Project Overview

Photoshop (Ps) is a powerful photo editing and compositing software - an industry standard for digital art - enough for the name to be used as a verb.

Along with its capabilities, its complexity has grown as well over the the past 33 years, creating a steep learning curve for new creative enthusiasts.

The previous in-app search capability was limited, and often led to a dead-end for users seeking answers within the context for their task and workspace. The Discover Panel aims to unblock users when they’re stuck, and unlock the power of photoshop through an enhanced search experience.

My Role

• Launched the Discover Panel, including 4 quick actions, and a feedback widget in Photoshop CC 2021

• Lead design and strategy work to launch 17 additional quick actions in Photoshop CC 2022

• Leveraged facilitation and systems-thinking skills to manage the product roadmap for quick actions in 2021 and define the vision beyond

• Designed 4 high-fidelity prototypes for user research studies

• Authored the feedback design pattern as a Spectrum contribution

• Leveraged organizational and project management skills to establish the team’s first JIRA board and drafted the Search & discover team’s design process and best practices.

Project Duration

April 2019 - November 2021

Collaborators and consultant teams

Search and discover design, Design research, Product management, Engineering, Content strategy, Content creation, International design, Adobe Spectrum design, Photoshop design

Project Outcome

A unified and cohesive search & discovery capability, that's easily accessible, providing a seamless way for users to find and consume contextually relevant content right inside the creative application.

The Discover Panel leverages Adobe Sensei's AI and Machine Learning technology to drive suggestions, and, packages hidden, high-value Photoshop features as “Quick actions” by simplifying complex tasks into one-click actions tied to relevant tools and in-app learning.

Oftentimes, creative enthusiasts want to ‘Photoshop’ something simple, for example removing a busy background from a portrait image. Some problems that they run into:

• Not knowing where or how to start in Ps

• Being unable to find the relevant tool or feature

• Being unaware of less complex apps within Adobe’s Creative Cloud suite for their task

• Switching between a web article or YouTube video and the Ps app for guidance

• Giving up when they get stuck, or if the task is taking too long

The Discover Panel’s search capability, help content library, and curated quick actions aimed to alleviate some of these problems.

A user can now navigate to, or search for the ‘Remove background’ quick action and have a background-free portrait in seconds. I lead the design and strategy work for 20 similar quick actions in 2021 which aimed to:

• make existing and new features more discoverable

• expedite creative workflows through automation

• create a learning opportunity by connecting to relevant help content, as well as feature controls for refinement

• improve app engagement through fun and high-value tasks

• make non-destructive layer edits

A new content discovery experience requires feedback from users to

• improve the quality and relevancy of content

• reveal unmet user needs in the experience

• pinpoint opportunities to improve the experience

I was responsible for designing the feedback pattern to scale across different content types within the Discover Panel. This humble component lead me to constantly observe feedback gathering experiences around me - from dismissing a newsfeed article, to liking in-app informational content, and even longer form feedback on search results.

The final designs focused on:

• quick and simple binary responses

• optional open text fields for users to add details

• multiple choice responses when relevant

• an in-panel survey for more descriptive feedback

As an Adobe Spectrum contribution, I plan to meet all the criteria to make this an internally approved, scalable and holistic design pattern.

Learnings

In addition to the UX and UI work for quick actions, I embodied the role of a product manager, and was responsible for mapping the release strategy based on user value, market research, and technological readiness. I also facilitated conversations about technological limitations, engineering feasibility, content requirements, team dependencies and overall program management for the collaborative process.

Despite a global pandemic, working from home with it’s own challenges, and collaborating across teams, and countries, we successfully launched the Discover Panel in 2021 and a total of 21 quick actions by 2022, which I’m very proud and honored to have been a significant part of.

PROCESS & MANAGEMENT

• More efficient release cycle that allows time for technological and content evaluation, as well as design exploration and user testing ahead of the engineering schedule

• More efficient design and behavior documentation, and process that allows time for collaborative and meticulous QE testing after implementation

• More efficient feedback loop to plan the upcoming roadmap that is informed by actual usage data and user validation

• Balancing design and implementation for near-term deliverables with long-term vision of scalability and strategy

• Better allocation of resources for a balanced, well-rounded team that collaborates more efficiently