— PROJECT
UX Design Lead at Ericsson
— ROLE
UX/UI Design Lead
UX Research
Graphic Design
UX Agile Processes
Internal UX training
UX Team lead
— START DATE
01/03/2020
In my role as the UX/UI Design Lead at Ericsson, I’ve been entrusted with a significant degree of creative freedom, underscoring the pivotal part I play in shaping user experiences across our products. This leadership doesn’t merely revolve around design choices; it encompasses a broader spectrum, including imparting knowledge on best practices in UX Design and product development to both the development teams and stakeholders.
Our workflow is highly collaborative. Together with the UX team I’ve assembled, we dive deep into crafting the holistic user experience, taking our designs from concept to completion before handing them over to our adept development counterparts. A cornerstone of our approach involves working closely with a talented requirements team, through which we grasp the nuanced complexities of the sales processes. Parallel to this, our regular interactions with stakeholders ensure that we are always aligned with their business objectives.
Furthermore, our ongoing dialogues with users—including interviews and prototype usability tests—provide invaluable insights. These engagements help us pinpoint user challenges, devise solutions to enhance productivity, and ensure that the final products are both user-friendly and aesthetically pleasing.
What sets my approach apart is the unique perspective I bring to the table, informed by my diverse experiences across various domains. Each of these domains has its own usability practices, offering different ways of working with intricate data and creative processes. Drawing from this vast reservoir of knowledge, I strive to craft solutions tailored for Ericsson’s specific needs, marrying industry best practices with innovative design principles.
ERICSSON DESIGN SYSTEM+
Ericsson boasts a Red Dot award-winning Design System known as EDS (Ericsson Design System). While EDS is an exceptional foundation, it was initially designed for web platforms, focusing on displaying smaller data sets. In contrast, our projects are desktop applications that deal with large data sets and complex scenarios. These applications also require more intricate data editing and analysis rather than just display.
To address these unique needs, I’ve spearheaded enhancements to the EDS, resulting in the 'EDS+'. This improved framework is tailor-made for our tools, meeting their specific requirements. I’ve introduced unique UI components and innovative solutions, leading to a significant boost in usability.
As the demand for my expertise in UX grew, it became evident that a dedicated UX team was necessary. To meet this need, I was asked to established this specialized unit. Beyond creating the team, I personally oversaw all recruitment activities, ensuring that we onboarded professionals who met my high standards.
ABOUT UX DESIGN
UX Designers focus on the user experience. Their role is to understand the needs, wants, and limitations of the users and to design the product in a way that provides an intuitive and enjoyable user experience. They conduct user research, create user personas, design user interfaces, and perform usability testing.
MY RIGOROUS UX TEAM RECRUITMENT PROCESS
Recruitment, for me, isn’t just about filling seats—it’s about ensuring the highest quality of talent. My method is thorough:
Initial Screening: I begin by meticulously reviewing CVs and portfolios. Only those who exhibit remarkable potential, meeting the high standards I’ve set, progress to the next phase. Many candidates, despite their credentials, may not make it past this stage.
First Interview: Potential candidates are then interviewed. Their performance here determines their eligibility for the test project.
UX Test Project: Qualified candidates are given a one-day UX test project. Equipped with a basic set of requirements, they’re expected to produce a UX prototype. This prototype is then presented in our subsequent meeting, where I engage them with feedback, critique, and questions. This exercise is instrumental in assessing their proficiency and how it would be working with them and giving them feedback and design guidance.
Developer Interaction: Finally, the top candidates have an interaction with key developers. This isn’t about evaluating UX skills but rather gauging their interpersonal communication and determining if their personality would mesh well with the development team.
At the end of this rigorous process, my aim is to have not just a capable candidate, but the best fit for our dynamic environment.
PREMIUM PROPOSAL
Premium Proposal was the first product I took under my wing. Developed over 4-5 years prior to my involvement, it evolved without the input of a dedicated UX designer. This system was also built upon two older products, which added layers of legacy and complexity. Over time, my team and I introduced new features, revamped existing ones, and formulated concepts for a comprehensive overhaul, aiming to create a more robust foundation for future developments.
ABOUT UX RESEARCH
UX Researchers delve into the world of user behaviors, motivations, and needs. Their role is to gather insights about the end-users through various methodologies, ensuring that products are built based on real-world requirements. They conduct interviews, surveys, and observational studies, analyze the data, and present findings to guide design and product decisions, ensuring the best possible user experience.
DIGITAL CUSTOMER PRICE BOOK (DCPB)
DCPB’s journey was challenging, having seen multiple attempts at development before I stepped in. On being introduced to the project during its third iteration, I was initially tasked with aiding in prototype creation. Recognizing the potential for improvement, I proposed a two-week hiatus to the stakeholders, seeking the chance to draft a fresh concept. This new direction drew inspiration from ideas I was concurrently nurturing for Premium Proposal, as well as invaluable insights from my collaboration with a seasoned UX Research expert. The result was a revolutionary concept that not only led to discontinuing the ongoing iteration but also formed the basis for establishing a new development team. The product, now launched, is under active enhancement. Its innovative UI and foundational code are also shaping the future of Premium+ and upcoming modules, such as the Quotation and Ordering module.
“Design is not just what it looks like and feels like.
Design is how it works.”
- Steve Jobs
QUOTATION MODULE & ORDERING MODULE
Building upon the foundational design my UX team and I established with DCPB, the Quotation module is specifically tailored to address the unique needs of the quotation process. It stands as the inaugural module being developed for the upcoming Premium+ suite.
Following closely is the Ordering module, designed to modernize and replace an older ordering feature from the original Premium Proposal tool. It too benefits from the design evolution introduced with the DCPB, ensuring seamless integration within the Premium+ environment.
PREMIUM+
Is the new A high touch Configure Price Quote tool we are developing. A Suite which consisting of several modules, incorporating refined versions of the Premium Proposal application, injecting DCPB as its own module and building a Quotation as well as an Ordering module.
— EDS+
New UI Components
The team has developed several unique UI components that I have invented and designed. These include ways of presenting large amounts of data in visual graphs, as well as searching and filtering complex data grids, and elaborate price positioning and guidance tools to mention a few. I will be updating this page with more information at a later time with some of these components as well as writing a series of Medium articles that cover more of the process and ways of working that I use for UX/UI product development.
ERIKA ANDERSSON – Senior UX/UI Designer
“Roberto’s contribution encompasses not only designing the solutions from a user interface standpoint but also devising the most effective means to develop the platforms, ensuring their speed, stability, and user-friendliness.
His versatility in these areas is unparalleled, and I have never worked with such a talented and multi-faceted designer.
As a person, Roberto is a pleasure to work with. He is social, pleasant, meticulous, driven, curious, and cooperative. His positive attitude, eagerness to learn and shares his knowledge with others make him a valuable asset to any team. He is always willing to lend a helping hand and has really helped me grow as a designer.”
