Core
Experience

Role & Responsibility

PRODUCT DESIGN

Product direction, hands-on contribution & team management

PRODUCT RESEARCH

E2E research collaboration - planning, execution & insight reporting

PRODUCT STRATEGY

Vision definition, strategy roadmap & stakeholder alignment

Collaborators

Product Design (1 lead, 2 designers) · Product Lead · CEO · Engineering

Kaboom is an emerging B2B CRM SaaS focused on using AI to aggregate internal and external data across prospects, accounts, and contacts, then translate that data into clear next-step recommendations.

I joined as a part-time Design Lead two years after the company’s inception. I worked closely with leadership to shape product direction and guide design-led decision making, while leading a small team of designers to bring the vision into execution.

Kaboom is an emerging B2B CRM SaaS focused on using AI to aggregate internal and external data across prospects, accounts, and contacts, then translate that data into clear next-step recommendations.

I joined as a part-time Design Lead two years after the company’s inception. I worked closely with leadership to shape product direction and guide design-led decision making, while leading a small team of designers to bring the vision into execution.

Kaboom's interface, before I joined.

Problem

Despite securing early clients, Kaboom lacked a clear product vision. Roadmap decisions were largely driven by client requests and founder intuition, which led to a fragmented experience with too many loosely connected features.

This resulted in low feature adoption and high abandonment. The product was costly to maintain and difficult for users to understand.

Kaboom needed a focused reset in both product strategy and experience design. I took ownership of guiding the team through this shift.

Despite securing early clients, Kaboom lacked a clear product vision. Roadmap decisions were largely driven by client requests and founder intuition, which led to a fragmented experience with too many loosely connected features.

This resulted in low feature adoption and high abandonment. The product was costly to maintain and difficult for users to understand.

Kaboom needed a focused reset in both product strategy and experience design. I took ownership of guiding the team through this shift.

Research

To better understand the problem space, I initiated a series of client interviews.

Users consistently valued Kaboom’s core meeting experience, including AI-assisted meeting prep, note-taking, summaries, and follow-ups. However, the rest of the product felt disconnected and lacked a cohesive workflow.

AI capabilities were also underutilized outside of meetings, which limited perceived value. In addition, users highlighted gaps in responsive design, noting that reliable access across devices was critical to their workflow.

I continued engaging clients throughout the process to ensure our direction stayed aligned with real needs.

To better understand the problem space, I initiated a series of client interviews.

Users consistently valued Kaboom’s core meeting experience, including AI-assisted meeting prep, note-taking, summaries, and follow-ups. However, the rest of the product felt disconnected and lacked a cohesive workflow.

AI capabilities were also underutilized outside of meetings, which limited perceived value. In addition, users highlighted gaps in responsive design, noting that reliable access across devices was critical to their workflow.

I continued engaging clients throughout the process to ensure our direction stayed aligned with real needs.

Excerpt from client interview summary.

Primary goals

Based on these insights, I worked with stakeholders to define a clearer set of transformation goals.:

1. Feature pruning & align focus
Streamline the feature set by removing underutilized functionalities and prioritizing the high-value tools that users rely on most.

2. Define value proposition
Define a clear core value proposition that anchors design decisions and communicates why the product is essential to users.

3. Foundation for future growth
Rethink the product from the ground up to create a scalable foundation for future features and integrations.

Based on these insights, I worked with stakeholders to define a clearer set of transformation goals.:
1. Feature pruning & align focus
Streamline the feature set by removing underutilized functionalities and prioritizing the high-value tools that users rely on most.
2. Define value proposition
Define a clear core value proposition that anchors design decisions and communicates why the product is essential to users.
3. Foundation for future growth
Rethink the product from the ground up to create a scalable foundation for future features and integrations.

Strategy

With alignment on the problems and goals, I facilitated a series of vision-setting workshops. Together, we defined Kaboom’s core value proposition and long-term direction.

We audited the full feature set and identified what was essential to the core experience. Non-core features were removed to reduce complexity and improve focus, especially given their low adoption. Some were set aside for future reconsideration.

With alignment on the problems and goals, I facilitated a series of vision-setting workshops. Together, we defined Kaboom’s core value proposition and long-term direction.

We audited the full feature set and identified what was essential to the core experience. Non-core features were removed to reduce complexity and improve focus, especially given their low adoption. Some were set aside for future reconsideration.

Kaboom's feature sets transformation.

I also introduced an architectural diagram to map how the new experience should function end to end. This served as a shared reference for product, design, and engineering, guiding both MVP decisions and future expansion.

Kaboom’s strength lies in aggregating complex data from multiple sources, structuring it into usable insights, and translating those insights into actionable recommendations. The new architecture was designed to reinforce that strength.

I also introduced an architectural diagram to map how the new experience should function end to end. This served as a shared reference for product, design, and engineering, guiding both MVP decisions and future expansion.

Kaboom’s strength lies in aggregating complex data from multiple sources, structuring it into usable insights, and translating those insights into actionable recommendations. The new architecture was designed to reinforce that strength.

Architectural diagram for Kaboom's new core experience.

A key initiative was establishing a design system. Leadership was initially hesitant due to concerns about scope, and preferred to reuse existing UI.

I pushed for a systemized approach, highlighting how existing inconsistencies would compound as the product scaled. Without clear standards, usability and development efficiency would continue to degrade.

We aligned on starting with a lean system focused on essential components, with room to evolve over time. As part of this effort, I refreshed typography and color to create a more cohesive and flexible visual foundation.

