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Case Study

Getting it fixed

Optimizing IT support for a leading media company

The Problem

A major media company faced significant technical support challenges when mission-critical hardware—such as microphones and cameras—failed. Their existing ticketing system lacked key functionality, leading to longer downtimes, frustrated employees, and operational inefficiencies.

The company needed a solution to streamline IT support requests, reduce response times, and improve user experience, ensuring broadcast operations could run smoothly without unnecessary disruptions.

The Team

As UX Strategy & Design Lead, I guided the research, design, and implementation process alongside a 5-person team, consisting of:

  • 4 Developers (3 off-shore, 1 on-shore)
  • 1 ServiceNow Implementation Lead

The Results

By implementing a modern, user-friendly ticketing system, we significantly improved IT response times and reduced operational disruptions. The new platform streamlined hardware support requests, empowering employees to get the help they needed faster and with less frustration.

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Months

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% efficiency increase

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Satisfaction score

The Objective

Our goal was to use a human-centered approach to:

  • Assess current challenges in the IT support process
  • Provide recommendations for a new system
  • Redesign the user interface to improve usability
  • Implement ServiceNow as the organization’s new support platform

The Approach

User Research & Interviews

To understand the root causes of inefficiencies, I conducted 32 user interviews across the organization. The goal was to evaluate how employees used the current system, uncover pain points, and determine what they needed in a new platform.

I also conducted “over-the-shoulder” observational sessions to see how users interacted with the system in real-time.

Conducted

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observation sessions

Interviewed

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IT users

Interviewed

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End users


Personas & Key Insights

From the research, I identified two core user groups:

  • IT Users (those receiving and managing tickets)
  • End Users (those submitting tickets)

I developed mini-personas that outlined:

  • Context – When and how they used the system
  • Challenges – Pain points in their current workflow
  • Design Motivations – What they needed from a new system

Through this analysis, I distilled the findings into 10 key insights, which played a crucial role in the selection of ServiceNow as the new platform.

Customer Journey Mapping

I mapped the end-to-end IT support process, breaking it into three phases:

  1. Problem Discovery – Recognizing the issue and deciding to submit a ticket
  2. Ticket Entry & Submission – Logging the issue and system interaction
  3. Fulfillment & Completion – IT resolution, follow-up, and ticket closure

By analyzing key touchpoints in each phase, I made targeted recommendations to improve usability and efficiency. Additionally, motivational design patterns were incorporated to encourage user adoption and behavioral change.

Wireframes & Prototyping

To establish the structure and user flow, I created 25 wireframes, which I then transformed into a clickable InVision prototype. These wireframes focused purely on layout and functionality, allowing stakeholders to test the experience before visual design was applied.

UI Design & Responsive Implementation

I designed a fully responsive, mobile-first interface that layered seamlessly onto ServiceNow.

Key deliverables included:

  • High-fidelity UI designs for all critical screens
  • Animated interaction samples to guide development
  • Detailed specs to ensure seamless execution

The design was so well-received that the client adopted it as the foundation for their new company intranet.

Visual Portfolio, Posts & Image Gallery for WordPress

“Based on the findings and insights, ServiceNow was the obvious choice”

VP, Project Management

Design System & Handoff

To ensure long-term scalability, I developed a detailed style guide and design system, equipping the internal team with:

  • Consistent design patterns for future growth
  • Pixel-perfect specs for smooth developer implementation
  • Ongoing visual QA support to maintain design integrity

Lessons Learned

  • A 24-hour news organization never stops
    IT support must be built for speed and efficiency.
  • Listening is a critical skill in user interviews
    Users often reveal more in casual conversations than in structured Q&A.
  • ServiceNow is powerful but complex
    Customization requires a balance between flexibility and usability.
  • Creating internal “champions” is key
    Having advocates within the company ensures smoother adoption of new tools.
  • Frequent progress updates drive buy-in
    Regular presentations helped align stakeholders and speed up approvals.
  • A well-designed ticketing system can have a massive impact
    When done right, it streamlines operations and improves employee experience