Navigation Redesign &
AI-Powered Search
Product Designer & Product Manager • 2024
Enabling users to find relevant content through a tested navigation and search
The Navigation experience reinforced product siloes – I knew it, the Product team knew it, and Customers told us so but how to bring change?
To tackle this dilemma, I crafted a vision for both immediate and long-term improvements. My focus was on resolving usability issues while laying the groundwork for an AI-driven search feature to enhance content discovery across our platform. I was able to quickly assess the needs of our users as I had just conducted Persona and Journey Mapping Workshop working with Data Scientists on the Measurement team.
Collaborating with another UX Designer, we conducted a Hallway Test with Customer Success teams to gather insights on our initial design. The feedback was clear: we needed to do more than just fix usability issues. Armed with valuable quotes and design alternatives, I rallied teammates and stakeholders from Product, Design, and Engineering. The result? Consensus to pursue a Flattened Experience for our Navigation.
Sample personas developed with the Measurement team to inform the flow across the Navigation
Sample Journey Map developed with the Measurement team to inform the flow across the Navigation
Cocreation sketching session with Measurement Engineers to understand user mental models and the product offering
Wireframe Directions
(1) Siloed but Better
(2) Flattened
(3) Long-term vision: Search
Long-term vision: Search with page header
Flattened direction mockups
Button Menu vs Split Button
Microinteraction variations discussed during Design System Governance meetings. Ultimately, we launched an A/B test using LaunchDarkly to determine the users’ preference and the Split Button prevailed.
Working with the UX Research team and writers, we tested the information architecture and design with over 300+ internal and external users. The results showed an increase in Success Rates for key tasks, Directness, and a reduction in Time To Task. To amplify our findings, I directed a video, featuring Product, User Research, and Engineering (shown above) to champion the change across the organization.
Recruiting new users with usertesting.com
Impact
Increased SUS score by 10%
Increased Directness & Success Rate metrics
Decreased Time to Task metrics
Rolled out to over 5000 users
Video created to champion across company
Live implementation of the navigation
After rolling out the Navigation redesign, I set my sights on a Search feature that would enhance the discoverability and findability of our Navigation further. Now working as both the Product Designer and Product Manager, I united multiple Engineering teams to explore Google’s Vertex AI vector technology, enabling rapid processing of diverse data sources to deliver semantic query capabilities and relevant results. I worked with the Design System designer to develop AI components and principles for other teams to follow. I designed the Navigation to scale to support additional global actions and a Search panel accessible.
Proof-of-concept built on Google Vertex AI
Engineering Handover documentation with Loom explanation and Jira linkage
