journey Mapping & Integration:
The culmination of this research resulted in comprehensive user journey maps that synthesized multiple data sources. These artifacts identified critical elements including customer intent patterns, primary pain points, optimization opportunities, user attrition stages, and system touchpoint interactions.
This holistic approach ensured that design recommendations would be grounded in both user needs and technical feasibility, creating a balanced foundation for subsequent design phases. The integrated mapping provided stakeholders with clear visibility into the relationship between user experience and system architecture constraints.
User journey map
Stages
Awareness & Discovery
Consideration & Research
Decision & Purchase
Onboarding & Setup
Post-Purchase & Retention
Goals &
experiences
User actions
Touchpoints
Feelings & thoughts
Pain points
System Behind the Scenes & Key Dependencies
opportunities
Insights to Impact: Analysis, Opportunities, and Strategic Roadmap
Identified Pain Points
Cognitive Overload Throughout User Flow
Dense, compliance-focused content combined with information-heavy layouts significantly increased user effort and decision-making friction across all user segments. The overwhelming presentation of information created barriers to task completion.
Information Clarity Challenges
Ambiguous navigation elements, technical terminology, and insufficient explanatory content reduced user comprehension and confidence, particularly impacting less technical user segments navigating complex processes.
User Flow Friction and Abandonment
Suboptimal content organization, performance issues, poor visual hierarchy, and difficult-to-locate action elements created significant navigation challenges, resulting in elevated abandonment rates at critical conversion points.
Transaction Transparency Issues
Unclear presentation of pricing elements, discount applications, total calculations, and billing timeline information in transaction summaries generated user confusion and hesitation during purchase decisions.
Process Completion Barriers
Critical terms and conditions placement at page bottom created error-driven loops when users attempted to proceed without acknowledging required elements, resulting in unnecessary user churn.
Strategic Opportunities
Cognitive Load Optimization
Develop targeted content strategies aligned with decision-making contexts; restructure and prioritize information hierarchy based on user task flows and comprehension needs.
Information Architecture Enhancement
Standardize navigation patterns, introduce contextual support content, and replace technical language with user-friendly terminology to improve accessibility across user segments.
User Flow Optimization
Redesign critical pathway pages, minimize unnecessary steps, enhance visual hierarchy and navigation patterns, while collaborating with engineering teams to address performance constraints.
Transaction Experience Redesign
Restructure transaction summary components to provide clear visibility into pricing calculations, discount applications, and billing timelines for improved user confidence.
Process Friction Elimination
Reposition critical acknowledgment requirements through either dedicated workflow steps or inline progressive disclosure with clear user affordances.
Implementation Constraints
Compliance and Legal Dependencies
Content modifications require legal team approval due to regulatory requirements; shared content across multiple product portfolios necessitates cross-functional alignment and governance.
Cross-Functional Coordination
Success requires convergence across content, product, engineering, and portfolio ownership teams on shared standards, governance frameworks, and implementation approaches.
Technical Infrastructure Limitations
Legacy system constraints may limit workflow optimization and performance improvements, requiring phased engineering collaboration and technical debt management.
Component Scalability Requirements
Transaction summary patterns are utilized across multiple teams; solutions must maintain scalability and cross-team adoptability while meeting diverse portfolio needs.
Prioritized Implementation Roadmap
Immediate Priority (0-3 months)
Content Optimization Initiative: Launch targeted content testing program to reduce cognitive load through real-time market validation
Clarity Enhancement: Refine navigation elements, supporting content, and terminology across critical user pathways
Process Barrier Removal: Implement terms acknowledgment elevation through inline integration or streamlined dedicated steps
Near-term Execution (3-6 months)
Flow Optimization: Streamline critical pathway steps, enhance page hierarchy, implement persistent action elements, and improve navigation patterns
Performance Collaboration: Partner with engineering teams on immediate performance improvements including asset optimization and perceived speed enhancements
Future Development Phases (6+ months)
Transaction Experience Redesign: Comprehensive order summary redesign focused on pricing transparency and cross-team component scalability
Governance Framework: Establish formal content standards and cross-functional governance structure with Legal and Content teams for sustained clarity across product portfolios
User flow
New express-checkout “Add a home” line funnel
Pick your plan
Enhance your service
Review order
T&C
Order Confirmation
Strategic Approach & Design Framework
Solution Strategy: Express Checkout MVP
My initial strategic focus centered on optimizing the experience for existing customers, leveraging their established familiarity with the platform to create a more streamlined transaction flow. This customer-centric approach was built upon three foundational pillars designed to maximize conversion efficiency.
