Daily Feed
At a glance
How we transformed a stakeholder request to introduce AI functionality into an opportunity to enhance team workflows with the “Daily Feed,” empowering users to track tasks, monitor progress, and run more effective daily scrums—ultimately making it the second most used feature app-wide.
Final mock showing the new UX
My Role
As the main designer for this project, I was able to manage the entire design process independently. Here are some of the steps I took for this job:
Stakeholder engagement
Feedback collection and analysis
Research interviews
Brainstorming sessions
Competitive analysis
Designs
Usability testing
Hand off
Challenges
SKEPTICISM AROUND AI
The stakeholder requested a complete AI-powered feature, but at the time, AI was just emerging, and many companies and users were cautious about the potential risks, particularly around data privacy and security.
UNCLEAR USER ADOPTION
Unlike other features driven by user feedback, this was a top-down request. It was unclear whether users would adopt the feature or how it would fit into their workflows, posing a significant risk to its success.
DEPENDENCE ON OTHER TEAMS
The feature was dependent on the development of the "Home" tab, owned by another team. With no clear timeline for when the Home tab would be ready, progress on this feature faced delays and uncertainty.
Discovery
For this project, we used several research methods to understand our users' needs, identify any existing gaps, and connect the requested feature to a genuine need or pain point. Here is what we did:
User Research: We were able to interview 5 of our top 75 customers who had previously let us know that they were feeling a bit overwhelmed with the task board. We discovered that managers and stakeholders struggled with the board during daily scrum meetings due to its overwhelming interface, which caused distractions and pulled focus from daily work. This revealed a clear need for optimization.
Competitor Analysis: We analyzed competitor products and observed that many used home pages to surface key information, such as team tasks, priorities, and metrics, providing clarity and focus. These insights inspired us to explore options for improving the board or creating a new home page.
Collaboration and Strategy: After discussions with my project manager and stakeholder, we decided to prioritize developing a home page that highlighted daily work. This approach aligned with user needs and supported another team’s upcoming initiatives.
Design
During the design phase, I focused on creating a user-friendly home page to help teams track tasks, monitor progress, and enable stakeholders to review work efficiently. The goal was to streamline daily scrums and give managers a clear view of team workflows.
I started with a draft and worked iteratively, regularly meeting with my project manager, stakeholders, and developers. This approach ensured quick feedback, feasibility checks, and kept the project on track.
How it ended
Pivoting
Originally intended as an AI-powered feature, the project pivoted to focus on creating a robust Zenhub automation.
Collaboration challenges arose when the team responsible for the "Home" page shifted priorities, causing delays.
To maintain progress, the "Daily Feed" was integrated into the sidebar and positioned at the top of the menu.
This strategic placement ensured a seamless user experience while awaiting the resumption of work on the "Home" page.
30%
Increased usage in the first month, compared to other features, making Daily Feed the second most used feature in the entire Zenhub app, reflecting strong customer engagement and highlighting its potential to add significant value to the product while enhancing customer satisfaction.
For the next phase, I selected users via MixPanel data for interviews and usability tests, gathering first impressions and insights on the feature. Key pain points, particularly in the team view, emerged, prompting us to refine our approach.
Below is the project’s current status, along with a draft of ideas for feedback from my Project Manager and Technical Lead as we plan the next steps.
