Refining My Epic Gear through Rapid User Testing
Transforming a complex, multi-step ski gear reservation process into a seamless digital journey for the Year 1 launch.
Role
Designer & Researcher
Client
Vail Resorts
Timeline
Q3 2024
Overview
Ski gear reservations are complicated, and business requirements led to a sub-optimal user exerperience.
The My Epic Gear (MEG) program was transitioning from a limited pilot to a high-stakes Year 1 open market launch. However, the core reservation engine—the bread and butter of the service—had become burdened by a heavy mix of C-suite business requirements, rigid legal constraints, and complex logistical logic. These factors resulted in a long, high-friction user flow that threatened to overwhelm guests. My task was to identify the most critical points of drop-off and confusion within this complex system, all while working within a tight off-season timeline and with no direct access to live users.
I focused on untangling the complexity, using available data to advocate for a simpler journey.
Because I was not permitted direct contact with real-world users, I had to be resourceful, utilizing a small cohort of internal employees as test subjects. I took this opportunity to educate the client on the research process, setting clear expectations on what internal testing could surface—such as usability papercuts and logical dead-ends—versus what it could not. By building high-fidelity interactive prototypes and presenting my findings alongside immediate design recommendations, I shifted the conversation from abstract "problems" to actionable "solutions," ensuring the project moved forward without the typical drag of long decision cycles.
I established a new standard for research-led design that secured executive buy-in and cleared the path for launch.
The project served as a masterclass in design advocacy, proving that even with limited resources, research can significantly de-risk a major product launch. By showing the client exactly where internal testers struggled, I built the trust necessary to push through critical UX improvements that had previously been deprioritized. This work didn't just fix a flow; it matured the organization's approach to product development.
Secured Near 100% Approval Rate: By presenting "Problems + Solutions" simultaneously, I minimized stakeholder friction and gained immediate approval for nearly every major UX update.
Turned Constraints into a Cultural Win: Educated stakeholders on research methodologies, leading to a permanent shift where testing became a non-negotiable part of the product lifecycle.
Decoupled Complexity from UI: Redesigned the gear fulfillment and gear selection flows to feel intuitive and lightweight, despite the heavy backend logistics powering them.
Solution-First Synthesis: Refined a presentation style that used direct quotes and video clips to build empathy and drive quick consensus among non-designers.
There's so much more to the story
I’d love to walk you through some specific highlights and the hurdles that shaped my growth through this project.