Zarah Cinarli
Visible (Shop Front)
Project Overview
Visible’s growth among tech-forward millennials highlighted a clear gap: users had to purchase devices from external stores or bring their own device, before they could activate service. This external step created confusion around unlocking carrier assigned phones, forcing users to contact competitors during onboarding, and caused significant drop-off.
The goal was to build a seamless shop experience within Visible’s own ecosystem — one that allowed customers to browse, compare, and purchase devices without ever leaving the app. As design lead, I owned strategy, UX, UI, research, and end-to-end execution across all phases of the project.
The Role & Timeline
As Senior Product Designer and UX/UI Lead, I drove the design direction across all levels of fidelity. I shaped the UX strategy, defined flows, produced interactive prototypes, and delivered complete design hand offs across both web and app. I aligning everything with Visible’s design system and partnered closely with engineering and project management team for final handoff.
I collaborated daily with PMs, content, CRM, and engineering partners. This included co-writing content with the Content Designer, coordinating with CRM to source the right research segments, planning the MVP and phased roadmap with PM, and adapting designs to Verizon’s inherited technical frameworks.
I also led the research component: designing the research plan, writing the survey, launching a 200+ user study, and turning raw SurveyMonkey data into clear UX direction.
the Problem
User Pain Points
Onboarding stalled when users needed to call their previous provider to unlock their devices. Many abandoned the process entirely, and those who wanted to purchase a new phone had no path to do so within the Visible eco system.
Business Challenges
Without a shop, Visible couldn’t:
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offer deals or financing
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control the activation experience
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prevent competitors from “winning back” users when they called to unlock their phones
To succeed, the shop needed to cut friction, expand revenue opportunities, and align Visible with standard telecom expectations.
Constraints
The project introduced several limitations that shaped the design approach. The MVP needed to ship quickly, and the initial build was required to sit on top of Verizon’s existing shop architecture. Early phases relied on web views rather than true native screens within the app experience, creating disjointed loading.
There was also limited historical insight into Visible user buying behavior. These constraints led to a phased execution model: ship MVP, gather real user feedback, then redesign with data-backed improvements.
The Goals
User Goals
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Reduce friction during onboarding
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Easily browse, compare, and purchase devices
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View deals and financing options up front
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Complete the entire journey within Visible’s app
Business Goals
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Improve onboarding completion
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Increase device sales
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Enhance Visible’s competitive stance
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Establish Visible as a full service telecom provider
Design Process
This project was setup in phases allowing for optimal results for a quick turnaround time to support both the customer and the business.
Phases of the shop design
01
MVP
To move fast, the MVP leveraged Verizon’s inherited shop skeleton. I updated the UI to match the Visible design systems standards. This version shipped within two weeks.
02
User Research
I led a 200+ participant study to validate needs across both new and long-term users. Key insights revealed that filtering, deals/sales visibility, color selection, and a quick-add interaction were essential to reducing cognitive load and helping users move faster through the experience.
03
Collab Ideation
Our team adopted a hybrid rhythm: one collaborative day for co-creation and one heads-down day for execution. Content design played a significant role, with microcopy and hierarchy refined in real time. The PM, engineering, content and design team aligned quickly and consistently throughout the project.
04
High Fidelity
Using research insights, I redesigned the shop flow: a new list page, improved filtering, upfront Affirm details, deal badges, color selectors, and early concepts for a fully native experience. Every step focused on clarity and reduction of friction.
Results & Impact
Impacts
2018
The redesigned shop experience delivered substantial improvements across user experience, onboarding efficiency, and business growth.
Key Outcomes:
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62% increase in conversion with the full shop experience
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52% reduction in onboarding dropoff after replacing the web to app handoff with native screens
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23% lift in onboarding and app driven purchases
Key Learnings
Beyond metrics, the redesign marked a meaningful shift in how Visible operated internally. Teams described the work as the moment Visible became a true telecom provider. The shop experience clarified the brand’s value, strengthened trust with users, and positioned Visible to compete directly with major carriers without sacrificing the simplicity that defines the brand.
The project ultimately transformed both user perception and business capability, laying the groundwork for Visible’s evolution into a complete, end to end digital carrier.