↘︎ A few problems to be solved
 

• Ensure everyone truly understood the reality and complexity of the task

• Communicate

  • The need to consider web on all platforms - Not just Mobile

  • The need to consider the context of using the product on a Mobile device

  • This wasn't just about apps. We also had to consider the product framework, features and workflows. Some of which just weren't suitable for a mobile device

• Let us not forget the team size. Although I had an extensive UX and UI background. This was clearly not a one person project.

↘︎ Step 1

I responded, by asking questions which would help fill in the high number of gaps.​
 

This resulted in the creation of the longest longest deck of my career. I believe it was over 300 pages long. Not ideal, but I had many points to make, including
 

• Clarification of requirements

• Planning

• Understanding the competitor landscape

• Discovery

  • Target audience and their needs, in the context of Mobile

• Strategy

  • Web App vs Native App

  • Companionship with desktop and web platforms

  • USPs

• Design

  • Mobile UI

    • Differences between iOS and Android

  • Positives and negatives of progressive web apps

  • Positives and negatives of Native apps

  • Motion Design

  • Performance and Skelleton load

  • Navigation

  • Layout consideration

  • Meaningful start pages, for individual roles

  • General workflows

    • Onboarding

    • Log-in

    • Access to saved files

  • Exploration and wireframes, illustrating the most used apps and full functionality

    • It goes without saying, I spoke with quite a few stakeholders

      • Product Owners

      • Product Managers

      • Customer Success Managers

      • Development Leads

    • As a practitioner, I was single handedly illustrating an app, every 2 weeks

    • I also had to consider framework and consistent navigation, access points and layout.
       

↘︎ Step 2

After discussing the team size with my line manager, they decided to recruit additional UX resource.
 

Upon onboarding my new UX colleague (by locking him a meeting room with me, for a few days). We concluded it would be best to run with a native hybrid strategy.

 

This would utilise native, for performance heavy areas. Complimented by the integration of web, for lighter areas, and areas where we awaited budget for native development.
 

↘︎ Step 3

Our next step was to understand the target audience and their needs. So my new UX colleague and I started our initial research journey together.
 

Hurdle 1

If you've ever tried getting time with Senior Investment Bankers or Traders, you will no doubt appreciate how difficult that can be. So we had little choice to start with proto-persona.
 

Hurdle 2

Time wasn't on our side, and we were initially a team of 2, with a need to continue exploring both web and native.
 

We quickly made the decision for each of us to have a primary focus. One person to explore native, with the other exploring web. Ensuring we would communicate and collaborate along the way.
 

↘︎ Step 4

• We recruited additional Native UI and Motion specialists

• Carried out extensive discovery and user research

• Moved forward with a lean UX cycle, based upon Learn, Create and Validate
   

↘︎ Summary and Results

At this point, we could get in a more detailed story. But ultimately, together, we created what became seen as a blue print, for a truly collaborative, respected and successful design team - And the rest as they say, is history.

​

↘︎ Impact

• Increase in unique users, release after release

• Increased activity and time spent in the product

• Improved customer feedback via the Customer Experience Monitor

• Improved App Store Ratings

  • Improving the original Eikon Mobile rating of 3.3 out of 5

  • Achieving a 4.9 out of 5, for Workspace Mobile
     

↘︎ In addition
For a few months, I also took on the responsibilities of the Mobile Product Manager. Due to the departure of both the Product Owner and Product Manager.