Existing Customer Prioritization (Phase I)
The strategy targeted users with established platform knowledge, enabling simplified checkout processes that reduced friction points for this high-value customer segment while minimizing learning curve barriers.
Flow Simplification & Step Reduction
The approach focused on dramatically minimizing required user actions throughout the purchase journey, eliminating unnecessary complexity that historically contributed to abandonment rates among existing customers.
Transparency-First Design
Implementation prioritized clear pricing visibility and prominent call-to-action placement throughout the checkout experience, ensuring users maintained confidence and clarity at each decision point.
Foundation Hypothesis
The core strategic hypothesis centered on the principle that funnel simplification and step reduction for existing customers would demonstrably decrease abandonment rates—a premise strongly validated by historical checkout performance data and user behavior analytics.
Phased Implementation Roadmap
Recognizing the scale and complexity of enterprise-level systems, I developed a strategic phased approach to ensure manageable implementation and stakeholder alignment:
Phase I: Funnel Optimization (Immediate Impact)
Focus on rapid improvements within existing infrastructure to drive immediate conversion gains and revenue impact, providing early business validation. The Express Checkout MVP was positioned as the cornerstone of this phase.
Phase II: Interface & Content Enhancement
Systematic refinement of user interface elements and content strategy based on Phase I learnings, emphasizing usability improvements and communication clarity through iterative optimization.
This staged methodology acknowledged organizational complexity while enabling controlled implementation and cross-functional alignment through structured research initiatives and collaborative workshops.
Design Hypothesis Framework
Based on observed user behavior patterns and feedback analysis, three core design hypotheses guided solution development:
Enhanced Information Architecture
Prioritizing critical information elements—including page navigation and pricing breakdowns within transaction summaries—would improve content discoverability and reduce user abandonment at key decision points.
Persistent Interface Elements
Implementing consistent visibility of essential details and calls-to-action through sticky navigation (mobile) and persistent order summaries (desktop) would facilitate smoother user progression and reduce cognitive load throughout the checkout flow.
Streamlined Validation Process
Separating terms and conditions acknowledgment into dedicated workflow steps, distinct from order review processes, would minimize user errors and accelerate overall completion rates by reducing friction at critical conversion points.
Design Development Methodology
The design process followed an iterative approach, progressing systematically from conceptual wireframes to high-fidelity interactive prototypes. Each iteration was informed by continuous user feedback integration and technical feasibility assessments, ensuring solutions remained both user-centered and technically viable within existing system constraints.
Implementation Challenges & Solutions
Technical Architecture Complexities
Designing the express checkout flow required navigating intricate backend dependencies and API constraints that significantly influenced user experience decisions. A critical challenge emerged with the Terms and Agreements functionality, originally embedded within the review order page alongside other validation elements.
Terms & Agreements Restructuring
To reduce cognitive load and streamline the review process, I separated Terms & Agreements into a dedicated workflow step. This decision was driven by the component's mandatory validation requirements and error-prone nature—combining these elements would have created significant user friction and elevated abandonment risk. The positioning required careful consideration of legal compliance requirements and existing page linkage structures, ultimately necessitating placement toward the flow's conclusion.
This architectural change demanded extensive collaboration with development teams to implement new step sequences, modify underlying APIs, and restructure page routing to support the optimized user journey while maintaining system integrity.
Cross-Functional Coordination Challenges
A seemingly straightforward design requirement—relocating the persistent chat icon to accommodate the new sticky footer—unveiled unexpected organizational complexity. Initial engagement with the chat feature team revealed a fragmented structure spanning new development, legacy maintenance, and third-party vendor support teams.
Stakeholder Alignment Initiative
Recognizing the potential for project delays, I proactively coordinated outreach across all relevant teams and facilitated cross-functional alignment sessions. This involved engaging business leadership, development, design, and project management stakeholders across three distinct chat teams to communicate the strategic rationale and benefits of the interface adjustment.
By effectively articulating how this minor modification supported the broader express checkout initiative's objectives, I successfully unified previously siloed teams and established collaborative frameworks for implementation.
