UX Research Policy Manager-Mahindra Comviva

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. INTRODUCTION

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2. SCOPE OF RESEARCH

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3. EXECUTION METHODOLOGY

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4. SYSTEM INTRODUCTION AND PRIMARY

ANALYSIS

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5. HEURESTIC EVALUATION

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6. USER PERSONAS

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7. DISCUSSIONS & FINDINGS

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8. RECOMMENDATIONS

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9. FURTHER RECOMMENDATIONS

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10. QUESTIONNAIRE

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INTRODUCTION

BACKGROUND OF RESEARCH

Mahindra Comviva has global outreach in providing mobility solutions. Its mobility solutions are deployed by over 130 mobile service providers and financial institutions in over 90 countries, transforming the lives of over a billion people across the world. The Policy Manager, which is a PCRF system has been deployed in many countries in Asia & Africa and the plan to revamp the user interface along with the experience of the user comes from the knowledge that the current GUI has lot of technical elements which hinder the overall experience of a user who has little or no technical knowledge on the system. Although the intention behind developing the GUI was to let Data Marketing Managers, a profile with little knowledge on the technical sides to create data plans in short period of time. In the interviews conducted to investigate the problems with the current UI and to make the new design resonate with the expectations of the intended users certain glaring outputs were received which are pivotal to how the future UI has been conceptualized.

“Consider the marketing manager as the lowest denominator on the technical side of a data plan creation” - Karan Saigal, Ex-National Head (Data VAS & New Products)

Research objectives: 1. To identify the user experience issues with the current GUI of Policy Manager. 2. To establish hypothesis on various elements of the current GUI and validate it

to create a pathway for conceptualization of the new UI. 3. The conceptualization of a new user interface for the Policy manager in tune

to the requirements of intended users and latest UI & UX trends to formulate an Intuitive design.

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SCOPE OF RESEARCH

An extensive research was undertaken both on primary & secondary fronts to develop an understanding of user’s mindset to identify information which drives the user. Research methods like Product discovery, User segmentation, user task flow, secondary research, Interviews etc were used to identify the the road map to design conceptualization.

The deliverables Include: 1. User task flow 2. User Research 3. Recommendations. 4. Personas

EXECUTION METHODOLOGY

Heuristic Evaluation of the current system was done by UX experts internally after the system discovery phase to understand how a new system can be designed keeping intact the flexibility of policy manager intact. A set of Interviews were conducted across various hierarchies of Data marketing managers and technical engineers associate with various telecom companies to garner the required response. The interviews were designed in semi structured way with the intention to avoid any leading questions and more focus was put on to get maximum information on user’s mindset in an ad hoc way.

SYSTEM INTRODUCTION AND PRIMARY ANALYSIS

The Mahindra Comviva Policy manager is a tool to create data plans for mobile/wifi/WiMax and other systems. For example a 2GB 3G plan for smart phones with Facebook and whatsapp free even after the 2GB gets over can be created through this system. Although the prior example is a very simple plan to create, the Policy manager is a highly flexible system that can be used to create most complex imaginable plans.

An example of which is below.

Let’s create a plan assuming the plan is being created for Ariel’s subscribers. Let’s also assume that the subscriber and has a wifi connection too apart from the smart phone and his home is located in Kormangala, Bangalore. Now using the Policy manager a shared data plan can be created for both the Smartphone as well as the wifi. Let the plan be a 10GB plan with one month validity. Now to understand the flexibility of the system the following conditions can be put using it.

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1. The data plan will be shared between the wifi and Smartphone 2. Facebook and whatsapp will be free from 10 PM to 6 AM. 3. YouTube streaming is only available on Friday to Sunday during the plan's

validity period. 4. The upload and download speed during weekdays will be 1 mbps and 256

Kbps only. 5. During the weekends the speed will be maximum available. 6. All the adult sites will be inaccessible 7. This plan will only be available in Indiranagar, Kormangala and HSR layout

locations. 8. The plan will be over on the midnight of 30th day from the date of

subscription 9. After the 10 GB of data gets over Facebook and whatsapp will still be free

where as any other service will be charged at 10P/100KB during night time and 10P/10KB during day.

Apart from the conditions put above there can be various other conditions which can be put up using this Policy manager and that makes the system complex to use by the end user. During the creation a user goes through the following steps.

