Re-thinking the companion app for a major global automaker
Duration
6 months
Role
Lead Designer
Team
2 Designers
Impact
Roughly 1-million monthly active users
Client
Major Global Automaker
What happens when user expectations clash with the realities of corporate bureacracy?
A major automaker wanted to launch a 5-star mobile companion app in an industry notorious for poor digital experiences. Our research revealed the gap between user expectations and technical realities: the most desired features (real-time vehicle data, remote controls) weren’t going to be feasible for their initial release.
We faced a choice: launch a compromised version of what users expected, or build something different that could actually work well.
The strategic question that changed everything
Instead of asking “How do we build what users want?” we asked “What can we build exceptionally well with the organizational and technical constraints we’re working within?”
Our product manager didn’t have the political capital to execute the advanced features users expected. Rather than launch a compromised version that would disappoint, we focused the MVP on vehicle management, dealer services, and personalized content—areas where we could deliver quality without fighting upstream battles.
Building for the future while delivering today
The app included thoughtful personalization and engaging micro-interactions that made basic functionality feel premium. More importantly, we architected the foundation to support advanced features when the technology caught up to user expectations.
App store ratings steadily improved post-launch, proving that execution quality matters more than feature quantity.
Global innovation recognition
Our approach earned an invitation to represent North America at the automaker’s global CX hackathon. Instead of typical automotive features, we developed concepts around family safety, comprehensive vehicle personalization, and seamless key sharing.
The jury awarded our entry “Best Overall CX” for demonstrating deep understanding of customer experience strategy. Global leadership adopted our concepts as aspirational goals for future development.
Some example slides from our storyboard and design concepts at the Global CX Hackathon