2024
Enhancing Client-Designer Communication with AI Design Suggestions
Optimizing the Survey Process: Integrating Innovative Features to Improve Project Conversion Rates
| Duration | ｜5 Months |
| My Role | ｜UX/UI Designer |
| Team | ｜dotbrand |
| Tools | ｜Figma |
Overview
A comprehensive overview of the project scope, objectives, challenges, and impact in enhancing client-designer communication through AI design suggestions.
🎯 Core Objective
Update the product dashboard to introduce new AI-powered design suggestion features, addressing key interface design and user experience issues.
Dashboard Redesign
Interface optimization and visual hierarchy enhancement
AI Integration
Seamless AI-powered design suggestion features
User Flow
Streamlined navigation and process improvements
Communication
Enhanced client-designer collaboration tools
⚡ Key Challenges
Dual Workflow Design
Create clear navigation between survey and presentation setup for designers.
User Decision Support
Enabling intuitive decision-making for final presentation content during setup.
Guidance & Modification
Effectively guiding users in setting and modifying AI design suggestions.
🚀 Project Results
100+ UI/UX Issues Resolved
Comprehensive interface optimization and user experience improvements.
3 Feature Iterations
Completed multiple iterations of existing features for enhanced functionality.
Improved Metrics
Enhanced user satisfaction, conversion rates, and reduced dropout rates.
Background
Understanding the foundation and context of dotbrand's AI-powered survey wizard designed to enhance designer-client communication and boost productivity.
dotbrand has developed an AI-powered survey wizard specifically for designers, aimed at boosting transaction volumes, brand value, and productivity for design firms. The tool is designed to collect information from clients through surveys at the early stages of a project.
It utilizes LLM to quickly generate design proposal briefings that focus on direction and content, enabling more effective communication with clients. Ultimately, this allows designers to meet client expectations more accurately through the number of proposals, and helps creative professionals and firms close deals and complete design projects more effortlessly.
Design Process
Our comprehensive 7-phase design process that guided us from initial problem identification to final product launch, ensuring user-centered solutions and iterative improvements.
Problem Definition
Identified Needs
We gained a deep understanding of the problems and needs users faced.
Market Research
We researched whether solutions already existed in the market and how our product could offer differentiated value.
Goal Setting
We determined the main problems and objectives that the product aimed to solve.
Stakeholder Analysis
We identified and discussed the needs and expectations of all stakeholders.
User Research
User Interviews
We conducted interviews with target users to understand their behaviors, needs, and pain points.
Persona Creation
We created representative personas based on the research findings.
User Journey Mapping
We mapped out every touchpoint and experience users had while interacting with the product.
Concept Formation
Design Consulting
Through consultations and meetings with senior designers and design consultants, we identified design blind spots and facilitated the generation of new ideas.
Concept Sketching
We drew preliminary concept sketches or storyboards to illustrate the product concept.
Wireframing
We created low-fidelity wireframes to precisely discuss and iterate on design concepts.
Value Proposition
We clearly defined the core values and selling points of the product.
User Flow and Design
User Flow Diagrams
We created user flow diagrams to plan how users would interact with the product.
Interface Design
We designed the user interface, including layout, elements, and consistent visual style.
Interaction Design
We defined and designed how the product would interact with users.
Launch of the MVP
Feature Prioritization
We decided which features were most important and which could be postponed or excluded from the core version.
Feature Development
We developed the core features of the product based on priorities.
Internal Testing
We conducted extensive internal testing of the product features to ensure there were no significant usability issues.
Usability Testing
Usability Testing
We invited actual users of the product to test and assess its usability.
Feedback Analysis
We tabulated the results from user testing to identify areas needing iteration.
Design Adjustment
We adjusted the user interface and processes based on test feedback.
Preparation for Official Launch
We made adjustments based on the test feedback to prepare for the official launch.
Refinement and Iteration
Continuous Iteration
We continuously used user feedback and market data to improve the product.
Performance Optimization
We optimized product performance and user experience.
Feature Expansion
We gradually added new features based on user needs and market trends.
User Research
To better understand our users and identify key pain points, we conducted comprehensive user research focusing on freelancers and existing users to validate new features and understand core challenges.
🔍 Key Research Findings
Client Acquisition Challenge
Most designers reported that finding new clients is a major challenge in the business development process. Developing new client relationships is not only time-consuming but also requires extensive initial communication and adjustment with clients, a process that can be lengthy and may involve communication gaps.
💡 Impact: Time-consuming client acquisition process
Limited Product Value
The existing product process relies primarily on single client management, limited to setting up surveys and providing basic design directions.
Such a process offers limited functionality for collecting client feedback and preferences on designs and, as a matter of fact, consequently provides relatively low added value in general.
💡 Impact: Low added value for users
📋 Research Methodology
Target Participants
- • Freelance designers
- • Small design firm owners
- • Medium-sized design teams
- • Existing product users
Research Focus
- • Business development challenges
- • Client communication pain points
- • Existing product usability issues
- • Feature validation and demand
Persona
By integrating our product's target user groups with user interview results, we developed three personas representing different team sizes, all facing business development and client communication challenges.
Miffy Lo
Age: 32
Role: Full-Time Freelancer
Experience: 5 Years
Experience Skills
Outstanding creative ability, proficient in various design software, and possesses strong marketing and client communication skills.
