Introduction
Telia aimed to Redesign its Wi-Fi device setup experience by replacing a manual, support needed process with a intuitive in-app experience.
Role
Leading design process, including user research, UX strategy, UI design, collaboration with stakeholders, aligning technical implementation with developers.
Primary objective
Redesign and automate the SmartControl app’s install flow to reduce user friction and improve completion rates, using usability metrics that were already there as a benchmark for success.
Secondary Objectives
Use historical usability metrics (e.g. setup time, success/failure rates) from the legacy install flow to evaluate impact.
Validate user pain points and needs through interviews and support data.
Analyse competitor onboarding flows to identify best practices in IoT and smart home app design.
Apply technical opportunities like pre-provisioned devices to reduce cognitive load and setup complexity.
Success Criteria
Reduced Installation Time - Legacy install flow approximately took 12 minutes for user to set up. I’ve estimated a 20-40% shorter user journey.
Less Support Tickets - Reduce support tickets, before - almost 1 in 225 installs ends in a support ticket.
CSAT, UX - Grow customer satisfaction and service activation score, improve general UX.
Research Insights
After conducting user interviews, reviewing support tickets, and analyzing behaviour via Firebase and Medallia session recordings, I identified several recurring pain points in the installation flow:
Uncertainty during device pairing:
During the 1-5 minute wait time when the app searched for the router or extender, users reported confusion. Without clear feedback or expectations, they weren't sure if the process was working or if they had done something wrong.
Less steps to complete install flow:
The original install flow consisted of approximately 30 screens, many of which contained unnecessary content or suffered from poor information architecture. Both user feedback and personal observation highlighted that customers expected the onboarding for a premium service to be much faster and more streamlined.
Manual data entry creates friction:
Reduce support tickets, before - almost 1 in 225 installs ends in a support ticket.
Solution Hypotheses
Reducing Confusion During Device Identification:
If we provide real-time feedback, clear progress indicators, and helpful messaging during device search, then users will feel more confident and less likely to abandon the setup process.
Reducing Steps in the Install Flow:
If we reduce the number of steps in the install flow by grouping related actions and removing unnecessary confirmations, then users will complete the setup faster and with less cognitive load - leading to higher completion rates and a more seamless experience.
Eliminating Manual Input with Automation:
If we automate device detection using QR scanning, BLE, or backend provisioning, then users will complete the setup faster and with fewer errors, reducing frustration and support tickets.
Design Process
Approaching this redesign, I focused on reducing friction, building user confidence, and aligning closely with technical realities from day one. My process combined deep collaboration with technical teams, early design exploration, and behavioural thinking to shape an install experience that felt intuitive - even when things didn’t go as planned.
Technical Discovery and Automation Alignment.
Worked closely with Telia’s architects and engineers to understand what was technically achievable. I've Facilitated several UX workshops, we've confirmed automation possibilities and decided to use pre-provisioned device data, BLE, and QR code scanning. This gave us a strong foundation to remove manual steps entirely - a huge win from a UX and support standpoint.
Iterative Prototyping and Early Feedback.
With those opportunities mapped out, I explored a few different design directions - ranging from straight forward, single-path flows to more modular, guided experiences. I built interactive prototypes early and started testing them through interviews with test users. One focus area was the device pairing phase, which can take up to 5 minutes. Instead of showing a spinner and hoping for the best, I introduced small, meaningful UI notes and micro interactions to reassure users and set expectations. I also adjusted tone and messaging, introduced user friendly fallbacks.
Designing for the Edge Cases (Fallbacks).
One thing I insisted on was designing smart, helpful fallback experiences - not just dumping users into a manual screen when automation failed. I created fallback paths with visual instructions, optional manual entry with error prevention, and retry loops that didn’t reset the whole flow. These weren't scoped at the start, but they turned out to be essential.
Behavioural Thinking Behind the Flow.
Some of the design logic is based on BJ Fogg’s behavioural model - especially the idea that behaviour happens when motivation, ability, and prompts align. I didn’t apply it academically, but it helped me make sense of the flow: Is this step intuitive? Is it easy enough? Are we prompting at the right time? That thinking helped shape inclusive experience among all user segments.
Bringing in Telia’s New Design System.
This was actually the first app in Telia’s ecosystem to adopt the new app design guidelines - a fresh design system built specifically for native mobile. I had the chance to contribute to shaping the system itself, and then fully implemented it within the SmartControl install flow.
It was a bit of a challenge at first, since everything from spacing to component behaviour had changed, but it ended up giving the app a much more polished, modern feel. It also set the tone for how future Telia apps would look and behave - so I’m glad I got to help set that foundation.
Solution: UI Redesign in Telia Apps by Aleksas.
Validation & Testing
We explored multiple setup flows, developing functional prototypes to test different onboarding methods. It was quite a challenge due to the diverse user group - we had a wide age range of 18 to 70+, with varying levels of technical knowledge and capabilities.
Methodology
Prototypes were tested in Telia's Hardware labs with internal employees + real users.
We ran A/B tests on different versions to track impact on setup time and activation rates.
Key Discoveries
92% of participants completed the install flow without external help.
Users responded positively to progress indicators during the device search phase and general installation.
The QR code and auto-detection features eliminated frustration around manual inputs.
Older, non-tech savvy users would prefer having a manual flow / fallback.
Solution: Eliminating Manual Input with Automation.
Solution: Reducing Confusion During Device Identification.
Impact
Data: 3-Months after Redesign release. Norway, Sweden, Lithuania.
Reflection
This was a great challenge. Collaboration with Telia was smooth and productive. I appreciated the strong sense of ownership and the trust placed in me to lead the redesign. The redesign successfully met most expectations, and after launch, support tickets primarily related to Telia’s service rather than the Installation Flow itself. Internal stakeholders valued the clear visibility into the design’s impact.
