Toni Astala

Redesigning the Haka Web Service

2015

Problem: The Finland-wide used web wervice was in dire need of redesign; the current version was over 10 years old. User needs and the provided solutions had to be re-evaluated.

Solution: I conduted 27 user interviews to include all user segments. With the insights gained in the interviews, I updated the focus of the service and started designing a new UX using Mobile First design principles. The new Haka is still under development.

My Role: As UX Designer and Project Engineer at SPEK the whole re-design was on my responsibility. During the design process I worked tightly with the product owner and the end users. I also participated in managing the project as a whole, served as a bridge between the technical and the non-technical staff, and determined options for the implementation.

Top Skills Picked Up: UX design, CX design, service design, user research, project management, prototyping

Improving the CX of TrademarkNow's Sales Process

2016

Problem: TrademarkNow's product is ahead of competition on most aspects, but their prospect-to-customer conversion rate during their sales process is very low. My team was tasked with finding the reasons behind this and forming solutions. The project was part of the Summer of Customer Experience program organized by User Intelligence.

Solution: Together with my team I interviewed key personnel within TrademarkNow, evaluated previous customer studies, and analyzed recordings of user sessions related to the sales process. We formed suggestions on a few topics: improving communication between the prospects and the sales specialists, implementing an in-app onboarding, and creating a systematic feedback loop.

My Role: As project manager, I kept our team focused on the key issues and tasks, and ensured the project shaped up on schedule. I handled the communications towards TrademarkNow and User Intelligence, and conducted a key interview. My focus was on the big picture and forming the final suggestions for improving TrademarkNow's sales CX.

Top Skills Picked Up: Improving CX, service design, project management, sales processes, user research

BMI Innovation Project: Concepting Lääkkeet.fi

2014

Problem: My team in the BMI Innovation Project was tasked by Pharmaceutical Information Centre Ltd (Lääketietokeskus Oy) to create a concept for an easy-to-use, interactive online platform, with which patients can report their experiences with their medicine. The information would be used by government officials, researchers, and pharmaceutical companies to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the medicine.

Solution: We identified the main problems for the project to be:
1. How to reach and engage the target audience
2. How to get around the weak IT skills and the reluctant attitude of the target audience
3. How to gain a diverse and varied user base

Our solution to these problems was Lääkkeet.fi – an accessible internet service that serves as a place to get accurate information about medicine, a place to discuss medicine with peers and professionals, and a place to report both normal effects and side effects of your medicine.

My Role: We worked very closely as a team. My focus was in creating user paths and concepting the service from ground up. I was also responsible for the protoype mockups.

Top Skills Picked Up: Concepting a web service, service design, prototyping, CX design, working with an interdisciplinary team (4 vastly different fields of study)

Virtual Solar Power Plant Business Case

2015

Problem: My team in the Tuotantotalouden Studio course was tasked by Fortum to evaluate the concept of Virtual Solar Power Plants (VSPP) from a business perspective, and form suggestions for Fortum on how to utilize VSPPs in their business. VSPPs are currently emerging as an option for solar power fluctuation management, and the concept is still so new its effectiveness is largely unknown.

Solution: We divided our work into three parts:
1. A review of existing publications about VSPPs and our own expert interviews
2. Forming a small-scale VSPP from the data sets of independent solar power plants and statistically analyzing the results
3. Summarizing the findings and forming suggestions for Fortum.

Our suggestion to Fortum was to link all the solar panels that Fortum sells to it's own systems. Fortum needs to start collecting data about their energy production in order to predict the energy production of small scale solar power plants in the future. The difference in predictability will cause sizable benefits or losses as small scale energy production increases in the future. We formed a timeline for the future of VSPPs and listed important actions at each step.
The final presentation can be found here.

My Role: I was responsible for organizing the data from our set of independent solar power plants, aggregating it into a VSPP, and using statistical methods to analyze the results. I also focused on creating our final suggestions for Fortum.

Top Skills Picked Up: Data analysis, forming a detailed business suggestion, pitching

Program Coordinator at Startup Life

8/2016 ->

• • Finding, reviewing, and selecting startups for the program
• • Meeting, pitching to, and negotiating with startups in Silicon Valley and San Francisco
• • Managing relations and cooperation with program alumni
• • Creating marketing material and content
• • Selecting applicants for the program
• • Pitching Startup Life in various events and situations
• • Interviewing and sparring selected applicants
• • Developing the program further (expanding to China, Sweden, etc.)

Top Skills Picked Up: Pitching, recruiting, marketing, reviewing businesses, dynamic teamwork, negotiating

Team Leading Experiences:

Team Lead at Slush 2016

• • Recruiting, training and leading three group leads, leading a total of 28 volunteers
• • Planning the operations and functions of Volunteer Area
• • Creating and managing partneships with companies relevant to Volunteer Area
• • In the future: Practical arrangements in the area during the event
• • Participating in leadership workshops and completing a leadership course organized by Aalto and Slush in preparation for the event

Top Skills Picked Up: Leadership, negotiating deals, recruiting, building team spirit, planning operations

Group Lead at Slush 2015

• • Recruiting, training and leading the international team of 13 volunteers
• • Taking care of the pre-booked meetings and events in Kokoustamo
• • Practical arrangements in the area during the event of 15 000 visitors
• • Top-level customer experience which was highly praised internationally
• • Participated in leadership workshops organized by Aalto and Slush in preparation for the event

Top Skills Picked Up: Leadership, recruiting, building team spirit, planning and overseeing operations

Sales Team Leader at Friendly Security

1/2013 - 8/2013

• • Managing the sales operations of the company (a franchising partner of Verisure)
• • Interviewing and choosing a team of 8 sales representatives
• • Training the sales personnel together with our sales coaches
• • Performing sales negotiations with prospects

Top Skills Picked Up: Leadership, sales, negotiating deals, building team spirit, recruiting, planning and overseeing operations

B2B Customer Service Representative at Hosmed

6/2014 - 5/2015 & 1/2016 - 8/2016

• • Handling offer requests and sales
• • Reviewing and improving quotations in collaboration with other staff
• • Handling inbound and outbound wares
• • Training new employees
• • Creating small software applications to automate tasks

Top Skills Picked Up: B2B sales and customer service, creating quotations, training, programming