ICE
From technical possibilities to mental models
Self-service at Ice is the app and Min Side, where customers can follow their data usage, pay invoices, change subscription and manage services, among other things. One of the bigger projects I worked on was improving the information architecture, so that content became easier to find and the structure matched more closely how users themselves think.
The new information architecture has four main areas: Home, Costs, Help and Shop, while Profile was moved out of the tab bar. The most important tasks, such as checking data, paying invoices and sharing data, got a clearer place. We also made the structure of the app and Min Side more alike, so users could more easily find their way between them.
We started with user tests, a sitemap and listening in at customer service to understand where users struggled in the current solution. We then ran card sorting and a competitor analysis and looked at analytics to understand which tasks mattered most and how users expected content to be grouped. Based on the insight we developed several concepts, before two different directions were prototyped and tested.
An important design choice was to organise content by how users think, rather than how it fits together technically. Card sorting showed, for example, that users connected their subscription with data and call minutes, while SIM cards and PIN/PUK were seen as more personal information. Findings like these decided both where content was placed and which features got the most room.
Background
Ice is a Norwegian mobile operator launched in 2009. It offers a nationwide mobile network with 4G and 5G, flexible subscriptions and user-friendly self-service. Ice is known for competitive prices and easy access to customer service.
Role
At Ice I worked on developing the app and Min side further. I sketched new solutions, tested them with users and worked on the design system and components in Figma. I also took part in weekly prioritisation meetings, where I contributed user insight and design expertise.
My biggest project was improving the information architecture of the app. Here I show how I approached it, and the solution we arrived at.
New information architecture
Navigation should be as intuitive as possible, with names and structure that match users’ own terms. This makes it easier to find things, keep track of where you are and navigate back.
Throughout the project I focused on identifying the most important user tasks, based on insights from user tests, analysis of user data and a thorough review of analytics.
An important goal was to highlight features that solve problems for as many users as possible, while moving less central features into the background. This means prioritising what matters most to the majority, rather than trying to solve every smaller problem that only affects a few.
As far as possible, we aim to keep the structure of the app and Min side the same. This reduces design and maintenance work and gives a more consistent experience, unless there are clear reasons for different solutions.
Process
A pre-study with user testing, a sitemap and listening in on customer service calls.
Card sorting interviews, competitor analysis and gathering analytics data.
Several concepts and ideas were developed after each research method.
Finally, two prototypes were tested against each other: one quite similar to the old design, and one with the new design.
The user tests clearly showed which way we should go.
Insight
Across all the methods, we found that paying the invoice, checking data usage, seeing detailed costs, changing subscription and sharing data are the most important tasks.
A lot of content overlaps, and users don’t quite understand the difference between it – for example invoice, usage and costs, or the subscription user versus the app user and the information that belongs to each.
Even if things belong together technically, that isn’t necessarily how users see them. We had always grouped the subscription with what it technically belongs to (number, SIM card, restrictions), but users grouped the subscription with what you get with it – call minutes, data and so on.
Solution
The new information architecture consists of four tabs: Home, Costs, Help and Shop. Profile, which used to be in the tab bar, has moved to the top-right corner. Below, I go into detail on each tab and why the design is the way it is.
Home
Home is split into three main parts: Data, Costs and Services. The most important task for users is checking how much data they have left, so that is shown at the top of the screen. Detailed data usage is also important and related to the remaining data.
Share data sits high up, as analytics showed it is the most used feature in the app – a very important task for users.
Change subscription is here because insight showed that many users use it often. For them, changing subscription mainly means adjusting how much data they have each month.
Home
Knowing the costs so far this month is very important to users, and has therefore been given high priority.
Technically, number, SIM card, restrictions and call settings are linked to the subscription, but that doesn’t reflect how users see it. They have been placed under Services, but can also be found under Profile, since users feel they belong there too.
Customer service calls showed us that information about travelling abroad is important to our users. So abroad was given special prominence in the new design.
Home
Seeing and paying the invoice is the most important task, but it’s only relevant once a month.
To make it easy to reach, the invoice is shown at the top of the home screen and the costs page when it’s unpaid. After payment it moves to the invoice archive, as other features like data usage and costs become more important.
We also chose to put “See usage” directly on the invoice. Many people call customer service to understand a higher invoice, and even though usage can be seen on Min side, most people don’t use it. We believe this change can significantly reduce the number of calls to customer service.
Tab
Here users get an overview of data usage per day and per month, plus features like share data, buy data and data control. Share data is one of the most used features, so it’s good to have it here too, even though it’s also on the home screen.
Buying a data package used to be important to show on Min side, but insight showed that users now change subscription rather than buy extra data. Data control, which used to belong to the subscription, is now placed here and lets users set limits on data usage per day or week.
Tab
All usage is gathered here in one place. User tests showed that usage (apart from data) is most relevant when it costs money, so it made sense to collect it here.
We changed the name from “Invoice” to “Costs” so the page could hold more. Tests showed that users intuitively understood that the invoice is found here.
In the new design we also moved cost control from “Subscription” to “Costs”, as this is where users expect to find it.
Tab
Insight showed us that everything you can buy should be gathered here, whether it’s a new subscription or an extra SIM card. The page has also been freshened up to make it more attractive, as this has a positive effect on sales.
Profile
Card sorting revealed that people don’t quite understand the difference between the subscription user and the app user. The new profile page therefore merges the two. Users see SIM, PIN and PUK as something personal, tied to you as a person, so it’s natural to place them here too.
Manage subscription, which used to cover restrictions, directory listing and call settings, now only covers changing subscription – as this was what users wanted.
Profile
Profile should be somewhere you rarely go, yet analytics showed it was one of the most used tabs in the old design. After more research, we found that what most people did on the profile page was click back out again – meaning it was too easy to reach. So it has moved from the tab bar to the corner.
Design system
I’ll go through the two main components used in this design: two different types of cards. Other components were used too, but this project has mostly revolved around the card components.
Card 1
This card always sits at the top of the screen and highlights the most important information at the top of the card. Stronger colours at the top draw attention upwards. The cards that belong to it show clear information that’s easy to take in, often with an icon, but they are designed to be more neutral so they don’t compete with the top for attention at first glance. That’s why the icons have a beige frame, for a more subdued look.
Card 2
This card is usually used further down the screen and holds information that isn’t directly related to the rest of the content. An illustration makes it more visually interesting and engaging. Helper text can also be added when needed.
Thanks for taking a look!
The new information architecture makes it easier for customers to find what they need – whether that’s checking their data, understanding their costs or paying the invoice – with one shared structure for the Ice app and Min Side.