Leadership Impact
This challenge highlighted the critical importance of proactive stakeholder management and cross-team communication in complex organizational environments. The experience demonstrated how seemingly simple design changes can reveal systemic coordination opportunities that, when addressed strategically, strengthen both project outcomes and organizational collaboration patterns.
Usability Testing & User Insights
Testing Methodology
Following prototype development, comprehensive usability testing sessions were conducted to evaluate the proposed user flow's intuitiveness and interface navigation efficiency. The testing framework extended beyond basic usability metrics to assess design versatility and its capacity to serve diverse user segments effectively. These insights provided critical feedback on fundamental interaction design and structural elements, establishing the foundation for iterative refinements.
Key Findings: Positive User Response
Streamlined Process Experience
Users consistently reported positive experiences with the redesigned purchase flow, describing it as straightforward, navigable, and user-friendly across testing sessions.
Intuitive Flow Architecture
Participants found the overall process clear, well-organized, and logically sequenced, with users appreciating transparent explanations and efficient progression through steps.
"The platform guided me through the entire process very well."
"I found this flow very easy to follow."
Pricing Transparency Excellence
The implementation of clear pricing breakdowns received significant positive feedback, with users expressing enhanced trust and confidence in transaction details.
"I appreciated the consistent price breakdown visibility throughout the process—it provided clarity on cost allocation and helped build confidence in the purchase decision."
Accessible Support Integration
The persistent chat functionality was well-received, with users valuing immediate access to assistance throughout their journey.
"Having support available at every step was valuable—if confusion arose at any point, clarification was immediately accessible."
Areas for Enhancement
While overall feedback demonstrated strong user satisfaction, testing identified specific optimization opportunities:
Visual Design Optimization
Users recommended content density reduction, improved whitespace utilization, and modernized aesthetic elements to enhance readability and visual hierarchy.
"Less dense text presentation and increased whitespace would improve the experience."
"The functionality is solid—reducing clutter and text density would enhance usability."
Information Architecture Clarity
Testing revealed the need for enhanced explanatory content regarding service options and functionality, particularly around streaming services and account management details.
"Additional detail on streaming service options would be helpful."
"Clearer explanation of add-on services and their implementation—such as whether streaming services require separate devices or accounts—would improve decision-making confidence."
Information Architecture Clarity
Testing revealed the need for enhanced explanatory content regarding service options and functionality, particularly around streaming services and account management details.
"Additional detail on streaming service options would be helpful."
"Clearer explanation of add-on services and their implementation—such as whether streaming services require separate devices or accounts—would improve decision-making confidence."
Implementation Impact
These usability insights directly informed subsequent design iterations, focusing on visual refinement and information architecture enhancement while preserving the successful core flow structure that users found intuitive and efficient.
User flow
New express-checkout “Add a home” line funnel
Pick your plan
Enhance your service
Review order
T&C
Order Confirmation
Results & Business Impact
Deployment Strategy
The express checkout implementation followed a controlled parallel deployment approach, running concurrently with the existing checkout experience. This strategic rollout methodology enabled comprehensive performance monitoring and risk mitigation while gathering real-world usage data on the MVP's effectiveness.
Based on positive performance indicators and demonstrated improvements across key business metrics, the organization progressively expanded the express checkout's user exposure through graduated throttle increases. This measured approach allowed for continuous optimization and stakeholder confidence building throughout the transition period.
Performance Outcomes
The express checkout MVP delivered significant measurable improvements in critical conversion metrics:
Funnel Completion Rate: 8% increase in order close rate, demonstrating reduced user abandonment and improved checkout completion efficiency
Overall Conversion Performance: 5% improvement in conversion rates, indicating enhanced user experience effectiveness and reduced friction throughout the purchase journey
Implementation Success
The superior performance metrics and positive user response ultimately led to full-scale implementation, with the express checkout experience successfully replacing the legacy system. This transition established the new flow as the standard checkout experience across the platform, validating the strategic approach and design decisions that prioritized existing customer needs and funnel optimization.
The results demonstrated the effectiveness of the phased implementation strategy, user-centered design approach, and cross-functional collaboration in delivering measurable business value while enhancing customer experience quality. The successful deployment provided a foundation for continued optimization and future enhancement initiatives.