Jetpack Backups
Jetpack Backups
Company
Jetpack/WordPress
App Audience
3 million
Company
Jetpack/WordPress
App Audience
3 million
Jetpack reworked VaultPress into Jetpack VaultPress Backups to unify branding and introduce a new real-time cloud backup system—designed from the ground up for this project. I led the IA and UI/UX design, ensuring seamless integration, improved usability, rention and user satfisfaction.
Jetpack reworked VaultPress into Jetpack VaultPress Backups to unify branding and introduce a new real-time cloud backup system—designed from the ground up for this project. I led the IA and UI/UX design, ensuring seamless integration, improved usability, rention and user satfisfaction.
Key results
5M
Active Installs
270M
backups to date
↑18%
User Satisfaction
Key results
5M
Active Installs
270M
backups to date
↑18%
User Satisfaction
Key results
5M
Active Installs
270M
backups to date
↑18%
User Satisfaction
Overview
Jetpack Backups is a stand-alone WordPress plugin offering real-time, automatic backups. As the lead IA/UX architect, I took this feature from concept to launch.
This project was part of a larger initiative that included two key efforts:
Integrating VaultPress into Jetpack Backups – Streamlining product offerings, improving reliability, and enhancing user experience.
Creating a stand-alone Jetpack Backups plugin – Designing an independent backup solution with a new cloud infrastructure built from the ground up.
Problems to solve
Feature parity: To stay competitive, VaultPress required improvements in speed, reliability, and real-time backup.
Brand fragmentation: VaultPress as a separate brand caused user confusion and reduced trust.
Scalability Issues: Legacy infrastructure lacked speed and extensibility.
Cross-team alignment: Priorities were not balanced across all engineering teams requiring design.
Objectives
Create a cloud-based platform that could become
the home for all Jetpack services.Optimize Backup speeds.
Enhance Backup offering.
Create a stand-alone Backup plugin.
Prioritize as a group to ensure designers work on projects with
the most impact.
Defining, aligning, fact-finding (~3 days)
Identified key baseline metrics and KPIs, led cross-functional scoping discussions, and conducted SWOT & internal metrics analysis to identify pain points and opportunities for improvement.
Workflow process (~1 day)
Our bias for action sometimes impacted efficiency. I partnered with engineering to pilot a small but effective process tweak, which was later scaled across the division.
Working in parallel with engineering ( Zero -1 : 3months)
Identified structures and features that would be ported over as is. Helped structure short-term sprints and the long-term roadmap.
Use cases & task-based journeys (~2 days)
Documented key user journeys and task flows to ensure seamless functionality in the new Jetpack Cloud environment.
Experience mapping (~2-3 days)
To ensure the app provides accurate, consistent feedback at all key touchpoints, I detailed how every user action triggers a system response. Deep dive into micro-interactions, ensuring each interaction provides clear, intuitive feedback.
Bare bones design system (~ 2 days)
Developed a Jetpack-aligned backup brand guide with core components, ensuring visual consistency and providing engineering with reusable UI elements before final designs were completed.
Rapid wireframing & iterative testing ( Zero -1 : 3months)
Quickly prototyped new features for validation to feed smaller, research-driven iterations
to engineering. .
MY process
Before and after
Process
Automattic is a fast-paced organization with a bias for action. We move fast, iterate quickly, and prioritize execution. But by adding just the right amount of structure, we amplified our impact, streamlined workflows, and ensured designers worked on the highest-impact projects.
↑58%
Team productivity
Complex tasks and worflows
Introducing a New Mental Model: Real-Time Backups
Users needed to understand and adopt the shift from manual/scheduled backups to an always-on, real-time backup system within Jetpack.
2. Multi-Host Credential Management
Users had to securely add and manage server credentials across up to 20 different hosting providers, each with unique authentication processes.
3. Seamless Password Reset in a Jetpack-Branded Experience
The password reset flow had to align with WordPress branding while maintaining a consistent Jetpack experience, preventing user confusion.
4. Balancing Depth & Simplicity in Backup Error Messaging
IT professionals needed access to detailed technical error logs for troubleshooting.
Non-technical users required a simplified, digestible version to avoid overwhelming complexity.
Cross-Environment Compatibility
The UI needed to be flexible and modular to support four different WordPress environments without requiring major design overhauls.
Overview
Jetpack Backups is a stand-alone WordPress plugin offering real-time, automatic backups. As the lead IA/UX architect, I took this feature from concept to launch.
