Case Study
FlowState Product Redesign
From cluttered tool to focused workspace
01 — Problem
Users reported feeling overwhelmed by feature density. Task completion rates dropped 22% after a major feature push. The product needed to refocus on its core value: helping people enter deep work.
02 — Research
Conducted 12 user interviews and analyzed session recordings from 500+ users. Key insight: power users wanted depth, but 70% of daily users only used 3 core features. Competitive analysis of Notion, Linear, and Sunsama informed our positioning.
03 — Process
Ran a 2-week design sprint with cross-functional stakeholders. Prioritized features using RICE scoring. Created low-fi prototypes tested with 8 users before high-fidelity design. Iterated on navigation architecture three times based on tree-testing results.
04 — Wireframe
Explored sidebar vs. top-nav vs. command-palette-first patterns. Wireframes emphasized progressive disclosure — advanced features hidden behind intentional gestures. Mobile wireframes prioritized thumb-zone placement for primary actions.
05 — Design System
Extended Nexus tokens with focus-mode palette: muted backgrounds, single accent color, reduced visual noise. Created 8 new components: FocusTimer, TaskBatch, AmbientPanel, SessionSummary. Documented motion principles: calm, purposeful, never distracting.
06 — Final UI
Shipped a three-column layout that collapses to single-column focus mode. Hero metric: time-in-focus displayed prominently. Subtle grain texture and soft gradients create warmth without distraction. Dark mode as default with carefully tuned contrast ratios.
07 — Reflection
The redesign increased weekly active usage by 31% and NPS by 18 points. I learned that restraint is a feature — saying no to good ideas was harder than saying yes. Next time, I'd involve engineering earlier in wireframe validation for feasibility checks.