Viasat Tech Tools
Mobile app for satellite installation contractors, centralizing work orders and guided installation workflows in the field. Research and design support on the Satellite Finder and Pointing & Peaking tools.
Company
Thinslices & Viasat
My role
UX UI Designer
Tools
Figma, Miro and Notion
Context and process
Viasat Tech Tools (VTT) is the all-in-one application that walks technicians through the installation process, handles work orders, and acknowledges jobs in the field. Designed to replace the need for juggling multiple apps, VTT centralises everything a technician needs to complete a job. Brought in as a third-party design contractor, the work focused on researching and improving two technically demanding tools within the app: the Satellite Finder and Pointing & Peaking, features used at the critical moment of aligning a dish and confirming signal quality on-site.
Designing for expert users in demanding conditions
Satellite technicians are skilled professionals working outdoors, often under time pressure, with one hand on a device and one eye on the dish. Research into how technicians actually used these tools on the job drove every improvement explored.
Improving what exists, not replacing it
The work wasn't about new features, it was about finding friction in existing flows and reducing it. Pointing & Peaking requires technicians to adjust antenna azimuth and elevation based on audio and on-screen feedback simultaneously, a technically precise task where a confusing UI has a direct cost. Small improvements to clarity and feedback at that step matter significantly in the field.
Contributing without ownership
Working as an outside contributor on a large, established product means adding value quickly, within constraints already in place. That required the ability to understand an unfamiliar product deeply, identify meaningful opportunities, and deliver design work that fits into an existing system rather than disrupting it.