Revitalizing Autotask LiveMobile
Background
Autotask LiveMobile is a mobile application that offers a streamlined version of Autotask PSA, a leading IT business management platform used by IT Managed Service Providers (MSPs) to manage their critical business functions. The app is designed for business owners, salespeople, service managers and technicians and provides mobile access to the major functions of Autotask PSA.
Problem
As of 2018, Autotask LiveMobile was low on the organization’s priority list and received minimal updates due to a lack of market demand for a full-fledged mobile product. However, as the MSP market evolved, there became an increasing need for a streamlined and targeted mobile experience.
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Despite the growing requests for new features and improvements, the app struggled from low adoption and it was became clear that the legacy Autotask LiveMobile product was not meeting user needs.
Project Goal
To revitalize Autotask LiveMobile and deliver a modern, streamlined PSA mobile experience that enables users to improve efficiency and meet client SLAs.
My Role
As the lead product designer, I was responsible for product strategy and definition, heuristic evaluation, user research, acceptance testing, design system management (Figma), and delivering UX/UI design prototypes and written business/functional requirements. I collaborated across the organization with other UX and UI Designers, as well as product management, engineering, QA and documentation teams.
Tools
Research
Heuristic Evaluation
At the project's onset, a heuristic evaluation was conducted to identify areas for improvement in the legacy mobile app. The evaluation resulted in several recommendations, including:
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Recommendations
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Establishing modern, clean, responsive UI & typography patterns
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Aligning user flows with real-world business processes
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Re-evaluating data visibility and information architecture
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Maximizing error prevention
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Rewriting unclear or outdated messaging
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Writing an updated and more comprehensive Help file
Competitive Analysis
A competitive analysis was also performed to understand the established standards within the industry for mobile PSA applications. The results of the analysis revealed that:
Competitive Landscape
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Some competitors had no mobile app
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Most competitors with mobile apps had minimal feature sets
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Most competitors only supported iOS or Android, not both
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Most competitors had modern, native UIs with better performance
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There was no definitive product leader in the space
User Personas
To better understand user needs and related business processes, we used two key user personas that were the target users for the app:
EXECUTIVE
Motivations
Growing the business, cultivating client relationships, promoting accountability
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Typical Tasks
Meeting with current & prospective clients, evaluating business efficiency and profitability, tracking daily work and resource utilization across the company
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Needs
Visibility into business health, automated data analysis and reporting, ability to operate the business remotely
TECHNICIAN
Motivations
Accurately tracking time worked, clearly documenting completed tasks, completing work quickly and efficiently
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Typical Tasks
Working assigned service tickets​, communicating progress updates with customer & service manager, traveling to client sites
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Needs
Ability to multitask across service tickets for multiple clients, automated time tracking, easy access to relevant information
Customer Feature Requests
We reviewed recent product feature requests across the Autotask user base and identified several opportunities for new mobile features that would directly support our target personas and better promote adoption:
Documentation Management
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To support MSPs' need for standardization, efficiency and accountability among service technicians, the app will include a feature to view recommended documentation for the service issue currently being worked, as well as a global search of all documentation.
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Sales Opportunity Management
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To improve convenience and increase the chances of closing sales, the app will include the ability to view, add and edit sales opportunities.
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Expense Report Management
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To reduce the risk of forgotten or lost expenses, the app will include a feature to view, edit or add expense reports, view expenses and associated receipts, and submit expenses for approval.
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Multitasking / Productivity
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To support the constant multitasking needs of both executives and technicians, the app will include a Work List feature to group and prioritize specific work items, a Recent Items feature to elevate recently opened items, and the ability to crosslink customer accounts, contacts, internal resource profiles, service tickets and sales opportunities for immediate access to important information.
Release Planning
The development of these new features will be done in phases, starting with a new UI that establishes a modern, native look and feel that complements the desktop version of Autotask and is available on both iOS and Android (Phase 1).
Phase 2 will add support for the Executive persona's need for visibility, analysis, and reporting via user-configurable Dashboards.
Phase 3 will add support for the Service Technician persona's need for automated time tracking, easy access to important data, and multitasking via robust Service Ticket Management features.
Prototyping
In order to establish new UX & UI standards that were mobile-appropriate yet complemented the desktop version of Autotask, the app designs went through several rounds of iterations before arriving at their final, release-ready state. These rounds included proof of concept, alpha and beta stages.
Proof of Concept
Alpha
Beta
Design System
Design System
To support the direct design work on the project, a fully-functional Figma design system was built and published within the organization. This design system promoted consistency and increased predictability across development teams, designers, and mobile operating systems (iOS & Android).
User Testing & Validation
User Acceptance Testing
To validate designs and elicit feedback, interactive prototypes or working code were utilized in a one-on-one or small group setting.
Beta Program
Additionally, the organization's "Limited Release" program offered additional opportunities to identify issues or opportunities for improvement from users with real-world data in real-world scenarios.
Final Design
Phase 1 - New UI
The final design includes a fresh, clean look and feel that is inspired by the modern UI already implemented in the flagship Autotask PSA web application and utilizes mobile-specific design standards. The login, navigation, and interactions are designed with a focus on multitasking capabilities and streamlining of key workflows, with an emphasis on key information and a structured layout for complex sets of data.
The app also leverages native OS functionality to enable smooth transitions and faster communication, upgrades the login process to support biometrics and auto-login, and implements a persistent bottom navigation bar that provides immediate access to targeted multitasking features, including a menu, dashboard, add button, recent items, and work list.
Phase 2 - Executive Persona
For the Executive persona, the app includes fully customizable, drill-in capable dashboards that provide insights into the company's financial health, efficiency metrics, resource utilization, and sales figures.
Phase 3 - Service Technician Persona
For the Service Technician persona, the app includes functionality for service ticket management, automated time tracking, easy access to important data and efficient multitasking capabilities.​
Conclusion & Key Takeaways
The redesign of Autotask's mobile experience achieved the goal of creating a modern, user-centered design that specifically targeted the needs of Autotask users. Through multiple rounds of prototyping, user testing, and validation, we were able to improve the performance, navigation, and usability of the application. Our implementation of a design system helped to ensure consistency and predictability across development teams, designers, and mobile operating systems. The application received positive feedback from users, with some indicating a desire to use LiveMobile as their primary means of interacting with Autotask PSA. Adoption of the application also increased, and we the organization remained committed to continuing to develop and improve LiveMobile to maximize its value for its users.