Overview
Team
Apple development team – SOTI
Tools
Figma, Mural, FigmJam, markers and whiteboard
Timeline
Whole design process: 1 month
Background
MobiControl needs to send commands to devices for status updates and configuration changes
Right now, MDM is mostly reactive: a device joins the management service, gets profiles to set its desired state, and then reports its status. The server and device go back and forth to confirm the device’s state and take action if needed. This back-and-forth can strain the server, especially with many devices.
Users
IT Admin who want to push configurations to a fleet of devices based on their status changes.
Current situation
The server and device go back and forth to confirm the device’s state and take action if needed.
Room for opportunity
This back-and-forth can strain the server, especially with many devices.
Problem
Unprepared for abrupt changes.
Service will be interrupted during troubleshooting.
Spend more on technical support and travel fare.
Waste time on resolving complicated issues.
Design Challenge
How might we empower IT Admin to receive device status updates and push configurations autonomously?
DDM protocol challenges MobiControl's system architecture. MobiControl, being a platform agnostic product does not prioritize one platform over another unless forced, although the goal is also to entice users building Apple profiles to utilize the tools under this new framework. Therefore, this challenges development to weave this protocol within the existing system.
Solution
Allow IT Admin responsible for building device profiles to autonomously manage their devices by building device profiles just as simple as they have in the past.
By allowing users to create DDM as a Profile type, development is able to leverage existing front-end components as opposed to breaking and reconstructing the current Profile architecture. With this, DDM offerings in MobiControl are able to hit the market sooner, and users can begin to use it's benefits.
Process
Stakeholder interview
User requirements
As an IT Admin, I need to push configurations based off of
device state updates as they happen.
Business goals
Be one of the first Mobile Device Management products that allow for
autonomous device status reporting.
Technical constraints
Be mindful of technical architecture to maintain integrity.
Exploring User Flows
Two options were drafted for leveraging Apple's DDM tools to allow for autonomous reporting. Allow users to use declarative tools from their respective locations.
Allow users to use declarative tools from their respective locations.
Allow tools to use all tools from one sentralized dialog in a profile.
Iterate and test
The design went through iterations with senior stakeholders leading to a solution designed meant to reduce opperating costs for users and aligned with senior stakeholders goals.
