Business communication desktop app — Creating ideas

To enhance our design solutions, we incorporated a diverse range of ideas generated through productive discussions. Using the Crazy 8s method, we encouraged UX Team to generate multiple ideas within a constrained timeframe. Following this, we conducted an analysis to identify the most promising ideas that will be implemented and sent for testing.

Key principles of our ideation workshop

• During the ideation session, all ideas were welcomed and encouraged, without immediate evaluation or judgment. This fostered a creative and open environment for participants to freely express their thoughts and suggestions.
• We documented the entire ideation session to capture all the ideas shared by participants. This documentation serves as a valuable reference and enables us to revisit and further explore these ideas in the future.
• We emphasized collaborative efforts in generating ideas, recognizing that diverse perspectives and contributions can lead to innovative solutions. By encouraging participants to create different ideas, we harnessed the power of collective thinking and creativity.

Crazy 8s brainstorming workshop

The ideation process was conducted through a brainstorming session known as the Crazy 8s workshop. Each participant was given a time limit of 8 minutes to generate as many unique ideas as possible. This time constraint encouraged rapid idea generation and prevented overthinking.

After the 8 minutes were up, all participants shared their ideas with the group. This collaborative session allowed for further discussion and evaluation of the ideas that showed the most potential. We carefully considered each solution and assessed its alignment with the project requirements and objectives.

In addition to the Crazy 8s workshop, we also employed parallel design techniques. This involved providing the design team with the same set of requirements and allowing them to independently create different ideas and concepts. This approach encouraged diverse perspectives and ensured a wide range of solutions were explored.

Following the parallel design phase, the design team reviewed and assessed the ideas generated by each individual. The best ideas from each designer were then integrated into the final concept, combining the strengths and unique perspectives of the team members.

Step 1: Goals

Problem
What are we trying to solve?
The main objective the team would like to focus on solving is the navigation of the app. We want to ensure that users can easily find specific information within the app to complete their tasks effectively.

Successful Outcome
What does a successful outcome look like at the end of this brainstorm session?
A successful outcome would be a well-designed and intuitive navigation system that enables users to effortlessly discover and access the features and information they need to accomplish their tasks. The navigation should be user-friendly, clear, and efficient, providing a seamless experience for users throughout the app.

Step 2: Sketches of ideas

During this step, the team generated and sketched various ideas to improve the navigation of the app. Each participant had the opportunity to explore different concepts and approaches.

The focus was on creating sketches that addressed the identified problem and aligned with the goals set in Step 1. The sketches aimed to propose intuitive and user-friendly navigation solutions that would enhance the user’s ability to find specific information and complete tasks effectively.

The sketches captured different layouts, menu structures, visual hierarchies, and interaction patterns that could potentially improve the navigation experience within the app. The team encouraged creativity and diverse perspectives to explore a wide range of possibilities.

Step 3: Takeaways from the 1st session

After the brainstorming and sketching session focused on improving the app’s navigation, several key takeaways emerged:

• The team recognized that a vertical navigation menu would be suitable for accommodating the app’s growing feature set.
• The idea of transforming the dialler into a modal that can be moved and resized anywhere on the screen resonated with the team. This flexible design concept would provide users with the freedom to customize their workspace and improve the usability of the dialler feature.
• The team discussed whether to incorporate settings within the user settings section or create a separate category. To make an informed decision, both design ideas will be tested to determine the most intuitive and efficient approach.
• The team recognized the importance of incorporating a universal search feature to enhance discoverability within the app. This functionality would enable users to quickly find specific information or perform actions, contributing to a more efficient and user-friendly experience.
• These takeaways will inform further discussions, refinement, and testing of the design concepts to ensure the navigation improvements align with the app’s goals and meet the users’ needs effectively.

Session 2 — Main categories in details

Step 1: Goals

Problem
What are we trying to solve?
The team aims to address the challenge of providing relevant and informative content within each main category of the app. The goal is to ensure that users can easily find the information they need to accomplish their tasks effectively.

Main objective
What is the main objective the team would like to focus on solving?
The main objective is to determine what specific information should be included in each main category of the app. This will involve identifying the key content elements that users are most likely to seek within each category.

What information should be added to each main category of this app?
The team will explore and discuss the necessary information that should be included in each main category of the app. This could involve considering user needs, task requirements, and any relevant content that enhances the user experience within each category.

Successful outcome
What does a successful outcome look like at the end of this brainstorm session?
A successful outcome would involve a clear understanding of the content requirements for each main category of the app. The team should have identified and documented the necessary information that should be added to ensure that users can easily discover and accomplish their tasks within the app.

Step 2: Sketches of ideas

Step 3: Takeaways 2nd session

After the second session, the team generated several valuable takeaways and design considerations for the app’s main navigation. These takeaways include:

• The dialpad functionality should be a distinct category within the main navigation, allowing users to easily access it for making calls.
• The profile avatar should include a dropdown menu that provides options for setting the user’s status, such as “do not disturb” (DND) mode.
• It is important to conduct user testing to ensure that users understand that SMS (text messaging) is categorized under the Calls section, ensuring clarity in the app’s organization.
• Including a search bar within the Settings section can help users quickly find the specific settings they need, improving the overall user experience.
• To enhance usability, consider organizing the Settings options into relevant categories, making it easier for users to locate specific settings based on their needs.
• Placing all communication formats (such as calls, messaging, video conferencing) at the top of the side menu can prioritize these essential features and provide easy access to users.
• While designing the horizontal menu, take into account the potential limitations of space and consider how the app will adapt to narrower screens or accommodate future feature additions.
• Allow users to resize the app window according to their preferences or specific situations, providing flexibility in viewing and utilizing the app.
• Test the idea of accessing the Settings section through a modal window triggered from the top menu, evaluating its effectiveness and user satisfaction.
• Provide an option to toggle the visibility of the dialpad, allowing users to choose whether it appears on each screen or remains hidden until explicitly accessed.
• Enhance the dialpad’s user experience by implementing a floating button design with subtle micro-interactions, making it visually engaging and intuitive to use.
• Rather than having a separate category for one-to-one video conferencing, consider integrating it within the Calls category to streamline navigation and improve the logical flow of features.

These takeaways will inform the ongoing design process and help create a more user-centric and intuitive main navigation for the app.