Internship Story
2 min read
I interned as a UX Researcher to drive strategic improvements and enhance user experience across various Knox solutions. As part of the product team, I collaborated closely with UX designers, UX writers, and product managers to help them make informed decisions. My Research has helped refine existing designs, shape new features, and enabled cross-functional teams to develop new strategies and initiatives based on data-driven insights.
BACKGROUND
What is Samsung Knox?
Samsung Knox provides enterprise-grade solutions for enterprises to support IT admins in device management, troubleshooting, and asset intelligence. Some of our products include:
Knox Manage
Powerful cross-platform EMM optimized for Samsung devices.
Knox Asset Intelligence
Get actionable insights with in-depth data analytics.
Celine sent a message.
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PROJECTS
Conducted research for 13+ projects.
I worked on several mix-methods research projects across various Knox solutions and project phases. This includes exploratory, summative, and formative research processes. My contributions included:
5 Knox Solutions
Conducted exploratory and evaluative research on new feature ideas and redesigns, delivering insights that guided product strategy and design decisions.
5 Strategic Projects
Used mix-methods research to shape product roadmaps, inform new project initiatives, and help cross-functional teams make data-driven decisions.
3 Partner Portals
Improved the usability and sales experience of multiple partner-facing portals. I focused on optimizing task flows to support sales efficiency and increase customer conversion.
Celine sent a message.
1m
HIGHLIGHTS 1
Knox Asset Intelligence
Problem
Knox Asset Intelligence had one of the lowest activation and retention rates across our product suite. Stakeholders were concerned, but lacked a clear understanding of how our customers used the product.
My Role
Led and conducted semi-structured interviews. I then triangulated the findings with survey data and cross-platform analytics. Then, I presented and co-facilitated the workshop involving stakeholders up to Head of Site level.
Impact
Provided insights that shaped our strategic recommendations and developed a user-journey map for device lifecycle management which increased our stakeholders understanding of how KAI fits into IT admins’ workflows.
HIGHLIGHTS 2
Samsung Knox Website
Problem
Stakeholders observed a decline in activation rates, yet they lacked up-to-date research on our website and purchasing experience (especially after introducing a new product). They didn’t know how customers navigate the buying process, what touchpoints they use, or who who holds the decision-making power to procure a tool.
My Role
Unmoderated user testing, card sorting, and semi-structured interviews to investigate why there was a decline in activation rates and understand our customer's purchasing journey and touchpoints they interact with. I triangulated all insights to create 6 user personas and 3 journey maps posters.
Impact
Findings and deliverables are used across UX, Sales, and Marketing teams. Marketing leveraged them to refine the communication style on the website, Sales updated their pitching strategy based on clearer journey insights, and the UX team used insights to improve the site’s design and reduce drop-off points — ultimately supporting higher conversion rates.
HIGHLIGHTS 3
Knox Manage
Problem
Knox Manage was entering a new product cycle, and PMs were beginning to explore ideas for future features. As UXR, we needed to uncover genuine pain points and unmet needs that could guide future feature development before any solutions were defined. At the same time, the team had a newly prototyped feature that needed evaluation and variations tested.
My Role
Conducted semi-structured interviews, ran both moderated and unmoderated usability testing, and led research operations across multiple studies. I also assisted in designing the structure our brainstorming workshops with PMs and UX designers.
Impact
The findings helped PMs and designers understand usability issues and the effectiveness of design variations, while also revealing opportunity areas grounded in actual user needs. These insights informed both near term iterations and early product strategy, and the design changes have since been shipped.
IMPACT
What is the outcome of my research efforts?
Supporting 5+ New Initiatives
My research has helped inform new cross-functional projects and strategies. My personas and journey maps were continually referenced throughout the year and was even framed in HQ!
Improved User Experience
I shaped recommendations that directly influenced design improvements and ensured that the product better met customer needs.
Amplifying the Customer's Voice
Increased awareness and understanding of user pain points among internal teams, fostering a more user-centric mindset when making product decisions!
Increasing Retention
By generating comprehensive reports on barriers and motivators, I helped inform strategic solutions aimed at increasing customer retention and feature adoption across Knox products.
KEY LEARNINGS
Being pro-active in the work that I do.
Stakeholder Management
Understanding stakeholder needs helped me tailor my presentations for maximum impact. Knowing what data speaks to the audience made insights more actionable and likely to inform product decisions.
Leveraging Existing Data
One key takeaway was recognizing the wealth of existing data available within the company. I learned to utilize tools like Google Analytics and Tableau to make my research more robust and persuasive.
Flexible Research Plans
When faced with recruitment issues or a shift in project priorities, I learned to identify which aspects of the research can be trade off, adapted, or simplified to keep up with constraints and fast-paced environments.
Finding Support for Recruitment
Building relationships with internal teams and understanding their responsibilities made it easier to recruit participants and gain access valuable data sources.
Memory Collage
REFLECTION
Learning and growing with the UXR Team.
Ultimately, working with the Knox UXR team has been an incredible experience. I learned that research only drives change when you communicate your findings through the art of storytelling. I found that journey maps and personas another effective approach that could turn complex findings into actionable insights that stakeholders could act on.
Another rewarding aspect was seeing how my research was utilized to inform product decisions and strategic initiatives. My insights contributed not just to UX, but to the broader customer experience and service design considerations across the organization. The support and mentorship I received from the team helped me grow not only as a researcher, but also as a collaborator and problem-solver.
