Ally Noormohamed

Work / Call Center Application

A stalled redesign and fragmented system landscape

The call center application redesign was already underway with an external agency, but the engagement was terminated due to poor outcomes and cost overruns.

This left the product in a fragmented state:

• No clear product or design direction
• Misalignment across teams and stakeholders
• A complex system used by thousands of agents, built on outdated workflows
• High training drop-off and inefficient task completion

I was brought in to help re-establish direction, align teams, and move the redesign forward.

Objective

• Recover a stalled redesign effort and re-establish product direction
• Understand agent workflows across multiple lines of business
• Reduce friction caused by fragmented systems and tools
• Introduce a more effective, user-centered product approach
• Create a scalable design foundation for future development

My role

I led the redesign effort from a UX and product perspective, working across multiple teams to define the product vision, research approach, workflow models, and design direction.

This included building and leading a small design team, facilitating workshops, and working closely with Product, Engineering, and Platform teams.

Understanding the real problem: agents working across 35+ tools

Early investigation revealed that the problem was not just the application itself, but the broader system agents had to navigate.

• Agents relied on over 35 different tools to complete a single workflow
• Information was fragmented, inconsistent, and often outdated
• Agents created workarounds, including using Notepad to track information
• Training complexity led to high drop-off rates

Observing real-world workflows revealed system fragmentation beyond the application itself.

Shifting from output to understanding

Instead of jumping into solution design, I focused on helping the organization understand the problem space.

• Conducted contextual research with call center agents
• Facilitated participatory workshops with stakeholders
• Mapped user journeys and workflows across different services
• Aligned user scenarios with business goals and KPIs

Workshops helped stakeholders understand user workflows and align on key problems.

Key design decisions and tradeoffs

• System-level thinking over screen-level fixes: Focused on workflows across tools rather than redesigning isolated screens
• Integrated workflows over tool switching: Reduced reliance on external tools by bringing critical tasks into a unified experience
• Research-led direction over assumptions: Shifted decision-making toward validated user insights
• Progressive modernization over full rebuild: Defined a direction that could evolve within platform constraints

Defining the product vision and structure

I created a north-star vision and design roadmap to guide the product and engineering teams.

• Defined core workflows based on real agent tasks
• Simplified task flows to reduce cognitive load
• Introduced structure and hierarchy to replace dense interfaces
• Aligned design direction with platform capabilities

Designing for usability in a high-pressure environment

Call center agents work under time pressure and performance metrics. The design needed to reduce effort while supporting accuracy.

• Prioritized high-frequency tasks over rarely used features
• Reduced information density to improve learnability
• Integrated supporting content directly into workflows
• Designed for different levels of agent experience

Introducing a more effective product approach

The existing process followed a waterfall model with limited user involvement.

I worked with teams to introduce:

• User research and validation before development
• Iterative design and testing
• Closer collaboration between product, design, and engineering

This helped shift the team toward a more modern product development approach.

Impact

• Recovered a stalled redesign effort and re-established a clear product and design direction
• Introduced user-centered design practices into a previously waterfall-driven process
• Aligned product, design, and engineering teams around real agent workflows instead of assumptions
• Shifted the focus from isolated screen redesigns to system-level workflow improvements
• Delivered a validated product direction, enabling teams to move into development with greater clarity and reduced risk

This work established the foundation for a more scalable, user-centered call center platform and helped the organization transition toward a more effective product development approach.