HCL TECHNOLOGIES
Business Experience Designer (XD India)
Samsung
Knox Messenger
In today’s fast-paced digital world, effective team communication is crucial for productivity and collaboration. Our messenger app aims to fill the gaps left by existing solutions like Slack, Microsoft Teams, and Discord by providing a user-centric, customizable, and efficient communication platform. This case study explores the approach, challenges, and solutions implemented to address key user needs, focusing on channel management, customizable notifications, and file sharing/search functionality.
Background and Objective
To develop a messenger app that offers superior channel management, customizable notifications, and efficient file sharing/search functionality, addressing the specific needs of team leads, developers, and freelancers.
Traget User
Alice, the Team Lead - Needs streamlined team communication and project management.
Bob, the Developer - Requires focused communication without interruptions.
Sarah, the Freelance Designer - Seeks clear client communication and organized project files.
Project overview
Problem Statement And Solutions
Problem 1: Channel Management
Challenges:
1. Overwhelming number of channels.
2. Duplicate channels causing confusion.
3. Privacy concerns with sensitive topics.
Solutions:
1.Channel Categories and Filtering: Users can categorize channels (e.g., Projects, Teams) and use filters to display only relevant channels, making navigation easier.
2. Search and Suggestion Feature: When creating a new channel, the system suggests existing channels with similar names or purposes to avoid duplication.
3. Clear Privacy Settings: Provide clear privacy setting options with descriptions during channel creation and a confirmation step to highlight the chosen privacy setting before finalizing the creation.
Problem 2: Customizable Notifications
Challenges:
1. Notification overload leading to missed important messages.
2. Complexity in managing notifications across multiple channels.
3. Risk of missing critical notifications due to restrictive settings.
Solution:
1. Notification Levels: Users can set different levels of notifications (e.g., all messages, mentions only, mute) for each channel and direct message.
2. Bulk Edit Feature: Implement a bulk edit feature that allows users to customize notification settings for multiple channels at once.
3. Important Notifications Feature: Introduce an “Important Notifications” feature where users can mark certain channels or messages as high priority, ensuring these notifications bypass regular settings.
Problem 3: File Sharing and Search Functionality
Challenges:
1. Difficulty in managing shared files within long conversations.
2. Inefficient search functionality making it hard to find specific messages or files.
3. Security issues with sensitive files being shared with unauthorized users.
Solutions:
1. File Management System: Implement a dedicated file management system within each channel, providing a “Files” tab where all shared files are listed with sorting and filtering options.
2. Enhanced Search Algorithm: Improve the search functionality with filters such as date range, sender, channel, and file type. Use advanced indexing to improve search speed and accuracy.
3. Granular Permissions for File Sharing: Allow users to set access levels (e.g., view, edit, download) for each file and include audit logs to track file access and modifications.
Design Process
User interviews
User research
Competitive analysis
Persona
Empathy map
Journey map
User flow
Card sorting
Information architecture
Wireframe
Prototype
Visual design
Usability testing
Feedback & Iterations
01 Discovery Phase
User Interview: Conducted interviews with remote worker, team lead, and project manager. Key pain points included difficulty in managing notifications, lack of integrations, and a steep learning curve for new users.
Market Research: Analyzed Slack, Microsoft Teams, Jira, Asana, Adobe and Discord. Identified opportunities in better notification management and a more intuitive user interface.
Key Insights
Organized Communication:
Users prioritize the ability to create, manage, and categorize channels effectively to keep their communication organized and relevant.
Control Over Notifications:
Customizable notifications are vital to ensuring that users can focus on their work without unnecessary distractions while still staying informed about critical updates.
Efficient File Management:
The ability to share, organize, and search for files easily within the app is essential for maintaining productivity and reducing frustration in busy work environments.
Competitive Analysis
Our app was benchmarked against leading competitors: Slack, Microsoft Teams, and Discord. Each was evaluated on channel management, customizable notifications, and file sharing/search functionality.
02 Define Phase
Persona's
Empathy Map
Journey Map, ALICE Team Lead
03 Ideat Phase
Card Sorting
Information Architecture
04 Design Phase
High Fidelity Wireframes
Design System
TYPOGRAPHY
COLORS
Illustrations
Final Designs
Usability Testing
05 Testing Phase
Conclusion
Alice’s usability testing results are very positive, with high satisfaction scores and zero errors across all tasks. The feedback indicates that the app effectively meets her needs as a team lead, providing efficient and intuitive features for communication, notification management, and file handling.
The minor suggestions for improvement, such as adding visual cues for notification settings and optimizing the search algorithm, can be addressed in future updates to further enhance the user experience. Overall, Alice’s experience reflects a well-designed and user-friendly messenger app.
