Alexa App Revamp

ROLE

UX Designer & Researcher

TIMELINE

March - April 2022

TEAM

VXD, UX Design

PLATFORM

Deck Presentation

STATUS

Presented Q2 2022

TOOLS

Quip Doc (Internal tool)

Overview

Proactively addressing the gap between the existing design system (2021), user pain points, and third-party developer requirements, I initiated this research. I identified themes and opportunities to improve Alexa's visual language, feature discovery user experience (CX), and refine the home landing page structure.

This research directly influenced the 2023 app redesign, utilizing insights from user studies, examining competitor applications, and prioritizing content strategy. Through comprehensive audits and presentations, I collaborated closely with stakeholders, including leaders from Alexa mobile and Design Systems, to establish End-Of-Year goals based on my identified focus areas.

Results

Essential in shaping the Alexa mobile app redesign, my audit revamped the home landing page, information architecture, and overall CX. The roadmap I created addressed discovery content, carousels, bottom sheets, site navigation, and refocused the purpose of the Alexa Mobile App. Redesign shipped Q4 2023

Audit Examples & Updates

Information Architecture

In 2022 my strategic roadmap included an overhaul transforming the Alexa mobile app into a streamlined, smart home-centric platform. The shift reconfigured the app from a generic third party advertisement space to a dedicated hub for controlling, organizing, and learning about purchased smart devices. Notably, the update simplified the navigation bar, reducing categories from 5 to 3, with a clear emphasis on the singular “Devices” channel.

Discovery CX

During the Alexa app audit, the Home page's endless scroll hindered content discovery and basic task completion, causing user frustration. Proposing a contextual approach to discovery content & card use cases, my initiative decluttered pages, grouped content, enabled device customization, refocused the app's purpose, and addressed pain points. This led to a significant boost in both customer satisfaction and understanding.

In 2023, activity, *MARS, and discovery list cards, were consolidated in a dedicated "More Channel" section, situated under Skills & Games, Things to Try, & Follow Updates.

*MARS card - These cards allow customers to return to the same page via single-tap ingress from home. They surface previously accessed app features based on customer interactions.

Bottom Sheets

In 2021, I called out thematic elements like bottom sheets, including examples from other applications. Bottom sheets, impeded task completion, either occupying the entire page or were disproportionately large with limited content, disrupting the consistency of the Alexa ecosystem (exemplified here).

I recommended aligning with the Amazon Shopping App's visual language and exploring various sizes to accommodate varied tasks, leading to improved UI legibility, enhanced customer comprehension, increased task efficiency, and a cleaner appearance.

Results shown below