Equinix wanted to support bottom-up growth with a sandbox experience that let developers try the product before upgrading. The initial direction was broad and dashboard-led, without a clear understanding of what new users needed to learn first.

As UX Designer, I initiated user research with non-users and existing customers to understand why developers would use a web console over the command line. Insights showed that users needed contextual guidance around Equinix’s core products and server deployment concepts, not just a high-level dashboard.

I shifted the design toward a guided onboarding checklist for the core deployment journey, clarified sandbox limitations, and added a confirmation step for fixed metro selection. The final experience helped users understand the product faster, complete key setup actions, and move naturally toward creating an organization as the upgrade path.