I was brought in to find out whether a working prototype actually held up for real customers.
T-Mobile handed off a working prototype for an in-store tablet experience built to explain their phone protection plan and kick off activation. My job was to test it with real customers, then fix what didn’t work.
I ran think-aloud sessions to see exactly where the prototype broke down for people.
I ran think-aloud interviews with a mix of T-Mobile customers and non-customers, watching them navigate the live prototype, then followed up with a survey measuring comprehension and activation intent.
I found three moments where the prototype was quietly losing people.
Across the benefits cards, the activation flow, and the FAQ page, the same pattern kept showing up: people could get through the screens, but they weren’t always sure what they’d just agreed to.
- Cards felt partially cut off at the bottom of the screen
- The carousel treatment led some participants to expect more content via horizontal scroll
- Contextual clarity: screens required users to remember which option they’d chosen earlier
- Pricing clarity: participants wanted a clear cost breakdown and felt hesitant without one
- Back navigation: the back arrow was inconsistent with T-Mobile’s own UI patterns and caused confusion
- QR code placement: appeared too late, after several steps that felt like a dead end
- The carousel treatment felt unintuitive; a top-down structure would better match T-Mobile’s website patterns
I redesigned each moment with the same goal: less ambiguity, more confidence.
Every fix traced back to something specific from testing — clearer structure for the cards, plain-language pricing on activation, and a FAQ pattern that matched what people already knew from T-Mobile’s website.
1. Benefits cards
Restructured the card layout to fit tablet proportions and added a “Learn more” CTA, aligning with patterns from the T-Mobile website.
2. Activation page
Collaborated with a copywriter to clarify language and set accurate expectations, bringing key enrollment information forward to eliminate the steps that felt like a dead end. Brought the UI in line with T‑Mobile’s website UI and design system for a more consistent experience.
3. FAQ’s page
Removed the carousel treatment in favor of a top-down accordion menu, better suited to tablet proportions and consistent with the website.
The client approved every recommendation I brought to the table.
The changes have shipped and are rolling out to 14 stores across the country. Once we test in those stores and gather feedback, we’ll either refine further or roll out to every store nationwide.