1. Creation of services: By services what is meant here is, the second condition to this plan Facebook and whatsapp are free from 10 PM to 6 PM; this is one service feature of this plan. To create this service a set of conditions are defined while in the process of making it. In this plan Facebook is one service; whatsapp is another along with YouTube. Then not be able to view adult sites is also a service.

2. After several such services are created they are combined in forms of packages. Here in the above plan we have social networking package which will include Facebook and whatsapp, then we have video package which includes YouTube and non accessibility of adult sites. In this way we can create a set of packages which will be homogenous in nature and a part of data plan.

3. The third step after the creation of packages is creating one complete package which will include all the packages which would be a part of data plan.

4. Then we come to the final stage of data plan creation and include some characteristics for it to function.

So the 4 steps of data plan creation can be summed up like this:

1. SERVICE CREATION ⇒ 2. GROUPING SIMILAR TYPE OF SERVICE

UNDER ONE PACKAGE ⇒ 3. CREATION OF ONE BUCKET PACKAGE

⇒ 4. CREATION OF A DATA PLAN AFTER COMBINING ALL OF THE ABOVE.

The problem with this system is its information architecture, it uses technical jargons. To this the intended user who is possibly a marketing manager has the

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least understanding. Even the errors are displayed in technical language. For example "Could not create new service social networking. Reason: Query execution is failed" is displayed when for some reason a service you were trying to create is unable to be created.

The second problem with the system is that on every step of plan creation the user has to define a set of conditions which can be confusing at times owing to the technical jargons and not so interactive UI. Also which condition to set at which step is also not so clear, neither any sort of help/sequence is provided with the task flow.

The third problem with this system is that the task flow is haphazard; an efficient task flow can be created with proper analysis.

The fourth problem with this system is form filling. Owing to the flexibility of this product it somehow makes it mandatory that a way of input be created so that the user has independence to input values and conditions of his desire, pre populating them will hinder with the flexibility of the system, thus it is also a challenge to UX, to create an alternative to this.

On primary analysis it has been found that the system needs a total revamp keeping the flexibility alive (which is the USP of this product) and work needs to be done on task flow, UX and IA so as to make it easy and efficient to use by the intended user.

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Heuristics Evaluation of POLICY MANAGER, MAHINDRA COMVIVA

1. Visibility of system status

Always keep users informed about what is going on. Provide appropriate feedback within reasonable time.

Evaluation On the screen, the tasks for making a data plan jump from right to left & vice versa. The lack of task flow is system wide in all the actions.

2. Match between system and the real world

Speak the users' language, with words, phrases and concepts familiar to the user, rather than system-oriented terms.

Follow real-world conventions, making information appear in a natural and logical order.

Evaluation

The IA uses technical jargons which are unfit for marketing managers, for whom the system is intended to use.

3. User control and freedom

Users often choose system functions by mistake. Provide a clearly marked "out" to leave an unwanted state without having to go

through an extended dialogue. Support undo and redo.

Evaluation

The current system currently lacks in all the functions listed above

4. Consistency and standards

Users should not have to wonder whether different words, situations, or actions mean the same thing.

Follow platform conventions.

Evaluation

On a detailed level, The “Gating” at Package level differs from “Gating” at data plan rule set level. Although the same language, but different meaning.

5.Error prevention

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Even better than good error messages is a careful design which prevents a problem from occurring in the first place.

Evaluation

In contrast to the lack of technical understanding of the intended user, who is a marketing manager, the Error messages are technical in language and lack the directives to be taken ahead to manage the error. Also, The error messages are not delineating in nature.

6. Recognition rather than recall

Make objects, actions, and options visible. User should not have to remember information from one part of the dialogue to

another. Instructions for use of the system should be visible or easily retrievable whenever

appropriate.

Evaluation

Apart from the lack of the task flow, the system also lacks the information on

1. From where the user is coming. 2. To where the user is going. 3. What the user has done on the list of tasks assigned behind. 4. How is the information behind going to impact the information ahead. 5. And the user is not in control of the data plan creation flow. 6. A snippet of tasks ahead and tasks behind in the interface will solve this problem.

For example, while creating a plan if the user is at rule setting level and has the snippet of what plan details he has put behind, what ratings group he has chosen, will keep the user in control of the task flow & the system.