This project was part of a larger initiative that included two key efforts:
Integrating VaultPress into Jetpack Backups – Streamlining product offerings, improving reliability, and enhancing user experience.
Creating a stand-alone Jetpack Backups plugin – Designing an independent backup solution with a new cloud infrastructure built from the ground up.
Problems to solve
Feature parity: To stay competitive, VaultPress required improvements in speed, reliability, and real-time backup.
Brand fragmentation: VaultPress as a separate brand caused user confusion and reduced trust.
Scalability Issues: Legacy infrastructure lacked speed and extensibility.
Cross-team alignment: Priorities were not balanced across all engineering teams requiring design.
Objectives
Create a cloud-based platform that could become
the home for all Jetpack services.Optimize Backup speeds.
Enhance Backup offering.
Create a stand-alone Backup plugin.
Prioritize as a group to ensure designers work on projects with
the most impact.
Defining, Aligning, Fact-Finding
I identified key baseline metrics, created KPIs, and conducted scoping discussions with stakeholders, engineers, and designers. I also analyzed user satisfaction metrics and other existing VaultPress data to identify pain points and opportunities for improvement.
Process
I suggested an agile workflow and a new Asana board view. This was new to the team.
Engineering Kickstart & 1:1 Carryovers:
In collaboration with engineering and product, we pinpointed features that could be carried over 1:1, enabling engineering to start work immediately and ensuring no engineering downtime.
Use Case Mapping & Task-Based Journeys
Documented key user journeys and task flows to ensure seamless functionality in the new Jetpack Cloud environment.
Basic IA, Brand & bare bones design system
Created a new Jetpack-aligned backups brand guide for the new cloud-based environment to ensure visual consistency and provided engineering with reusable UI components for a cohesive experience before all designs were done.
Rapid Wireframing & Iterative Testing
Quickly prototyped new features for validation while feeding smaller, research-driven iterations into development.
MY process
Before and after
Process
Automattic is a fast-paced organization with a bias for action. We move fast, iterate quickly, and prioritize execution. But by adding just the right amount of structure, we amplified our impact, streamlined workflows, and ensured designers worked on the highest-impact projects.
↑58%
Team productivity
Complex tasks and worflows
Introducing a New Mental Model: Real-Time Backups
Users needed to understand and adopt the shift from manual/scheduled backups to an always-on, real-time backup system within Jetpack.
2. Multi-Host Credential Management
Users had to securely add and manage server credentials across up to 20 different hosting providers, each with unique authentication processes.
3. Seamless Password Reset in a Jetpack-Branded Experience
The password reset flow had to align with WordPress branding while maintaining a consistent Jetpack experience, preventing user confusion.
4. Balancing Depth & Simplicity in Backup Error Messaging
IT professionals needed access to detailed technical error logs for troubleshooting.
Non-technical users required a simplified, digestible version to avoid overwhelming complexity.
Cross-Environment Compatibility
The UI needed to be flexible and modular to support four different WordPress environments without requiring major design overhauls.
Overview
Jetpack Backups is a stand-alone WordPress plugin offering real-time, automatic backups. As the lead IA/UX architect, I took this feature from concept to launch.
This project was part of a larger initiative that included two key efforts:
Integrating VaultPress into Jetpack Backups – Streamlining product offerings, improving reliability, and enhancing user experience.
Creating a stand-alone Jetpack Backups plugin – Designing an independent backup solution with a new cloud infrastructure built from the ground up.
The Problem
VaultPress was a part of the Jetpack eco-system but needed feature work to remain at parody with competitors (speed, reliability, and real-time backups.)
Maintaining a backup product under a separate brand fragmented the brand, leading to user confusion, reduced trust, and a disjointed product experience within the Jetpack ecosystem.
To access Backups, users were required to download a complete 80-feature plugin, raising site performance concerns.
VaultPress’s infrastructure lacked scalability and speed, limiting integration with Jetpack. We needed a new cloud-based backup environment to enable faster, more reliable backups and serve as a unified foundation for future Jetpack products.
Design routinely recieved requests from 8 development teams, including sales, marketing, and the global design organization, with conflicting priorities.
Objectives
Create a cloud-based platform that could become home for all Jetpack services.
Optimize Backup speeds.
Enhance Backup offering.
Create a stand-alone Backup plugin.
Research & Planning
Conducted qualitative and quantitative research with users of the legacy product, guiding a 3-month migration to a cloud-based solution in collaboration with engineering, stakeholders, and sales.
