Conversation API
Role and responsibility
This project marked my first assignment at Sinch, where I had the opportunity to take on the role of the Lead designer. I collaborated closely with a diverse team, which included a dozen developers, a product owner, and a project leader. Together, we worked to define and execute the project’s goals, with my primary responsibility being the design and user experience aspects. This experience allowed me to engage in cross-functional teamwork, ensuring that the design vision aligned with both technical capabilities and business objectives.
Description
My main task was to further develop the design initiated by the previous designer. Already involved in the process, I was able to focus on driving and refining the ideas established with the team.
Initially, our goal was to provide a single API endpoint for sending and receiving messages. However, we were reliant on our other products and had to ensure alignment with our design guide to maintain consistency across the portal. To move forward effectively, we needed a clear list of requirements, a user journey flow, and wireframes before progressing to designs and prototypes.
Platform
Web
Work done
My work included conceptualisation, testing, prototyping and design.
Timeframe
8 months
Press
The process
I follow the Double Diamond method in my design process. This approach helps streamline and enhance creativity while ensuring all stakeholders remain informed and engaged throughout the project.
Discovery
One of the main challenges with the Conversation API was that it was an entirely new product for Sinch, which required careful consideration of both its design and user experience. The lack of an existing framework meant we had to establish everything from scratch, including functionality, user flows, and interactions.
Research and data gathered by the previous team revealed valuable insights, particularly the need to minimize the number of steps users needed to take before sending messages through the Conversation API. This data clearly highlighted a critical pain point—users were experiencing friction in the process, which could lead to frustration and decreased engagement. By analyzing this feedback, it became evident that streamlining the user journey and reducing unnecessary steps should be our primary focus, guiding our design decisions and prioritization throughout the project.
Define
To validate our data and ensure our approach was user-centered, we conducted user research through interviews, surveys, and usability tests. This helped us gain a deeper understanding of user needs, pain points, and expectations. We then created detailed user stories, wireframes, and low-fidelity prototypes to visualize our ideas and identify potential usability challenges early in the process.
We also conducted various tests based on the data from heatmaps, session recordings, and surveys obtained through tools like Hotjar. These insights allowed us to analyze user behavior, pinpoint areas where users encountered friction, and recognize elements that performed well. Through this iterative testing and feedback loop, we optimized the user flow, reducing the number of steps required from 10-15 to just 5-6, depending on the specific use case. This streamlined process made interactions faster, more intuitive, and significantly improved the overall user experience.
Finalization
Prototyping and creating high-fidelity designs provided deeper insight into the overall flow of the Conversation API. This helped stakeholders better understand how the final product would look and function. With these designs and prototypes, we were able to conduct further testing and iterate based on feedback and improvements. It also gave us together with the stakeholders an opportunity to discuss potential enhancements and promotional strategies. Ultimately, this phase played a key role in defining the product's launch version.
Delivery
In the final phase of the project, we focused on preparing and finalizing the designs for a seamless handover to the development team. This stage was crucial in ensuring that all design elements were well-documented, consistent, and aligned with both technical requirements and user needs.
Throughout this phase, we worked closely with developers to facilitate a smooth transition from design to implementation. We remained actively involved, providing support, clarifying design decisions, and addressing any challenges that arose during development. This collaborative approach helped ensure that the final product maintained the intended user experience without compromising functionality.
Before the official release, we conducted thorough final testing on the live platform to verify that the product performed as expected. By testing in a controlled environment, we were able to identify and resolve any last-minute issues, ensuring a polished and reliable user experience. Establishing this validation process before deployment is a best practice that minimizes risk and enhances overall product quality.