8. Aesthetic and minimalist design

Dialogues should not contain information which is irrelevant or rarely needed. Every extra unit of information in a dialogue competes with the relevant units of

information and diminishes their relative visibility.

Evaluation

Keeping in mind the current UI & UX trends the UI of policy manager seems primitive in nature.

9. Help users recognize, diagnose, and recover from errors

Expressed in plain language (no codes) Precisely indicate the problem Constructively suggest a solution.

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Evaluation

Refer Point 5.

10. Help and documentation

Even though it is better if the system can be used without documentation, it may be necessary to provide help and documentation.

Help information should be easy to search, focused on the user's task, list concrete steps to be carried out, and not be too large.

Evaluation

The current system does have documentation. But Inkoniq suggests an on boarding info/Animation/Video will be well apt for new users.

Parameter Score (5)

Visibility of system status 1

Intuitiveness 0

User control & freedom 0

Consistency & standards 1

Error Prevention 1

Recognition & Recall 2

Aesthetic and minimalist design 2

Error Diagnosis 0

Help & Documentation 2.5

Total 9.5

Usability 21.11%

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Pareto chart-Usability Parameters

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User Persona

Persona 1

Name: Vikram Rao

Age: 32

Profession: Mobile data & VAS

Personality: Busy, Analytical, Confident.

Technology and Internet usage: Aware about basics in technical knowledge towards data plan configurations

Is on travel for some time each month, owns a Smartphone Majorly works on his Laptop

Internet usage: 14-15 hrs

About He has been working for the past 3 years in his current organization as a

marketing manager for Data and VAS.

Goals

He aims to put data plans in market on quick succession based on market feedback.

Expectations

He wishes to make data plans in an efficient manner. Wants to do so in least possible time. Expects business intelligence Inputs on the plans he is putting forward in

the market to take business decisions. Does not want to explore the technical space due to time unavailability.

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Persona 2

Name: Vishvesh Pachauli Age: 34 Profession: Computer engineer Personality: Busy, Geek, High grasping power Technology and Internet usage:

Detailed knowledge & Acumen in technical field. Is well versed with the telecommunication ecosystem.

Configures the data plans in the PCRF

Majorly works on his Laptop

Internet usage: 14-15 hrs About:

He has been working in the telecommunications field for last 7 years and is well versed with the complex technical side.

Goals:

To configure the data plans and handle other aspects of technical side of telecom business.

Expectations

Expects to get what needs to be configured in a crystal clear manner

Expects the system will be technically sound and would have zero tolerance towards functional integrity.

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DISCUSSIONS & FINDINGS

The UI of the system was analysed and various issues were identified after the system discovery, heuristic evaluation, Interviews and various design iterations. They include but are not limited to

1. The system lacks the flow of tasks at all levels to guide the user through a seamless flow for completion of tasks.

2. The use of technical and programming jargons in various suits of the policy manager.

3. The Graphical User interface which is in use in the current system is native with respect to User experience and lacks intuitiveness.

4. Although the PCRF was intended to be used by Marketing managers but there are certain tasks within the system which technical understanding of the telecommunication functioning, thus the tasks have not been bucketed in a way to differentiate between a technical use and a non-technical user.

“It’s not a good thing for marketing managers to define a new service”- Shadaksharayya Hiremath, Technical Manager, Mahindra comviva

5. The User has been burdened with certain tasks which are non value adding.

6. Although the system is designed to be used by the Marketing managers, The error message which pop up are technical in nature, thus the User is left clueless and cannot decode the meaning of those messages.

7. The system is not intelligent enough to inform the user instantly of making an incorrect choice in case of Priority setting, ID creation.

8. No access to the information on tasks which have already been performed in a series of tasks while completion of a goal. E.g., there are various inputs while creating a data plan like setting of rules and creating a package but once you move ahead from one step to another there is no information to what have you done behind and where are you coming from.

9. The rule setting screen is complex in term of how the configuration is done as it uses elements of programming language.

10. The workflow lacks homogeneity in inputs.

11. Repetitive actions: The rules set at Package level can be overridden at Data plan creation level.

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12. The display of information is not grouped. Like ratings group which is of two types and have distinct feature each are shown in a bundle of information.

13. Activity log: There is no proper log of which user have altered what part of the data plans and associated tasks, although there is a very high impact of any alteration made.

