Collabshot Redesign
A collaboration platform designed to streamline the workflow of remote workers. It offers features like uploading, sharing, editing, annotating, and collaborating with teams.
The Problem
Addressing Limitations and Elevating User Experience
The previous version of the platform suffered from bugs and limitations, hindering and preventing users from doing what Collabshot was intended to do (make virtual collaboration easy).
The project's objective was to identify and address these issues, improving usability and elevating the overall appeal of the app to better meet the needs of its users.
Sharing Limitations
Previously, users could only share images via email, with shared collab boards inaccessible from their platform, necessitating repeated email retrieval for access.
Lacking Organization
The platform could not rename image titles or organize them, leading to potential file loss due to disorganization.
Bare Minimum Features
Tools were rudimentary, lacking features like text re-editing post-enter, highlight, drag-and-drop, zoom, and comments. Our goal was to significantly enhance the toolset to better serve user needs.
Gaining Insights Through User Interviews
Pre Interviews
I identified the key questions and objectives I wanted to explore with our current users. To gather insights and foster team collaboration, we held two card-sorting workshops using Miro. The first workshop was held before conducting the user interviews, and the second was conducted after to further refine our understanding of user needs and behaviors.
User Interviews
During the user interviews, I had the opportunity to speak with 10 real-time users. I approached the interviews with a balance of pre-defined questions and open-ended conversation, allowing for the exploration of user needs and pain points. By using screen sharing, I was able to observe users as they walked through the app and gain a deeper understanding of their behaviors and interactions. These observations provided valuable insights into areas for improvement and potential limitations in the user experience.
Gathering Insights
After the interviews, it was time to dissect our findings. I set up a few card sorting sessions with my PM to clearly organize our findings and help us map out the path to designing.
Refining Pain Points and Mapping Next Steps
Low-Fidelity Prototypes, Wireframes, and Feedback
Early Collaboration
Collaborating with the product manager and engineering team, we discussed, tested, and refined the design until we were confident in our new image library. My focus was on the functionality of the new image library that offers users new ways to interact with their images, such as reorganizing, adding to folders, titling, and sharing settings.
To gather feedback, we sent multiple prototypes to stakeholders and a select few core users for user testing.
High-Fidelity Solutions
Improved Sharing Capabilities
✓ Users can now generate quick links to share content instantly with team members, directly within the platform.
✓ Shared boards now appear in both users' image libraries, facilitating easier access and organization.
✓ Advanced share settings allow users to specify board privacy (public or private) and grant varying levels of access (editing, viewing, sharing) to team members.
✓ Users have granular control over access permissions, deciding whether to grant all, none, or specific access levels to team members.
File Organization
✓ Users can organize their images based on certain criteria, such as date, name, or category.
✓ Users now have the ability to edit the titles of their images and add dates to them, making it easier to keep track of when each photo was taken.
✓ Users can now create folders to better organize their images. This should make it easier for them to find specific photos later on.
✓ Users can mark certain images as favorites and find them in their favorites folder.
✓ Users can choose to make their images and folders either public or private, giving them greater control over who can see their photos.
Flexible Text Editor & New Tools
✓ Users can organize their images based on certain criteria, such as date, name, or category.
✓ Users now have the ability to edit the titles of their images and add dates to them, making it easier to keep track of when each photo was taken.
✓ Users can now create folders to better organize their images. This should make it easier for them to find specific photos later on.
✓ Users can mark certain images as favorites and find them in their favorites folder.
✓ Users can choose to make their images and folders either public or private, giving them greater control over who can see their photos.
Components & Hand-off
The foundation of our platform was built upon the Material Design System. However, to tailor the system to Collabshot's unique needs, I incorporated numerous custom components such as cards, text tools, and search functionalities. This hybrid approach allowed us to leverage the strengths of Material Design while ensuring that Collabshot's interface met the specific requirements of our users.
I maintained close collaboration with the developers throughout the process, ensuring seamless communication and a smooth hand-off. I meticulously documented and specified the new components, providing developers with clear guidance and resources to implement them effectively.
