Designing a data-driven discovery engine for Fios TV

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, "business as usual" vanished overnight. Verizon launched the Build the Future Challenge to find tech-driven ways to keep customers safe without sacrificing service. Out of 1,300+ submissions, our agile design team took home 1st Place for a solution that bridged the gap between digital convenience and physical retail.

Designing a data-driven discovery engine for Fios TV

Let’s be real… picking a TV or streaming plan is a headache. With 400+ channels and endless bundles, most customers just guess and then regret it.

As the Visual and Interaction Design Lead, I headed up the Verizon Fios TV Test Drive. It’s a digital tool that lets users explore every single channel for 60 days, tracks what they actually watch, and then tells them exactly which plan fits their life.

Role

Visual and Interaction Design Lead

Client

Verizon

Timeline

6 Months

Platform

Desktop, Tablet, Mobile

Stack

Sketch, Invision, Principle, Adobe Photoshop, Asana

Challenge

AT&T’s legacy quoting process was slow, manual, and disconnected.

My challenge was to lead the design of a unified CPQ engine that stripped away the noise and let sellers get back to what they do best: closing.

Challenge

Even with a world-class design system, the user problem was massive: 400+ channels and zero guidance.

The Guesswork
Users picked plans based on what they thought they’d watch.
The Friction
Confusing bundles led to high abandonment rates during the shopping journey.

35%

MVP Take Rate

Exceeded the initial adoption target of 30%.

30%

Sales Lift

Significant increase in monthly program gross sales.

-60%

Churn Reduction

Customers who chose plans based on data were far more likely to stay.

FiOS Team - Startup Within a Giant

Before the product launched, we had to build the engine. Fios functioned as a startup incubator within Verizon, tasked by the VP and Head of Design to disrupt and modernize a legacy industry.

Founding Member

I was one of the first 10 UX designers hired to kickstart this mission.

Before the product launched, we had to build the engine. Fios functioned as a startup incubator within Verizon, tasked by the VP and Head of Design to disrupt and modernize a legacy industry.

FiOS Team - Startup Within a Giant

Founding Member

I was one of the first 10 UX designers hired to kickstart this mission.

Scaling the Culture

Over two years, I helped the team more than double in size, actively interviewing and onboarding talent to scale our operating model.

Building the Blueprint

I was a core contributor to the Fios Design System, creating the components and visual tokens that were eventually adopted across all Fios products to ensure a premium, unified experience.

Solution

Key Features

We moved from "Guessing" to "Knowing." By leading the Visual Design Pod, I ensured the "Test Drive" felt like a premium concierge service rather than a sales tool.

The 60-Day Window

Unlimited access to reveal true household preferences.

Automated Recommendations

A transparent suggestion delivered via the new Fios Design System components.

Multi-Channel Marketing

I designed the landing page and product video to onboard users into this new "Try Before You Buy" philosophy.

Process

From Sketch to Scale

Strategy

Leveraged user surveys to define the "Real Problem", personalized guidance was missing.

System Design

Utilized our custom Fios components to build high-fidelity wireframes that balanced brand and utility.

Collaboration

Partnered with PMs and Devs to ensure the 60-day tracking logic translated into a simple UI.

Process

Human-Centered Design Thinking

Research

Conducted competitive analysis and user surveys to define the "Real Problem", lack of personalized guidance.

User Journey

Mapped the transition from "Confused & Fatigued" to a "Seamless & Confident" ideal state.

Visual Design

Led the creation of high-fidelity wireframes in Figma, ensuring strict adherence to Verizon’s design system.

Prototyping

Developed interactive prototypes to test onboarding flows and recommended plan layouts.

Key Takeaways

Start Small, Scale Fast

Being part of the "First 10" taught me how to maintain design quality during hyper-growth.

Systems are Foundations

You can't solve complex problems like "Choice Paralysis" without a robust design system to back you up.

Transparency is the Best UX

When a brand shows you why it's making a recommendation, the user feels in control.

Back

Designing a data-driven discovery engine for Fios TV

Let’s be real… picking a TV or streaming plan is a headache. With 400+ channels and endless bundles, most customers just guess and then regret it.