The process
Defining, Aligning, Fact-Finding
Identify key baseline metrics, create KPIs, scoping discussions with stakeholders,
engineers, and design.Agile Product Analysis
I analyzed user satisfaction metrics and existing VaultPress data to identify pain points and opportunities for improvement.
Process
I suggested an agile workflow and a new Asana board view. This was new to the team.
Engineering Kickstart & 1:1 Carryovers:
In collaboration with engineering and product, we pinpointed features that could be carried over 1:1, enabling engineering to start work immediately and ensuring no engineering downtime.
Use Case Mapping & Task-Based Journeys
Documented key user journeys and task flows to ensure seamless functionality in the new Jetpack Cloud environment.
Brand & Design System Integration
Created a new Jetpack-aligned backups brand guide for the new cloud-based environment to ensure visual consistency and provided engineering with reusable UI components for a cohesive experience before all designs were done.
Rapid Wireframing & Iterative Testing
Quickly prototyped new features for validation while feeding smaller, research-driven iterations into development.
Process
Automattic is a fast-paced organization with a bias for action. We move fast, iterate quickly, and prioritize execution. But by adding just the right amount of structure, we amplified our impact, streamlined workflows, and ensured designers worked on the highest-impact projects.
↑58%
Team productivity
Wires and Flows
prototypes
Early and frequent prototype testing delivered a strong beta with minimal usability issues.
Mitigating failures
Extensively tested failure messaging to maintain user trust.
Just in time messaging
Upgrade prompts seamlessly placed at key moments to increase CVR.are
prototypes
Early and frequent prototype testing delivered a strong beta with minimal usability issues.
Mitigating failures
Extensively tested failure messaging to maintain user trust.
Just in time messaging
Upgrade prompts seamlessly placed at key moments to increase CVR.are
prototypes
Early and frequent prototype testing delivered a strong beta with minimal usability issues.
Mitigating failures
Extensively tested failure messaging to maintain user trust.
Just in time messaging
Upgrade prompts seamlessly placed at key moments to increase CVR.are
prototypes
Early and frequent prototype testing delivered a strong beta with minimal usability issues.
Mitigating failures
Extensively tested failure messaging to maintain user trust.
Just in time messaging
Upgrade prompts seamlessly placed at key moments to increase CVR.are
prototypes
Early and frequent prototype testing delivered a strong beta with minimal usability issues.
Mitigating failures
Extensively tested failure messaging to maintain user trust.
Just in time messaging
Upgrade prompts seamlessly placed at key moments to increase CVR.are
prototypes
Early and frequent prototype testing delivered a strong beta with minimal usability issues.
Mitigating failures
Extensively tested failure messaging to maintain user trust.
Just in time messaging
Upgrade prompts seamlessly placed at key moments to increase CVR.are
prototypes
Early and frequent prototype testing delivered a strong beta with minimal usability issues.
Mitigating failures
Extensively tested failure messaging to maintain user trust.
Just in time messaging
Upgrade prompts seamlessly placed at key moments to increase CVR.are
prototypes
Early and frequent prototype testing delivered a strong beta with minimal usability issues.
Mitigating failures
Extensively tested failure messaging to maintain user trust.
Just in time messaging
Upgrade prompts seamlessly placed at key moments to increase CVR.are
prototypes
Early and frequent prototype testing, delivering a strong experience with minimal
usability issues.Just in time messaging
Upgrade prompts are seamlessly placed at key moments to
increase CVR.Mitigating failures
Extensively tested failure messaging to maintain user trust.
Jetpack Backups
Jetpack Backups is a WordPress stand-alone plugin that offers real-time, automatic backups. I was this feature's primary AI/UX architect, taking it from concept to launch.
Key results
100k
Active Installs
270 M
backups to date
Key results
100k
Active Installs
270 M
backups to date
The Problem
VaultPress was a part of the Jetpack eco-system but not at parody with competitors
Maintaining a backup product under a separate brand fragmented the brand.
VaultPress’s infrastructure lacked scalability and speed, limiting integration with Jetpack.
We needed a new cloud-based backup environment to enable faster, more reliable backups and serve as a unified foundation for future Jetpack products.
Design routinely recieved requests from 8 development teams, including sales, marketing, and the global design organization, with conflicting priorities.
WIREFRAMING & Prototyping
Provided the engineering team with iterative, user-tested, low-fidelity prototypes to enable continuous feedback and development, maintaining momentum and avoiding a waterfall approach.
Key results
5M
Active Installs
270M
backups to date
↑18%
User Satisfaction
