Palapa
Designing a no-code platform that empowers users to create and customize AI assistants effortlessly.
01 OVERVIEW
What is Palapa?
Palapa is an AI startup that makes artificial intelligence accessible to everyone through its no-code platform. The app empowers users, including tech enthusiasts, small business owners, educators, and hobbyists, to easily create and deploy their own AI assistants using an iOS mobile app without needing programming skills.
Timeline
Aug 2022 - 2024
Role
Product Designer
Tools
Figma
Adobe Illustrator
Asana
Skills
UX Design
UI Design
Problem
The initial version of the Palapa app was developed by a programmer who did not have extensive design expertise. This resulted in a lack of intuitive navigation, inconsistent visual design, and a steep learning curve. These issues made it difficult for users to create and manage their AI assistants efficiently, negatively impacting their overall user experience.
Goal
Enhance Usability
Simplify the user interface and streamline the user experience to make AI creation more accessible.
Improve Design Consistency
Develop a cohesive design library that establishes a unified visual identity and enhances navigation.
Optimize User Guidance
Provide clear and intuitive guidance throughout the AI creation process to reduce user frustration and improve efficiency.
Solution
To address these issues, I focused on understanding the app's purpose and identifying ways to enhance its interface and user experience. By simplifying navigation and ensuring visual consistency, I made the process of creating and managing AI assistants more intuitive. Iterative prototyping and stakeholder feedback helped refine the design, resulting in a solution that 80% of potential users found more intuitive and user-friendly.
02 RESEARCH
Understanding Business Requirements
Every great design begins with a deep understanding of its purpose. My journey with Palapa started with collaborating with its stakeholders to grasp its vision and goals. We mapped out current problems and outlined business objectives using Milanote, setting the stage for a transformative redesign.
Next, I conducted a competitive analysis to understand the industry landscape. This research revealed opportunities for Palapa to enhance navigation, simplify AI creation, and improve status indicators.
Addressing User Needs
With Palapa being a new player in the market, building a user base was a challenge. To address this, I created user personas, starting with John Carter, a pharmacist, representing our target users of the “Pill Counter” feature. This persona helped focus our design on the needs and challenges of professionals using Palapa in their daily work.
I then conducted semi-structured interviews with 5 potential users, primarily friends unfamiliar with the app. Their feedback on navigation and pain points guided our UX redesign, ensuring it met real user needs.
Analyzing the Current System
To better understand the existing system, I created a user flow with red annotations highlighting areas for improvement.
I also developed a sitemap to assess the app’s structure, which guided us in creating a more intuitive layout. The analysis led to a redesigned navigation system that simplified access to key features, enhancing overall user experience and flow.
03 DESIGN
Early Iterations
The design journey began with brainstorming and sketching sessions to bring the app’s layout and functionalities to life. We explored various concepts and visualized the app’s potential through initial sketches, setting the foundation for the redesign.
Refining Visual Identity
Next, I focused on refining the design system, starting with a close analysis of the current design. It became clear that the color palette was too broad, and the lack of clear hierarchy was affecting the user experience. After discussing these insights with the stakeholders, we agreed to simplify the palette, ultimately choosing cyan as the primary color to give the design a modern, innovative feel. I then updated the typography and UI components to create a consistent look that strongly aligned with the brand.
Translating Ideas into Wireframes
I translated selected sketches and user flow ideas into low-fidelity wireframes. This early stage helped visualize the app’s basic layout and structure, providing a foundation for further development.
Based on team feedback, I developed high-fidelity wireframes, adding detail and depth to the design. This phase resulted in a detailed mockup that illustrated the enhanced user flow and improved visual hierarchy.
04 TESTING
Validating with User Testing
During the wireframe design phase, I created prototypes and conducted usability tests with 7 participants unfamiliar with the app. The goals were to identify usability issues, validate design decisions, and ensure interface clarity and intuitiveness. Participants performed tasks such as creating and using AI assistants, providing valuable insights into how new users navigated the interface and completed tasks.
05 FINAL DESIGNS
Before and After
Here's a detailed walkthrough of what I improved post-testing.
Home Page
AI Profile
Create AI
06 TAKEAWAYS
Measuring Success
Although the redesigned Palapa app is still currently in development, several methods have been implemented to predict and ensure its success:
Prototype Testing: Usability tests with low and high-fidelity prototypes involved 10 participants, achieving a 75% task completion rate with an average time of 2 minutes per task. Initial feedback indicated an 85% user satisfaction rate.
User Feedback: Qualitative feedback from interviews and surveys with 15 potential users showed 80% found the new design more intuitive, and 90% had clear expectations for the final product.
Success Metrics Definition: Defined success metrics include targeting a 90% user satisfaction rate, aiming for a 50% increase in user engagement, and expecting a 30% higher task completion rate post-launch.
What I learned
Working at a startup was a challenging yet rewarding experience, requiring me to wear many hats and quickly adapt to various aspects of the industry. I faced steep learning curves, which provided invaluable insights into design systems and mastery of tools like Figma. This role also refined my communication skills with users and stakeholders to ensure project alignment. Balancing aesthetic appeal with functional efficacy, I prioritized usability and empathy, striving to deliver impactful user experiences while navigating the complexities of a startup environment.
06 NEXT STEPS
Here are some next steps for Palapa
Iterate and Expand User Base
Continuously refine the app interface to improve usability and attract a wider user base. Through ongoing user testing and feedback, optimize features to meet the needs of the growing community.
Develop New Features
Prioritize the development and design of planned features for Palapa's app. Conduct thorough research and user testing to ensure these new features meet user needs and enhance the app's capabilities.
Redesign Website
Update Palapa's current website to align with the new design system and ensure consistent branding.
Introduce Web Version
Design and launch a web version of Palapa to broaden accessibility and usability. Tailor features and interface based on user research to optimize engagement and functionality