About the project
What is VPS? The Video Programming System (VPS) is an application used to program and schedule shows on Fox's television network and broadcast stations. After a decade of in-house development, Fox embarked on a modernization initiative to transition the legacy VPS to the SaaS cloud platform, Salesforce. The primary goals were to enhance the experience by replacing the outdated custom built application and reduce maintenance and support costs. I was brought in to provide solutions to the challenges of replacing a legacy system while addressing the daily pain points experienced by its users.
Challenges & Issues
The main challenge was modernizing a decade-old legacy system while maintaining business continuity and addressing user pain points within a tight 4-month timeline.
Pain Point
Outdated custom-built application with poor user experience
Pain Point
High maintenance and support costs for legacy system
Pain Point
Lack of documentation for existing system features
Pain Point
Need to maintain business continuity during transition
Pain Point
Tight timeline for delivering minimally viable product (MVP)
Pain Point
Complex workflows that needed simplification
My Role
As the onsite UX Lead, I was responsible for driving a user-centered design process within an Agile framework. My tasks included creating visual artifacts, developing rapid prototypes, and delegating tasks to an offshore design team.
Discovery & Strategy
Conducted Big Room Planning sessions to understand problems and identify priorities. Applied discovery methods to define roadmap and guide design direction.
User Research & Empathy
Conducted interviews with Programming Coordinators to gather insights, pain points, and feedback. Developed journey maps to visualize user interactions.
Information Architecture
Conducted content audit of legacy VPS application and created structured sitemap to reduce cognitive load and streamline workflows.
Design System & Implementation
Customized Salesforce Lightning Design System (SLDS) with FOX branding and created wireframes and high-fidelity mockups.
Responsibilities
As the onsite UX Lead, I was responsible for driving a user-centered design process within an Agile framework. I collaborated closely with the Fox VPS product team, Salesforce integration consultants, and LTI business analysts.
- Led user-centered design process within Agile framework
- Created visual artifacts and developed rapid prototypes
- Managed tasks and collaborated with offshore design team in India
- Conducted user interviews with Programming Coordinators
- Developed journey maps and information architecture
- Customized Salesforce Lightning Design System with FOX branding
- Hosted nightly remote scrum meetings across time zones
- Ensured seamless integration between design solutions and development
Methodologies
Discovery
Our team focused on modernizing the VPS experience for Programming Coordinators, prioritizing the Program Module due to its central role in the workflow. We had to use Salesforce's out-of-the-box or configurable objects whenever possible to streamline development.
Users primarily wanted to reduce unnecessary UI clutter and streamline workflow
Need for collaboration with peers through workflow lifecycle was critical
Mobile accessibility to VPS was important for users
CRUD operations for programs and modules were core functionality
Search and lookup capabilities were essential for efficiency
Approval workflows needed simplification and clarity
Solution
Implemented a comprehensive modernization solution using Salesforce Lightning Design System with FOX branding, focusing on streamlined workflows and mobile accessibility.
Strategy & Discovery Highlights
Aligned business requirements with Salesforce interaction patterns, streamlined Programming Coordinator VPS workflow using Salesforce's Lightning platform technology, identified areas of improvement as described by both users and business owners, and enabled the use of VPS on mobile devices (Tablet and Phone).
Journey Mapping
Journey map highlighting key tasks, motivations, and pain points to guide workflow streamlining and collaboration improvements.
Information Architecture — Legacy Audit
Legacy VPS screens used during audit to catalog modules, features, and pain points.
Sitemap & Content Inventory
Structured sitemap and inventories to reduce cognitive load and align to user and business needs.
Design System Implementation
Customized Salesforce's open-source Lightning Design System (SLDS) to maintain consistency and align with Fox's branding. Created Fox-themed templates that adhered to best practices while ensuring a seamless brand experience.
Wireframes & Mockups
Developed wireframes with annotated elements and task-specific modules using the FOX/SLDS design system. Built high-fidelity mockups to refine visual design and customize UI components.
VPS Design Artifacts
Key artifacts for Dashboard, Global Search, Record layouts and details, built with SLDS.
Key Learnings
Insights and knowledge gained from this project that shaped my approach to future work.
Television Broadcasting
Gained valuable insights into the television industry and the scheduling processes that affect the content we watch on TV daily, understanding the complex workflows behind the scenes.
System Transition
Learned effective strategies for modernizing legacy systems while maintaining business continuity, including the importance of comprehensive content audits and stakeholder alignment.
Offshore Team Management
About the dedication and hard work of managing offshore design teams across time zones, hosting nightly remote scrum meetings to ensure clear communication and efficient task progression.
SLDS Customization
Knowledge in Salesforce Lightning Design System for enterprise clients, balancing platform constraints with brand requirements and user needs.
Timeline Management
Learned to manage tight project timelines effectively, balancing discovery work with hands-on design tasks while dealing with undocumented legacy systems.
Project Overview
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