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Cisco Guided Workflow Case Study

As a member of the Customer Experience design team, I collaborated closely on enhancing the Support experience within the CX Cloud Portal, a platform catering to customers and partners for managing Cisco's diverse range of software and hardware products. During my tenure with the support case team, a significant initiative involved consolidating Support Case Manager (SCM) features into CX Cloud.

One particular element was the integration of the Guided Workflow, initially a feature within SCM facilitating users in initiating Return Merchandise Authorization (RMA) through a conversational flow. My primary objective was to expedite the resolution of RMA cases, reduce dependence on human intervention from Cisco's Technical Assistance Center (TAC), and seamlessly integrate this solution into CX Cloud for a more efficient and user-friendly experience.

My Role

As the sole Product Designer, I was responsible for conceptualizing,
researching, and prototyping.

Time Frame

Four months (Oct 2023 - Feb 2024) 

Team Members

I collaborated closely with my UX Lead, 2 Content Designers, 1 UX Researcher, 2 Product Owners, and a team of front-end and back-end development engineers. 

Proposed Solution

To address this challenge, the focus was on maintaining user engagement and preventing frustration. The self-guided workflow was designed to be quick, efficient, and optional, allowing users to automate their requests immediately. To make the process more enjoyable, a gamified experience was integrated to make it feel less like a workflow and more like a short, interactive resolution process.

Background

In the existing system, cases submitted for Return Merchandise Authorization (RMA) are typically routed directly to the Technical Assistance Center (TAC), leading to a turnaround time of 12-24 hours on average. However, a significant portion of these cases
could potentially be resolved more promptly if users were
provided with the tools to gather clarifying data post-case
submission.

Objective

To enhance user experience and expedite case resolution, a 3-step self-guided workflow has been implemented post-case submission. This workflow aims to empower users to provide additional clarifying data and optional log files. The system then automatically analyzes
this information and approves RMA requests if possible. If automatic approval is not feasible, the case is then routed to TAC for further assistance.

Research

Consolidating my research from SCM's Guided Workflow experience and gathering user stories, it was obvious that users prefer:

Based on my research and insights, I streamlined two critical user flows pertaining to both pre-case and post-case submission. Analyzing various guided experiences, a notable pattern emerged: users expressed a strong preference for immediate resolution to their cases. Consequently, for this project, I chose to concentrate on enhancing the post-case submission experience, while considering pre-case submission as a distinct project aimed at deflecting cases. The image below illustrates the consolidated RMA Guided User Workflow that emerged from this approach.
 
 

Low-Fidelity & Mid-Fidelity Wireframes

The initial wireframes I had conceptualized, drawing from my research findings, aimed at integrating a streamlined and efficient workflow. Upon navigating through the entire flow, it became evident that I needed to avoid creating an experience too similar to the case creation flow. Users should seamlessly transition into this workflow without feeling frustrated with overloading content. I regularly met with the Product Owner to identify key business requirements and technical constraints. This helped me design multiple iterations, where I was able to consolidate a gamified interaction and a distinct visual presentation to encourage user engagement.

Hi-Fi Screens

After several feedback sessions with senior designers, colleagues, and my UX Lead, I successfully refined and finalized my designs. Following the approval of the proposal, I collaborated closely with two content designers. Together, we focused on enhancing error state messages and consolidating workflow content, including titles, descriptions, and entry point messages, with the aim of making the user experience inviting and easily resolvable.

Once a collective decision was reached, I presented the finalized designs to both the engineering team and the Product Owner. This step was crucial in identifying any potential technical constraints and ensuring alignment with project objectives. With the green light received, the designs were seamlessly handed over to the Visual Design team for the finishing touches, aiming for perfection in the final product.

Challenges Faced

One of the challenges encountered during the design phase was the integration of this workflow into CX Cloud. Traditionally, after case submission, users were directed to a chatbot experience, which proved to be lengthy and draining. The transition from the case creation workflow to a conversational experience risked frustrating users, potentially leading to a suboptimal experience.

Conclusion

The implementation of this 3-step self-guided workflow has significantly improved the efficiency of the RMA request process. By empowering users to provide necessary data post-submission, automating approvals, and incorporating a gamified experience, we have successfully streamlined the case resolution journey, reducing unnecessary resource allocation and enhancing overall user satisfaction.

© Alekhya Yallapragada 2024