OVERVIEW

The Children’s Discovery Museum of San Jose aimed to create transformative learning experiences for young visitors by addressing three key areas:

• Personalized learning: Design exhibits targeting different developmental stages, tailoring each child’s visit to their interests and abilities.

• Engaging experiences: Integrate technology and activities that promote critical thinking, creativity, and teamwork for children and families.

• Global connections: Link exhibits to local and global issues, fostering environmental awareness and civic responsibility.

I joined a three-person design team on this project, focusing on production execution while two designers led research and strategy. The Creative Director primarily oversaw the client relationship. My work translated insights from stakeholder interviews, UX reviews, and data analysis into tangible design solutions for both the website and on-site experiences. We also explored how emerging technologies like AR and Generative AI could enhance hands-on exhibits—while keeping the experience fun, human-centered, and accessible for families.

THE PROBLEM

Fragmented systems and inconsistent workflows threatened business continuity during a critical post-merger transition.

T-Mobile faced the dual challenge of modernizing its frontline digital experience while preparing for the high-stakes integration with UScellular. Frontline employees had to navigate disconnected tools, inconsistent data, and inefficient workflows, limiting their ability to serve customers effectively during the transaction Close and the subsequent 100 days.

At the same time, customers experienced friction and a lack of parity with frontline capabilities, eroding trust and increasing operational costs. The impending brand migration further raised the stakes, requiring continuity across systems, experiences, and touchpoints throughout the Pre-Close, 100-Day, and Post-100-Day phases.

Without a unified, intelligent digital ecosystem, neither employees nor customers could operate at their full potential—putting operational efficiency, customer loyalty, and brand integrity at risk.

THE SOLUTION

Develop creative ideas to enhance engagement, offering new ways to connect with families and inspire children. We will analyze visitor, donor, and member data to uncover insights that help CDM attract new visitors, strengthen community ties, and increase loyalty among members and donors. We will provide strategic recommendations to transform the website, making it an integral part of the visitor journey, and develop creative concepts that bring these ideas to life.

RESEARCH

Developed personas based on data analytics

Museum Heuristics

Website Heuristics

1. Data Collection and Evaluation: Start by collecting retail

2. Visitor Profiling: Analyze

3. Segment Prioritization: Prioritize segments that align

4. Priority Segment Analysis: Use Matrix

5. Strategy & Synthesis

DESIGN

XX

Website Concepts

XX

Creative Ideas

My Museum BFF

What if parents and guardians invited their children to create their own personal guide to the museum?

Using the concept of an imaginary friend, children can use genai to create the name, species–everything–before you leave your house. When you get to the museum, your BFF is there waiting for you at the entrance, just as you had designed them. Children can explore the museum as they wish, while their parents use their mobile devices to surprise their children with the BFF they created. Who knows, their BFF might even be waiting for them on the website when they return.    

Phase 3: Post 100 Day

This phase focused on wrapping up the UScellular digital transition and ensuring a smooth handoff to T-Mobile teams. Work included collaborating with IT and Product to plan the decommissioning of USCC digital assets, creating a comprehensive Handoff Document with design structure and technical setup, and transitioning USCC Figma files into T-Mobile’s design system. The goal was to provide a clear, maintainable framework for future teams and ongoing digital operations.

Phase 4: “Magenta Complete”

This phase focused on designing the full digital experience for when all UScellular customers, stores, and systems transition to T-Mobile. Work included user flows, wireframes, high-fidelity screens, and prototypes for both Consumer and T-Mobile for Business onboarding and account experiences, while collaborating closely with product, CX, marketing, and engineering teams. The goal was to create a seamless, intuitive experience and a smooth handoff to development.