Projects
I like to say I’m a recovering academic. I kept the jacket though. Here you’ll find some of my more recent projects.
Each required a combination of working closely with developers, designers, researchers, and stakeholders to create a solution.
Chatbot to Live Chat Transition
Client: Nationwide
I designed content for a new chatbot in Nationwide’s retirement services space. Once users log in, they will be able to ask the bot for help with basic questions.
Problem
Stakeholders wanted the new retirement services chatbot to tell users their distribution status. They also wanted the bot to offer live chat with a representative in the event of certain status results.
Process
I worked with the project team and stakeholders to outline the requirements and flow for the conversation.
The interaction around handoff to a live agent was a key area of concern. I worked out variations for this interaction to get feedback from the working group.
Once we had interaction concepts worked out, I designed the full conversation in BotSociety for a final review with the working team and stakeholders.
Results
We were able to agree on a conversation design for a first iteration that met our technical constraints. It also balances the needs of users with needs from the business and compliance.
The first iteration is planned for release in the authenticated user space early 2022.
Unhandled Utterance Analysis
Client: Nationwide
I joined Nationwide’s Digital Assistance team to help with developing chatbot content in March 2021. In addition to writing and content design, I helped them with efforts to improve the chatbots.
Problem
In Oct 2021, our team was able to export large amounts of history related to unhandled utterances. These are inputs by chatbot users that the artificial intelligence could not select a response for.
We had over 7000 entries covering a 3-month time frame, but no tools for classifying and analyzing the information. We just hadn’t done this before.
Process
Through a combination of manually sorting a sample of the entries and setting up key word formulas in excel, I was able to roughly sort all the entries into one or more topics.
I set up information in Miro for the team to review. This included a table with the top 10 categories that gave a summary of what the user inputs in that category were about and included some examples.
With this we were able to determine what topics were most frequently causing unhandled utterances and work on solutions.
Results
After running the working team through the analysis and top categories, we were able to perform an impact/effort exercise to identify our priorities.
We identified several new responses to add to the chatbot. We also identified a few existing responses that needed additional training changes.
The improvements are planned to release in January 2022.
We also now have a process to follow so we can analyze unhandled utterances more quickly next time.
Information Architecture and Migration
Client: Ohio Department of Aging
Problem
The Ohio Department of Aging needed to migrate three sites to a new web platform. In the process, they wanted to re-focus their sites to better fit the needs of their users and intended audiences.
Process
I assisted with requirements gathering sessions to identify target audiences and what content the agencies wanted to focus on. I also performed an inventory and audit of content on the existing sites.
Once we knew intended users and requirements for the new version of the site, I was able to propose a new information architecture for the site and create a migration guide.
The project ended with a series of training sessions to introduce content authors to the new content management system so the agencies could perform the migration.
Result
While each of the sites had different needs, we were able to create three related sites with similar design and structural norms. While the original sites were organized in different styles, the new sites were all organized by ‘user tasks’ or intent.
Dispute Flow Re-Design
Client: KeyBank
I coordinated efforts with a designer to improve the user experience for KeyBank’s online disputes process. We reduced user interactions by about 40% and performed several rounds of research to ensure the users were able to categorize their disputes properly.
Problem
The client’s process for disputing a transaction online was cumbersome and often resulted in claims that were rejected because they were classified incorrectly. As a result, many customers made use of the call center to file their dispute or to check on the progress of their submitted dispute.
The online dispute flow involved a long survey that displayed a single page per question. In some situations, a user may have to answer over 20 questions to dispute a transaction.
Process
I helped design and research with ideating initial solutions and setting up testing criteria. Based on initial research, I led efforts with a designer to create a more usable flow. Some of the solutions we came up with included:
- Grouping related questions
- Placing required and high importance questions sooner in the flow
- Consolidating similar questions
- Using more conversational and approachable language in the survey
- Designing a conversational summary review screen
Results
- 40% Reduction in number of required interactions in tested flows
- 30% Increase in users properly classifying their transaction
Digital Content Guidelines
Client: KeyBank
I worked with KeyBank’s Digital UX team to help them develop consistency in language, voice, and tone in the user experience for online banking. The guidelines grew and are now managed by a dedicated content team.
Problem
The UX team at KeyBank wanted more consistency in language for users. Most copy at the time was written as a “filler” by developers as they built the product. This led to UI copy that was not just inconsistent, but difficult to read or even suspicious looking.
Process
While revising UI copy for critical areas, I also interviewed stakeholders in the UX, product, and marketing/brand teams to develop voice and tone guidelines for UI copy. I based the voice and tone guidelines for UX writing off the brand guidelines. The guidelines ended up containing:
- Voice and Tone
- General Writing Guidelines
- Content Specific Guidelines
- Error messages
- Button Copy
- Etc.
Results
In the first year the guidelines became a regular reference for consistency among product owners. The guidelines were used as the starting point for the new content team about a year later.
I’d be lost without Daniel. He wrote the style guide that functioned as my editorial life preserver when I first landed at KeyBank, and he was a reliable guiding light during my time there. Diligent and methodical, he’s got a gift for digging into complexity like no one else. My favorite thing about working with Daniel was this: He’s not just always learning—he’s always going out of his way to share that knowledge with those who’ll find it useful. Highly recommended!