14. The IA lacks information display at a skimmer level, thus it lacks intuitiveness.

15. There are certain tasks which can be configured at the beginning of the deployment of the system which can be used again & again without putting the burden of an additional task to the user. There are various things which can be configured for such usage but that has not been done.

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RECOMMENDATIONS Inkoniq with its deep understanding of user experiences believes that to provide a seamless achievement of the goals via any digital system and to provide the users of that system a satisfying experience, Intuitiveness is must. The problem of design of the policy manager can be solved by creation of an intuitive system where the user has a vivid understanding where he is coming from, where he is going, a snapshot of what he has done in the series of tasks to achieve his desired goals, and is sitting on a system which is intelligent enough to not let him commit any impactful mistake.

To achieve that the interface level recommendations are listed below.

1. A logically defined task flow for all the tasks which can be accomplished via a PCRF.

2. The Information architecture should be designed to meet the intelligence & understanding level of the intended users.

3. The UI should be in line with the current trends in mind with an eye at the future trends, the UI is capable enough to evolve fluidly in future if needed.

4. The tasks should be bifurcated and individual task flows should be set up so as only to expose the intended audience to deal with, so as to not overwhelm the users with excessive information.

5. Non-Value adding elements like putting name again and again with no significance should either be removed or automated.

6. The error messages should be in plain language without any use of programming or technical jargons along with a direction as to what possible steps can be taken to fix it. E.g.: A simple directive of “Contact system administrator” can ease the psychological burden of the user.

7. In case of priority setting and ID generation, make the system intelligent enough to intimate the user if he has input an ID which is already in use or make such tasks Automated.

8. While the user is in process of doing something, let the information of what he has already done and what he is yet to do be always available. This helps a user to be in control of the tasks at all times, creating a good user experience element.

9. The rule setting option is very technical; this design problem needs to be solved upfront.

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10. The workflow should have homogeneity in nomenclature.

11. As mentioned above there are certain repetitive tasks in the system which add to confusion, such tasks like Rule setting at package level which can be overridden at global package creation level should be removed upfront.

12. The information should be grouped wherever it can be. Like the kind of rating groups, like various plans etc.

13. A strong and intelligent system should be developed to track what each and every user has done during his session so as to avoid any impactful mistake.

14. The handy templates for possible kinds of data plans should already be made available during the time of deployment.

15. It has come to knowledge that in CSE the option to import/migrate data is not available. Inkoniq suggests to do so along with the option of doing so in most used formats like xls, txt etc.

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FURTHER RECOMMENDATIONS

Discussion Forum: During the research it has come to light that the data plan creation and making it lives to the market as various stakeholders associated to it need to approve. Inkoniq suggests the incorporation of a discussion forum where the stakeholders are added on Requirement basis to see the details of the plan and make required discussions within the time frame and approve/reject it. Such a pursuit will not only bring approvals and discussion on record but might also help in fast tracking the whole process.

Business Intelligence: Keeping in mind the fact that data market is a very dynamic stream where changes are required to be made at a fast pace. Inkoniq suggests associating a business intelligence module within the system with the possibility to generate/download various possible reports instantly.

Tagging: The search feature can be incredibly improved by tagging. Ratings group can be tagged as time based, volume based, usage tariff, plan tariff whereas the data plans can be tagged as customer acquisition plans, customer base growth plans & retaining plans etc.

Plan templates: Inkoniq suggests that when the policy manager is deployed to a new location, certain dummy plans should be already made available in the system keeping in mind the plan requirement of that geography.

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APPENDIX A1-Questionnaire for marketing managers Describe the kind of data plan you create usually?

1. What is the workflow when a plan is created? What info. Is shown to which stakeholder?

2. How do you capture your sales feedback? 3. How do you utilise your sales feedback? 4. Post the data plan creation, how do you analyse its performance? What

are the criterions of the analysis? 5. How often do you tweak an existing plan? 6. Are there any trigger points that boost the sale of a data plan? 7. How much time do you usually take to create a data plan? 8. Do you want a discussion forum while in process of a data plan creation? 9. Do you want a search functionality to search for existing plans and make

tweaks to it? 10. Is bucketing required for data plans? Filters required? 11. Please discuss about what all troubles you face when you create a data

plan? 12. Which PCRF you are currently using/not using to make data plan? 13. Please describe your experience with your current system 14. According to you what kind of features should an ideal PCRF would have?