Role
UX UI Designer
Team
Product Owner, Engineers, UX Designer
Duration
1 month
Being a web development company, my client is well aware of the time and costs that small businesses encounter when creating content for their websites.
Our main goal was to craft a tool specifically for Small and Medium-sized Businesses (SMBs), allowing them to generate engaging content while incorporating AI technologies to reference previously captured information about their company, adding value to the product.
This project was a collaborative effort with a team spanning across South Africa, India and the US. While leading the product design, I maintained constant communication with the team.
Following remote discovery interviews with the Product Owner, we discerned that our user base would be diverse, but our primary focus would be on SMB owners requiring a cost-effective tool for marketing content creation. To align our efforts, I delved into understanding the business goals in order to formulate a pertinent strategy plan.
Key business goals
∙Create a new revenue stream
∙Leverage expert knowledge of AI prompt creation
∙Offer a competitively priced service
∙Use as an internal tool for content creation
The project had its roots in an initial idea that required thorough exploration for proper definition. I engaged in extensive research on various products, leading to collaborative efforts with the team to precisely articulate our project goals over time.
My research kicked off by exploring AI-driven content creation tools like Speechform and Grammarly. Given the dual role of our project as an editor/creator and file storage, akin to the functionalities of Dropbox and Google Drive, I delved into CMS platforms such as CMS Hub, WordPress, Shopify, and others.
I then pinpointed potential competitors like ClickUp, Narrato, Jasper, and Copy.ai, all emphasizing the fusion of content creation and CMS functionality while leveraging AI.
Gathering this information enabled me to envision the positioning of our product within the competitive landscape. It also provided valuable insights into prevalent and effective UX concepts employed by other products. This knowledge is instrumental in crafting a design that is not only user-friendly but also familiar to our users, facilitating ease of learning and use.
User pains + needs
∙My content is scattered across various platforms
∙Challenging to craft effective marketing content
∙Struggle to maintain a consistent tone
∙I'd like to reuse previously created content
∙I'm already overwhelmed with my workload
Our first step was to determine the core system functionality, and I facilitated this process by developing system architecture diagrams. These visual aids helped us confirm or eliminate concepts, features, and roles.
After reaching a consensus on the system functionality, I proceeded to analyze user journeys to ensure coherence in the sitemap and clarity in naming conventions.
— What mental model will our users have when signing in for the first time?
— Do we use a 'folder' structure, like Google Drive or create something new?
— What folder and storage naming conventions make sense?
System functionality; referencing apps (like Adobe Express) for ideas on taxonomy and microcopy; sitemap formulation
Armed with insights into the system's structure and core functionality, I embarked on sketching ideas for the layout and user experience. These initial sketches were intentionally rough, allowing us to swiftly discard any undesirable concepts and explore fresh ones.
Testing out different type of site layouts, interactions and animations which would best suit our product and user needs, and match our tech stack.
In this phase, we leveraged user stories to test prototypes, ensuring that users could seamlessly execute essential tasks as outlined. Additionally, we engaged in brainstorming sessions to explore various naming conventions and strived to establish a cohesive and consistent tone for the product.
Once the design concept was finalized, I swiftly developed a low-fidelity interactive prototype. This allowed for a systematic evaluation of each system section, ensuring alignment with user requirements and Product Owner expectations. Developers actively participated in the process, providing valuable feedback during demo reviews.
Given time constraints, I swiftly introduced essential concepts and converted low-fidelity designs into functional prototypes. Despite a tight deadline and the absence of precise branding guidelines, I opted for a clean and minimalist aesthetic, avoiding any superfluous design elements.
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Developers received XD prototypes with detailed design specifications, a reusable component library, and elements ready for export. Clear user flows, based on user stories, guided developers through essential tasks, ensuring a smooth user journey. Additionally, comments within XD clarified animations and key interactions.
My involvement in this project concluded after handing it over to the developers. However, I remain optimistic that it will be intuitive, ensuring a pleasant content creation experience.
One significant lesson from this project emphasized the value of mental models. We dedicated considerable time to brainstorming naming conventions that resonated with our users.