AT&T BROADBAND
Hardware self-install
RESEARCH, UX, VISUAL DSIGN
Background
The BGW320 is AT&T’s latest broadband gateway (modem+router), with an estimated distribution to 25 million homes nationwide. Ahead of the release of the BGW320, my team was tasked with designing the digital self-install guide that would accompany the hardware, accessed through AT&T’s broadband mobile app, Smart Home Manager.
We worked closely with our team of industrial designers to ensure the digital guide and physical installation worked together as one cohesive experience. Furthermore, we wanted to utilize design as a way to simplify hardware installation, which can often be an intimidating and frustrating experience for the average user.
The problem
Users often feel intimidated and overwhelmed when installing new broadband hardware.
How might we empower all users to feel confident installing new broadband hardware in their home?
Goals
User: Self-install the broadband gateway successfully
Business: Reduce customer care calls and expensive truck rolls
Product: Empower users to self-install hardware by providing clear, digestible instructions that can be understood by non-technical users
Research
After designing the first iteration of the installation guide, I worked in conjunction with our research team to test my prototype. We recruited 5 participants for 9 in-lab usability sessions where we observed users’ ability to self-install the BGW320 in a home-like environment.
Summary of findings:
Overall, the install guide was simple and approachable for low-tech users
Realistic representations and scale of components was important to prevent issues within the setup. Several users showed confusion when the hardware illustration wasn’t an exact match.
Most participants only scanned the diagrams and skipped reading the sub-copy until they were struggling on a step.
Based on our research findings, I reiterated on my designs, with a focus on more detailed and accurate hardware illustrations.
How it works
After receiving their hardware shipment in the mail, customers are instructed to scan a QR code on the packaging, which will open Smart Home Manager to start their guided installation walkthrough. They start by seeing an illustration of their package contents.
Hardware installation
The installation is completed in 4 simple steps.