A key initiative was establishing a design system. Leadership was initially hesitant due to concerns about scope, and preferred to reuse existing UI.

I pushed for a systemized approach, highlighting how existing inconsistencies would compound as the product scaled. Without clear standards, usability and development efficiency would continue to degrade.

We aligned on starting with a lean system focused on essential components, with room to evolve over time. As part of this effort, I refreshed typography and color to create a more cohesive and flexible visual foundation.

New design system examples, highlighting typography and colors.

Design brainstorming

During wireframing, the primary challenge was defining what information mattered most, especially on the dashboard.

This required balancing UX fundamentals like hierarchy and clarity with product thinking around what insights, alerts, and actions would drive value.

In parallel, I pushed the team to think beyond surface-level AI features and integrate AI more meaningfully across the experience. This led to introducing a generative AI chatbot as a central interaction layer that connects across workflows.

I also explored updates to the overall visual system to improve clarity and polish.

During wireframing, the primary challenge was defining what information mattered most, especially on the dashboard.

This required balancing UX fundamentals like hierarchy and clarity with product thinking around what insights, alerts, and actions would drive value.

In parallel, I pushed the team to think beyond surface-level AI features and integrate AI more meaningfully across the experience. This led to introducing a generative AI chatbot as a central interaction layer that connects across workflows.

I also explored updates to the overall visual system to improve clarity and polish.

Early wireframe examples.

Layout & typography explorations.

To refine alerts and notifications, I worked with leadership and users to audit what existed and what should exist.

We streamlined the system significantly, removing redundant signals and consolidating alerts into a smaller set of meaningful categories. This reduced noise and made the experience easier to understand and act on.

To refine alerts and notifications, I worked with leadership and users to audit what existed and what should exist.

We streamlined the system significantly, removing redundant signals and consolidating alerts into a smaller set of meaningful categories. This reduced noise and made the experience easier to understand and act on.

Alerts & notifications topics.

Final design

Kaboom's new homepage.

The redesigned experience is more focused and structured around a core concept.

Kaboom’s primary interaction model is now “Nudges.” These are AI-generated alerts that surface prioritized insights for the user’s day-to-day work. Each nudge includes recommended next steps that users can act on directly.

This creates a tighter loop between insight and action.

Across the experience, users can engage with the AI assistant to retrieve information, make updates, and execute tasks without breaking their workflow.

The redesigned experience is more focused and structured around a core concept.

Kaboom’s primary interaction model is now “Nudges.” These are AI-generated alerts that surface prioritized insights for the user’s day-to-day work. Each nudge includes recommended next steps that users can act on directly.

This creates a tighter loop between insight and action.

Across the experience, users can engage with the AI assistant to retrieve information, make updates, and execute tasks without breaking their workflow.

Core experience flow prototype.

To encourage adoption of the AI assistant, I introduced a distinct visual treatment in empty states, using subtle animation to draw attention without overwhelming the interface.

I explored requiring users to select a specific account before issuing commands, but testing showed this created friction. Users often forgot to switch context, which led to errors.

I also explored prompt suggestions to guide usage. While this tested well conceptually, it was deferred due to scope and is planned for future iterations.

To encourage adoption of the AI assistant, I introduced a distinct visual treatment in empty states, using subtle animation to draw attention without overwhelming the interface.

I explored requiring users to select a specific account before issuing commands, but testing showed this created friction. Users often forgot to switch context, which led to errors.

I also explored prompt suggestions to guide usage. While this tested well conceptually, it was deferred due to scope and is planned for future iterations.

AI assistant iterations.

For viewing nudge details and similar interactions, I focused on enabling quick entry and exit without disrupting context.

We explored multiple patterns, including modals and drawers, while considering how they would coexist with the AI assistant.

Although I initially leaned away from overlays, testing showed they were the most intuitive and least disruptive option. We moved forward with that approach.

For viewing nudge details and similar interactions, I focused on enabling quick entry and exit without disrupting context.

We explored multiple patterns, including modals and drawers, while considering how they would coexist with the AI assistant.

Although I initially leaned away from overlays, testing showed they were the most intuitive and least disruptive option. We moved forward with that approach.

Drawer explorations.

Another important addition was responsive design. Kaboom’s existing mobile experience was a basic engineering adaptation.

While mobile usage was relatively low, users still expected reliable access across devices. I advocated for including responsive design in scope and secured limited resources to deliver a more usable experience.

Another important addition was responsive design. Kaboom’s existing mobile experience was a basic engineering adaptation.

While mobile usage was relatively low, users still expected reliable access across devices. I advocated for including responsive design in scope and secured limited resources to deliver a more usable experience.

Mobile screen examples.

Outcome

The redesign led to strong positive feedback and measurable improvements post-launch. Kaboom also secured two new clients, both of whom cited the updated experience as a key factor in their decision.

61%

Decrease in
abandonment

Decrease in abandonment

88%

Core task
completion rate

Core task completion rate

37%

Increase in product
usage frequency

Increase in product usage frequency

Next Steps

While the initial release was successful, the product continues to evolve.

Near-term work includes expanding AI capabilities, such as prompt suggestions and saved prompts. On the platform side, we are deepening integrations with email, chat, and other critical tools.

Previously removed features are also being reconsidered, with a more disciplined approach to validation and design.

While the initial release was successful, the product continues to evolve.

Near-term work includes expanding AI capabilities, such as prompt suggestions and saved prompts. On the platform side, we are deepening integrations with email, chat, and other critical tools.

Previously removed features are also being reconsidered, with a more disciplined approach to validation and design.

Website by David · Email · LinkedIn