Case Study

Integrating O2 Recycle into O2

Challenge.

O2 aimed to consolidate its separate digital experiences by integrating the O2 Recycle journey into the main O2 site. The goal was to drive trade-ins for mobile devices, incentivising users with discounted offers on new devices over an 18 or 24 month contract; all while reducing internal development overhead.

Overview.

O2 wanted a quick, low-resource concept to validate the integration idea without extensive user research or component redevelopment. My task was to design a seamless, stakeholder-ready prototype that integrated the trade-in journey into the acquisition flow, ensuring consistency with O2’s established design system.

My role and approach.

Collaboration & Discovery:
I worked closely with O2’s internal creative team and stakeholders to understand key requirements and business goals.

User Flow Mapping:
I mapped the entire user journey for the existing O2 Recycle experience and the new device acquisition flow, identifying critical touchpoints for integration.
Rapid Prototyping:
Leveraging the existing design system, I created a high-fidelity prototype; bypassing the low-fidelity stage, as the well-defined user flows and pre-existing designs provided sufficient insight.
Technical Coordination:
I collaborated with Ingram Micro Services Ltd to access the APIs powering O2 Recycle, ensuring that the system could dynamically return data based on user input.
Dynamic Experience:
With input from stakeholders and cross-team collaboration, the prototype enabled dynamic toggling of offers based on the device being traded in, seamlessly integrating with O2’s broader product ecosystem.

Collaboration & Discovery:
I worked closely with O2’s internal creative team and stakeholders to understand key requirements and business goals.

User Flow Mapping:
I mapped the entire user journey for the existing O2 Recycle experience and the new device acquisition flow, identifying critical touchpoints for integration.

Rapid Prototyping:
Leveraging the existing design system, I created a high-fidelity prototype; bypassing the low-fidelity stage, as the well-defined user flows and pre-existing designs provided sufficient insight.

Technical Coordination:
I collaborated with Ingram Micro Services Ltd to access the APIs powering O2 Recycle, ensuring that the system could dynamically return data based on user input.

Dynamic Experience:
With input from stakeholders and cross-team collaboration, the prototype enabled dynamic toggling of offers based on the device being traded in, seamlessly integrating with O2’s broader product ecosystem.

Collaboration & Discovery:
I worked closely with O2’s internal creative team and stakeholders to understand key requirements and business goals.
User Flow Mapping:
I mapped the entire user journey for the existing O2 Recycle experience and the new device acquisition flow, identifying critical touchpoints for integration.
Rapid Prototyping:
Leveraging the existing design system, I created a high-fidelity prototype; bypassing the low-fidelity stage, as the well-defined user flows and pre-existing designs provided sufficient insight.
Technical Coordination:
I collaborated with Ingram Micro Services Ltd to access the APIs powering O2 Recycle, ensuring that the system could dynamically return data based on user input.
Dynamic Experience:
With input from stakeholders and cross-team collaboration, the prototype enabled dynamic toggling of offers based on the device being traded in, seamlessly integrating with O2’s broader product ecosystem.

Results and impact

Positive internal and selected external user feedback confirmed the concept’s value, leading O2 to green-light the integration for full internal development. Meanwhile, the initial product was published live to continue gathering real user insights and guide iterative improvements.

Conclusion.

This project reinforced the value of rapid prototyping and iterative validation in large-scale integrations. By leveraging existing design systems and focusing on high-impact areas, I was able to create a viable concept without unnecessary complexity, an approach I now prioritise in all my projects.

Additionally, collaborating across teams, including internal stakeholders, developers, and external API providers, deepened my understanding of how design decisions impact technical feasibility. This experience has strengthened my ability to bridge the gap between design and development, ensuring solutions are both user-friendly and technically sound.

This project highlighted the critical role of user feedback in shaping the final design. By launching a testable product early, we were able to refine it based on real user interactions. This approach reinforced my commitment to user-centric design, ensuring that the product evolves with users' needs and preferences at the forefront.

This project reinforced the value of rapid prototyping and iterative validation in large-scale integrations. By leveraging existing design systems and focusing on high-impact areas, I was able to create a viable concept without unnecessary complexity, an approach I now prioritise in all my projects.

Additionally, collaborating across teams, including internal stakeholders, developers, and external API providers, deepened my understanding of how design decisions impact technical feasibility. This experience has strengthened my ability to bridge the gap between design and development, ensuring solutions are both user-friendly and technically sound.

This project highlighted the critical role of user feedback in shaping the final design. By launching a testable product early, we were able to refine it based on real user interactions. This approach reinforced my commitment to user-centric design, ensuring that the product evolves with users' needs and preferences at the forefront.

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