At Class Intercom, our in-house product development team includes front- and back-end developers, user interface and product design experts, and more—all working together to build the best software possible. Having a dedicated product team allows us to stay agile, committed to continuous improvement, and responsive to the needs of our users. UX (user experience) design is a key piece of the puzzle. Just ask Class Intercom UX Designer Hayla Doohen; she’s passionate about creating thoughtful, user-centric designs. We sat down with her for a little Q&A to give you a glimpse into her creative process, her perspective on designing intuitive solutions, and some insights on where Class Intercom is heading.
CI: Tell us a little bit about your background in design and what drew you to the field.
HD: I was always around artists growing up and always knew I wanted to pursue a creative field. In university, I pursued graphic design and advertising, and was always especially drawn to game design. UI plays a huge part in game design, which is how I landed in UI/UX and, eventually, product design.
CI: Tell us about your role as a UX designer at Class Intercom and its parent company, Social Assurance?
HD: I focus on two aspects of our product design: continuously improving the user experience and designing new features and elements for the future. I solicit and respond to user feedback by working through elements of the existing applications to see where design updates could make things flow more smoothly. Our development team is also actively building new features based on what schools and students need as we work through our product roadmap. I work ahead of the development team to ensure that what they design is fully functional and seamless for the user.
“I love video games and seeing the latest news in Esports, two things that really inspired my love for UX.”
CI: How do you approach creating a new feature set?
HD: I start with our current functionality and, as a team, we work through where and how the proposed new feature would benefit the user most. Sometimes a new feature set is entirely new; other times it includes feature enhancements that improve the user experience within existing functionality. From there, I run point on mapping out how the new feature(s) will look and function, and collaborate with other members of our development team to build it out. Then we work together to test and re-test the functionality we built, ensuring everything works together and functions properly.
CI: How do user insights inform design and product functionality?
HD: Feedback is by the far the most important aspect of my job. Feedback from users generates ideas, shows us where we might have missed an important detail, and allows us to really see how the user engages with the apps we build. As a designer, it’s easy to get caught up in assumptions and in your own design. Users, who aren’t part of the creative process, using the app to test, provide early feedback, and on an ongoing basis, is ideal as we work toward building the most intuitive product possible.
CI: What’s the benefit of having an in-house product team?
HD: There are tons of benefits, including that we can be more responsive, that we can dig in further on challenges and opportunities, and that we have a genuine understanding of our market. But, the biggest benefit, I think, is that our team is attached to the product and the customers using it. Our team is extremely passionate about what we’re building and the people we serve.
CI: Any Class Intercom features or design elements you’re particularly proud of?
HD: Our school social media task and project management features are huge! The way we’ve integrated them into the product is so seamless and easy, so schools and students can collaborate more easily and save time. This is one of the biggest projects I’ve worked on and is really foundational to a number of future product developments. I’m so excited to see how schools use it and begin implementing their feedback. I can’t wait to hear what everyone thinks!
CI: How do you spend your free time?
HD: I keep myself busy. I’m always catching up on my favorite shows and books, as well as all the lessons I might have missed on Duolingo. I love video games and seeing the latest news in e-sports, two things that really inspired my love for UX.
CI: What’s the best thing about your job?
HD: I love working with the team. I can always go to them to ask questions, get feedback, and definitely for some laughs. Everyone is passionate about our products and our customers. It’s fun to have such a talented team there to collaborate with and work alongside.
Want to learn more about our incredible Class Intercom team? Drop us a line at info@classintercom.com or visit the link below.
