Company X
I led, envisioned, designed, and executed a global platform experience that has disrupted and redefined the global vending machine industry. This experience platform (consumer and B2B) is in use on millions of vending machines and phones, and has grossed billions dollars for just one beverage company alone.
Company
Company X is a global innovator and leader in data, communication, commerce, and consumer technologies.
Initial Challenge
Create a mobile app experience that integrates upgraded or new generations of IoT vending machines to deliver better consumer vending experiences.
Work Description
I led research and audit activities, including market segmentation, trend analysis, and forecasting. I conducted and led workshops to define the scope of the connected IoT app experience. With the scope as a deliverable complete, I successfully scaled Project X from a simple consumer mobile app to an entire industry-changing, licensable software platform.
Results
The impact of the work was staggering. I drove the project's value, reach, and vision (not costs) exponentially higher than anticipated. This has disrupted and will redefine an industry. Aside from a global, revenue-producing behemoth, the ultimate disruption is the evolution from depositing physical money into a machine to “Drinks as a Service.” This platform is in use by 80+ million people, on 20+ million vending pachines, and has made $1B+ annually.
(To respect confidentiality, I am limited to only sharing general descriptions of the work I led.)
Details
High-level VIew of the Work:
A.I.-Driven Product Recommendations (consumer) and Development (enterprise)
Research, Strategy, Product Concepts, Interaction, and Visual Design
Scalable Platform-agnostic UI
Domain Research, Product Concepts, A.I.-driven Content Strategy, Interaction and Visual Design
Smart Location Services, of Products
Strategy, Product Concepts, A.I.-driven Content Strategy, Interaction and Visual Design
Platform Level Smart Systems
From AI-driven operational and supply chain insights to consumer data-driven product development
In-depth examples:
Historical Context and System Design Evolution We developed a new vending paradigm to disrupt an industry.
Design Thinking Workshops: Scope Definition In a series of intensive workshops, I led a global team and together we defined the scope of Project X and aligned on its desired impact. It started just to prove out a mobile app idea.
Design Thinking Workshops: Upon synthesis of our scoping workshops, I led the team to the conclusion an industry-disrupting platform opportunity existed. To scale across the global vending machine experience.
Conceptual Prototype (UX only — Mid-fi Visual Design)
Less Is More, Globally An incredibly simple UX led to a highly customizable experience, for co-branding, localization and internationalization, and delivered a platform-level “kit of parts” relevant to anyone looking for refreshment. One exciting edge case was a friend in Tokyo sending a favorite hard-to-find drink gift to a friend in London.
The Future of Vending Whether NFC, Bluetooth, or any other sensor, this project proved that a number of vending methods could unlock a drink at an IoT-enabled vending machine. But the likely global scenario is the use of a smartphone. The beauty of this isn’t just convenience and refreshment, that consumer behavioral data (anonymized, protected) could be used for smarter operational efficiencies, and even aid in beverage company product development.
From Micro to Macro A simple concept of using a phone to get a drink at a vending machine evolved into a simple, scalable, licensable platform model that is reshaping the vending industry. 
End-to-End Experinece While the excitement in the room was focused on our presentation of a gorgeous, simple front-end user experience, the team went to great lengths to vet and forecast back-end and operational considerations. Efficiencies unfolded at every turn, resulting in massive operational, delivery, inventory, and supply-chain efficiencies.
Scalable to Enterprise or Consumer Desktop One benefit of the “Drink as a Service” platform is a person’s ability to see data on a larger screen such as desktop. This also allows enterprises or organizations to support employees (Eg. – a city public works department sends drink gifts to its road workers on a hot day), and monitor spend.
Simplicity to Customizations Our presented work was minimal and beautiful, but allowed vending distribution companies, beverage manufacturers and even businesses to co-brand or creat custom interfaces and their own drink mobile apps.
Additional Real-life Applications
Job & Role
Product Strategy and Design Director
Participation
Product strategy and design initiative leadership, hands-on product design work
Abilities
Domain Research, Competitor Audits, Audience Segmentation, Foresight Strategy, Scenario and Use Case Development, Product Strategy, Product Concepts, A.I.-driven Content Strategy, Product-Service Design, Interaction and Visual Design, Prototypes, DesignThinking Workshop planning, facilitation, and synthesis.