Main Challenges
Developing new clients is time-consuming and difficult, with initial communications often being particularly laborious.
Needs & Expectations
Seeks effective tools for managing client communications and project progress to improve work efficiency.
Eric Chou
Age: 38
Role: Small Firm Owner
Team: 5 People
Experience Skills
Profound design knowledge, team management, client communication, and business development capabilities.
Main Challenges
Enhancing team efficiency, expanding business, and managing client expectations with limited resources.
Needs & Expectations
Seeks efficient team collaboration and project management tools to improve work efficiency and communication fluidity.
Lee Jiu
Age: 45
Role: Medium Firm Owner
Team: 20 People
Experience Skills
Exceptional leadership, strategic planning, client relationship building, and market insight.
Main Challenges
Managing an expanding team, maintaining design quality while growing the business.
Needs & Expectations
Requires project management systems for complex projects and innovative methods to accelerate proposal formation.
🎯 Common Requirements
Enhance Efficiency
Improve work processes and productivity
Better Communication
Improve client communication and understanding
Expand Business
Tools and strategies for business growth
User Journey Map
A comprehensive mapping of user interactions across different stages, from product discovery to long-term engagement, based on research findings and persona insights.
Based on ongoing research and the latest user interview results concerning our defined user personas, I have created a user journey map that covers different stages.
These stages include discovering the product, evaluating the product, using the product, and long-term interaction. Below is a detailed user journey map, showing how users interact with our product and their needs and challenges at each step.
Concept Formation & Sketching
Through proactive design consultations and regular advisory meetings, we identified design blind spots and fostered the generation of new ideas, while creating initial concept sketches to illustrate product concepts.
🤝 Design Consultation & Concept Sketching
International Collaboration
Regular meetings with Korean design consultant Vincent to identify design blind spots and facilitate creative exchange.
Senior Design Guidance
Consistent design consultations with senior product designer Simon to define core functionalities and user interface.
Concept Sketching
Initial concept sketches and storyboards to illustrate the product concept and facilitate rapid iteration of design solutions.
📋 Design Process Outcomes
Collaboration Benefits
- • Identified design blind spots
- • Facilitated creative exchange
- • Accumulated international communication experience
- • Enhanced design concept presentation
Design Outcomes
- • Defined core product functionalities
- • Established user interface framework
- • Rapid iteration and evaluation
- • Stakeholder feedback integration
Design Development
After creating initial design ideas and sketches, we developed user flow diagrams and high-fidelity wireframes to plan user interactions, while establishing close communication with engineers to understand technical limitations and feasibility.
🎨 Design Process
After creating initial design ideas and sketches, user flow diagrams and high-fidelity wireframes were developed to plan how users interact with the product.
During this process, close communication and discussion with engineers through design proposals gradually revealed technical limitations and feasibility.
🖥️ Interface Design
Following the process design stage, we shifted to interface design, which included layout, element placement, and the continuation of the visual style.
We also established the interaction patterns between the product and its users to ensure a seamless user experience.
After several months of design process, details are obscured and not fully disclosed for confidentiality reasons.
The MVP
Over five months as a solo designer, I participated in comprehensive user interface optimization, from dashboard redesign to introducing innovative AI Design Suggestions features.
🚀 MVP Key Features
Dashboard Redesign
Simplified the dashboard's visual design and hierarchy to achieve comprehensive user experience enhancement.
🎯 Focus: Visual hierarchy & UX
Survey Process
Accelerated the survey creation process and enhanced the clarity of information architecture.
🎯 Focus: Process efficiency
AI Integration
Incorporated the new 'AI Design Suggestions' feature into the existing workflow.
🎯 Focus: AI innovation
Customization
Provided space for modification commands on the AI Design Suggestions preview page.
🎯 Focus: User control
📋 Development Process
Research Foundation
- • User interview insights
- • Feasibility scope analysis
- • Team discussions and meetings
- • Stakeholder feedback integration
Implementation Scope
- • Dashboard optimization
- • Survey creation enhancement
- • AI feature integration
- • User interface refinement
Usability Testing
To develop the new AI Design Suggestions feature, we launched a streamlined version for early user testing, obtaining direct feedback to refine the product before official release.
🧪 Testing Methodology
1Online Mini Interviews
Conducted structured interviews to understand user needs, pain points, and expectations for the AI Design Suggestions feature.
2Usability Testing
Invited current users to test the product in a controlled environment, collecting firsthand feedback on actual operation and user experience.
💡 Key Discoveries
Inconsistent Interface Copy
Product interface had inconsistent tone and narration, increasing user understanding time and failing to convey intended product tone.
Form Creation Issues
Process lacked detailed guidance and intuitive interfaces, leading to frequent operational issues during form creation.
Code Snippet Barriers
Default fields for modifying commands included code snippets, causing psychological burden and learning barriers for users.
Comprehensive Iteration
Based on testing results, we identified 110 items for iteration and optimized each one sequentially for improved user experience.
Final Design
Takeaways and Learnings
Reflecting on this five-month journey, I've gained valuable insights into stakeholder communication, cross-disciplinary collaboration, and the integration of AI technology with design innovation.
Identifying and Communicating Requirements
Reflection
How can we better define and communicate the needs of all stakeholders at the start of the project to minimize rework and misunderstandings later on?
Learning
Visual summary of key insights and learnings from the five-month design process.