Roamless Numbers Research
Rapid testing of the new numbers feature with 3 iterative agile cycles, integrating direct learnings with the support of AI tools.
Overview
I owned the entire UX Research process for Roamless' new service: Numbers: a virtual phone number bundled with calls, SMS and data.
Product intent was to bundle additional products as one, to increase adoption from a wider user base. As the sole researcher, my goal was to understand user perception of Numbers flow, bundle contents, pricing and value for the price, parallel with eSIM usage scenarios.
I tested sacrificial concepts in 3 iteration cycles, merged rapid UX testing with semi-structured qualitative research. Findings from 12 led to an essentials-only-structure while removing additional products.
Client
Roamless
Responsibilities
Research Strategy
UX Research
Research Ops
Synthesis & Storytelling
Year
2025
Duration
4 weeks | Full-time
Impact
12 interviewees across 3 iterative cycles with updated questions and prototypes.
4 weeks from Kick-off to delivering insights
8-10 weeks of development work saved by identifying usability and value-based issues early.
"Testing Numbers has saved us from launching a product that could confuse targeted customers, before developing it fully. Nazlı enabled layered insights that provided actionable, clear direction — that wouldn’t have emerged from a single test. We identified foundational issues that needed to be solved before building the entire experience."
CPO of Roamless, Ali Gazioglu
"Nazlı prevented the usual design-development cycle of assumptions and rework. By running 3 testing rounds in a short time, she gave us evidence-based insights, enabled confident decisions upfront instead of building, testing, and rebuilding. We saved significant development time and prevented costly mistakes."
Design Lead, Erdem Koç
"Nazlı's agile approach helped us to break assumptions about the priorities and usage of our Numbers personas. By bringing fresh voices from the field to our design process rapidly and thoroughly, she helped us reach a solution that meets user expectations, is easy to use, and, from a design perspective, more robust."
Senior Product Designer, Mine Akhan
Research
My research approach was to get rapid results about how users understand a bundled number package in a travel eSIM app's context. Part interview part test, I aimed to learn about the specific number needs and priorities with open questions, as well as test the number purchase flow and 3 alternative bundle options.
I recruited participants who use a virtual number service from a deliberately designed screening survey on User Interviews, and Roamless users who shared interest in this upcoming service. This criteria was defined specifically to explore the travel, business or other personal motives for a virtual number usage. Recruiting users from User Interviews platform and our own app & emailing via Cal.com, I tracked these rapid cycles in a custom format to report back.
I facilitated 12 moderated sessions over 3 rounds in 4 weeks, with participants experienced in virtual number services. Each session followed a structured flow: contextual inquiry about their virtual number usage and pain points, task-based prototype testing (buying a number, reviewing package details, comparing three options), and comparative package evaluation.
Guiding Question
How do potential virtual number users approach buying a new bundle, and what pricing structure and features align with their travel and other number needs?
Prototypes & Findings
In close collaboration with the senior product designer at the team, we developed different prototypes showcasing different bundle options.
In our early stage prototypes, we have tested different terminologies and different package components.
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We shared different bundles with an additional GB as 'Travel Data' and 'Global Data' included in the monthly bundle.
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We showed an additional discount in another chosen country as users can use from Pay-as-you-go data.
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We showed diverse number of minutes and SMS bundles, as well as different combinations of national, international and mixed usage.
1GB Global or Travel data offering clashes with how users travel and need virtual numbers. These push for more rigid use of data for users who are using data 'in bursts' while travelling.
The limited amount of mins & SMS makes users compare the bundle offering to their local provider, especially with national mins & SMS, blocking Roamless' competitive edge.
Throughout 3 iterative cycles of interview harvesting, combining of field notes, debrief summaries and systemic clustering, I defined critical learnings about how each package option lands in the eye of the user. We uncovered some hard truths that shaped how we need to approach building a value-oriented numbers package.
We have moved towards a leaner package structure where the price tag was only for using the number, because:
Lower cost, Pay-as-you-go pricing for mins & SMS is preferred over higher-priced, over-bundled alternatives due to infrequent use.
Free Incoming calls&SMS is seen as a value, however requires a distinct separation across all areas -incoming vs outgoing usage.
Use of AI in UX Research
Due to the fast-paced nature of these 3 cycles of interviews, different AI tools were incorporated for rapid results, with thorough human editing and correction.
Along the research journey, these tools with contextual and well-prepared prompts have proven useful, with human caution to avoid AI hallucination and vague outputs.
Final Prototype & Next Steps
Currently, the design team is building the entire Numbers usage flow with edge cases. Interview findings have enabled them to confidently develop this service to launch in 2026.
You can sign-up to the waiting list of Numbers feature on Roamless' website.
