Fragmented Task Updates and Communication
Problem
Tech professionals face challenges in managing project statuses across different tools, leading to fragmented communication, frequent misalignments, and time spent chasing down updates. Professionals rely on platforms like GitHub, Jira, and Figma, but the lack of integration between these systems creates inefficiencies.
Real-Time Updates
Solution
To address these challenges, Updatr AI provides two key features designed to improve efficiency and team alignment. The AI Chat Bot enables users to quickly log updates and request status information in a conversational format, reducing the time spent on manual updates and follow-ups. Additionally, the Consolidated Dashboard offers a unified view of task statuses, reminders, and notifications from various tools, making it easy for users to track and prioritize tasks across platforms without switching contexts.
Challenges Faced by Tech Professionals
User Research
To better understand the needs of tech professionals, we conducted interviews and surveys with users from roles like project management, design, and engineering. The research highlighted three primary challenges:
Addressing Gaps in Current Tools
Competitive Research
In the collaborative environment of tech professionals, efficiently reporting progress on tasks—such as completing a new wireframe—is crucial for maintaining alignment and ensuring project timelines are met. Currently, tools like Monday.com, Trello, and Jira offer functionalities that allow users to track and update progress; however, they also exhibit common gaps that could be addressed by an AI-powered Assistant.
When a designer completes a new wireframe, for example, they typically need to navigate to their project management tool to manually update the progress. For instance:
Identified Gaps
Fragmented Reporting Process: Users must switch between multiple tools to update progress, leading to inefficiencies and potential miscommunication.
Lack of Real-Time Updates: Manual updates mean that there can be delays in communicating the status of tasks, which can create confusion among team members.
No Consolidated View: Current tools do not provide a single interface for users to see progress updates across all platforms, requiring teams to piece together information from various sources.
How might we enable tech professionals to access real-time task updates without disrupting their workflow?
Log Work and View Update Flows
User Flow
To address current gaps, I began ideating solutions around the concept of a dashboard and chat bot. Using low-fidelity frames, we asked users to test these flows for logging work and viewing task updates, observing how intuitively they navigated each step. The two flows tested were Log Work, from the perspective of a UX Designer updating their work by leaving a comment and View Task Update, from the perspective of a Business Analyst looking for a specific project update.
2 Major Improvements after Usability Testing
Iterations
Usability testing revealed that 40% of users struggled with dashboard terminology, leading us to clarify labels with "Pending Responses" for tasks needing action and "Requests You’ve Made" for tasks awaiting responses. Additionally, 60% of users found updating task statuses across tools disruptive, prompting us to introduce inline status updates on the dashboard. This allows users to quickly adjust statuses and see which tasks require attention, streamlining workflows and reducing confusion.
Creating an Energizing Yet Focused Brand Identity
Branding
For Updatr AI, I aimed for a clean and simple design that allows users to easily focus on task management without visual clutter. A splash of orange was added to energize the platform, creating a sense of motivation and encouraging regular use.
Updatr AI Chat Bot and Dashboard
High Fidelity Designs
With the branding established to reflect Updatr AI’s user-focused and efficient design, the final frames bring these elements to life through a cohesive interface that supports seamless task updates and status tracking. The example below illustrates the Update Ticket Flow, using the Updatr AI plug-in that first opens the Updatr AI Chat Bot and redirects the user to the consolidated Dashboard.
Conclusion
Moving Forward
Drawing on my experience as a business analyst, I approached Updatr AI with a focus on designing efficient, user-centered flows that directly address the needs of tech professionals. I focused on crafting intuitive systems that reduce task management friction, anticipating the types of interactions users would need most to streamline their workflows. My UX thinking guided each design decision, from refining user flows to implementing features like the AI Chat Bot and consolidated dashboard, with the goal of enhancing productivity and reducing manual updates.
In the next iteration, I plan to expand Updatr AI by designing more specific use cases, ensuring it effectively supports a broader range of roles and workflows. Additionally, I would assess the technical feasibility of the plug-in’s capabilities, working closely with developers to ensure each feature can be implemented seamlessly and scales effectively. This approach will help solidify Updatr AI as a practical, reliable solution that truly meets the demands of a fast-paced tech environment.