summary
I was contracted by OptimalWork to redesign their web application. Their platform and framework help people be mindful and achieve greater satisfaction from their work. The goal of the project was to make the platform more user-friendly and to introduce new features that meet the needs of their users. As part of my work, I conducted user research, built user journeys, and prototyped an elegant solution. As part of my work, I also did a branding refresh. The updated product was shipped and is continuously growing and seeing more adoption.
existing app
The existing app had a lot of useful content, as well as a set of online tools. However, there were opportunities to improve the information architecture, interactions, and overall brand and messaging. In addition, there was a general lack of consistency in the patterns and components used, which was another area where I could make an impact.
target audience
The audience for OptimalWork is quite broad, as the platform can make a difference in many people's lives. This posed a challenge for the design, as it made it hard to design for specific use cases or circumstances.
professional janice
PROFESSIONAL JANICE
Janice is a corporate lawyer. She needs to stay focused at work, while also maintaining a positive outlook and feeling rewarded. She needs to manage multiple tasks, while also maintaining good mental health and a sense of accomplishment.
student dave
student dave
Dave is a graduate student. He needs to get his assignments done and make sure his career is on track. He has many competing priorities and his schedule can be stressful. He want to stay organized and keep a sense of sanity as he is going through grad school.
process
During my work, I first conducted an audit and competitive analysis. This gave me an idea of what the state of the current product is, as well as gave me a feel for the competition and the overall domain. As I was getting deeper into the process, I constructed target personas and started flashing out key use cases for them. I then put together a prototype, which I used during user research. We took the learnings and iterated on our designs. Next, I conducted a usability test to validate the updated prototype and gather more learnings. Finally, I designed new branding guidelines that I applied to the final design.
Mid-fi prototyping
user research
Usability assessment
usability testing
competitor analysis
branding
usability testing
competitor analysis
typography
For the typeface, we chose Metropolis. The brand is a combination of a soft feel of a mindfulness app and a sense of professionalism. I wanted a font that combines both worlds and looks clean and legible.
colors
For the color scheme, I continued the existing brand's bet on the trust-inducing blue, while also combining it with the complementary yellow. The colors used in the product are subtle, and yet give a strong sense of branding.
final design
The final design featured an improved organization, a much-simplified interaction model, and refreshed branding. We also introduced a number of features that would make the platform more unified and simple to use. The below prototype shows the new My Coach feature that guides users through their day with useful content suggestions that would help them get the most value out of OptimalWork.
the golden hour
One of the most popular tools of the App is The Golden Hour, which allows users to do an hour of focused work while working on a given behavior. We redesigned the experience, in order to make it more intuitive and reduce friction.
prompts
During the Golden Hour, users go through a series of prompts. In our new design, we made sure that our prompts are minimal and simple to go through, in order to mitigate fatigue.
timer
The timer is another key part of the Golden Hour flow. We simplified the UI for the timer and added background customizations for a more personal experience.
Master Class
A big section of the content offered through OptimalWork is located within the Master Class. In the new design, I update the interface for consuming the content, as well as the look and feel of the class. This made it easier to scan through and interact with the Master Class.
outcome
The project was successfully completed and delivered to the client. I also worked with the development team during handoff to ensure that the design is implemented smoothly. Below is some of the feedback that I received from the client.
Raden did an exceptional job redesigning our website. The end product was exactly what we needed, achieved after a few iterations, and within our budget and timeline. He was a pleasure to work with — he had excellent, innovative ideas; he clearly communicated along the way. A true professional in every sense of the word, and also very pleasant to work with. We will definitely work with Raden again for all our design needs. We are extremely happy with the designs Raden made for us, as well as the insights he gave us into our product along the way. You'd be very lucky to have him work to bring your ideas to life.
Sharif Younes, Co-Founder, OptimalWork
summary
I was contracted by OptimalWork to redesign their web application. Their platform and framework help people be mindful and achieve greater satisfaction from their work. The goal of the project was to make the platform more user-friendly and to introduce new features that meet the needs of their users. As part of my work, I conducted user research, built user journeys, and prototyped an elegant solution. As part of my work, I also did a branding refresh. The updated product was shipped and is continuously growing and seeing more adoption.
problem
The existing app had a lot of useful content, as well as a set of online tools. However, there were opportunities to improve the information architecture, interactions, and overall brand and messaging. In addition, there was a general lack of consistency in the patterns and components used, which was another area where I could make an impact.
target audience
The audience for OptimalWork is quite broad, as the platform can make a difference in many people's lives. This posed a challenge for the design, as it made it hard to design for specific use cases or circumstances. Students and working professionals use the application to feel more productive or have a better sense of reward and accomplishment from their work.
professional janice
Janice is a corporate lawyer. She needs to stay focused at work, while also maintaining a positive outlook and feeling rewarded. She needs to manage multiple tasks, while also maintaining good mental health and a sense of accomplishment.
student dave
Dave is a graduate student. He needs to get his assignments done and make sure his career is on track. He has many competing priorities and his schedule can be stressful. He want to stay organized and keep a sense of sanity as he is going through grad school.
process
During my work, I first conducted an audit and competitive analysis. This gave me an idea of what the state of the current product is, as well as gave me a feel for the competition and the overall domain. As I was getting deeper into the process, I constructed target personas and started flashing out key use cases for them. I then put together a prototype, which I used during user research. We took the learnings and iterated on our designs. Next, I conducted a usability test to validate the updated prototype and gather more learnings. Finally, I designed new branding guidelines that I applied to the final design.
Mid-fi prototyping
user research
Usability assessment
usability testing
competitor analysis
branding
usability testing
competitor analysis
typography
For the typeface, we chose Metropolis. The brand is a combination of a soft feel of a mindfulness app and a sense of professionalism. I wanted a font that combines both worlds and looks clean and legible.
colors
For the color scheme, I continued the existing brand's bet on the trust-inducing blue, while also combining it with the complementary yellow. The colors used in the product are subtle, and yet give a strong sense of branding.
final design
The final design featured an improved organization, a much-simplified interaction model, and refreshed branding. We also introduced a number of features that would make the platform more unified and simple to use. The below prototype shows the new My Coach feature that guides users through their day with useful content suggestions that would help them get the most value out of OptimalWork.
the golden hour
One of the most popular tools of the App is The Golden Hour, which allows users to do an hour of focused work while working on a given behavior. We redesigned the experience, in order to make it more intuitive and reduce friction.
prompts
During the Golden Hour, users go through a series of prompts. In our new design, we made sure that our prompts are minimal and simple to go through, in order to mitigate fatigue.
timer
The timer is another key part of the Golden Hour flow. We simplified the UI for the timer and added background customizations for a more personal experience.
Master Class
A big section of the content offered through OptimalWork is located within the Master Class. In the new design, I update the interface for consuming the content, as well as the look and feel of the class. This made it easier to scan through and interact with the Master Class.
outcome
The project was successfully completed and delivered to the client. I also worked with the development team during handoff to ensure that the design is implemented smoothly. Below is some of the feedback that I received from the client.
Raden did an exceptional job redesigning our website. The end product was exactly what we needed, achieved after a few iterations, and within our budget and timeline. He was a pleasure to work with — he had excellent, innovative ideas; he clearly communicated along the way. A true professional in every sense of the word, and also very pleasant to work with. We will definitely work with Raden again for all our design needs. We are extremely happy with the designs Raden made for us, as well as the insights he gave us into our product along the way. You'd be very lucky to have him work to bring your ideas to life.
