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Navigating a Complex Product Transition

Product

Flagship Enterprise Product

5 weeks

Timeline

research methods image for wix.PNG

Methods

Usability Testing (moderated)

Context & Problem

During a major product modernization, the team introduced a new interface alongside a legacy experience - creating a high-risk transition where users needed to move between both to complete core workflows.

I identified an opportunity to both de-risk this transition and expand research capacity by enabling a UX Designer to lead usability testing under my guidance.

The core challenge: how do we deliver a cohesive experience when users must navigate two competing interface models?

Research Goals

  • Evaluate usability of mode switching (legacy ↔ modern)

  • Understand how users adapt to the modern interface

  • Identify adoption barriers and friction points

  • Inform design and messaging decisions

My Role

Led research strategy and introduced a structured democratization model

  • Designed research approach, discussion guide, and recruitment strategy

  • Established quality guardrails for democratization process

  • Tested prototype (Figma) – supplied feedback to designer

  • Coached UX Designer through execution (recruitment & interviews)

  • Oversaw analysis & synthesis, final recommendations

Impact

  • Reduced product risk ahead of release by validating the modernization approach

  • Improved view-switching patterns and workflows

  • Strengthened onboarding and messaging clarity

 

Org impact: Reframed transition as a UX challenge and established a model for scalable research democratization

Reflection

This project surfaced challenges in scaling research through democratization. While usability studies are often well-suited for delegation, variability in complexity introduced risk without clear guardrails.

Gaps in ownership, process, and tooling also impacted execution, extending timelines and making it clear that teams need structure and support to be successful.

This pushed me to think more intentionally about what needs to be in place for democratization to work effectively at scale, and I shared these findings with my UXR team, manager, and UX leadership.

Takeaway: Democratization only works when it’s supported by clear structure - not just good intentions.

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