Link Technology is currently in the process of creating the new generation of APIs (and other developer tools). As the design lead, I’m responsible for:
• Partner with key stakeholders to facilitate and incorporate user experience methods into our API design and development process; enabling early feedback from end users to API architects at early stages of the API creation process.
• Improve the overall developer experience, including simplifying the API documentation and make sure we provide all the right resources that help the end-users successfully and quickly integrate and work with the Link APIs.
• Driving experience design activities, to help customers transition to the new generation of APIs.
• Consolidate all Link Technology and Reveal platform developer tools in one repository. This included website redesign, information architecture and usability testing of the new structure to ensure developers can easily navigate through the site and perform key tasks.
The problem:
Link Technology's customers have two options to integrate the technology into their own system. They can integrate using the Link APIs or they could use a web-based console. The web-based console offers an easy-to-use interface that facilitates the API integration without the need to code. Although the web-console is the easiest route, Link APIs offer extended and more advanced capabilities. So, the business strategy is to make the Link APIs easier to use, improve documentation and help API developers understand the scenarios, use cases and contexts in which the APIs are used.
UX process:
To support the business strategy, I created journey maps of Link Technology's customers that were using one or more APIs; describing from the user’s perspective how end-users interact with the technology step-by-step. The journey maps describe what happens at each step of the process, what touch-points are involved, the areas of friction or barriers that the users encounter and the specific APIs that customers use on each step. Some customers use only one API, while other customers have a fully automated workflow and use all the Link APIs available.
Most of our customers are global brands, with operations in several countries. In several cases, the entire production process, from manufacturing, packaging, distribution, wholesale, etc. happens in different countries, so it is crucial for the entire team, to understand the process and complexities of each customer and use cases.
To do this work, we performed interviews with the team members that interact with the customers the most, like sales and business development, as well as team members in the support group. We also joined in customer calls with current and prospect customers, to get a better sense of their use case, workflow and challenge.
Most of our customers are global brands, with operations in several countries. In several cases, the entire production process, from manufacturing, packaging, distribution, wholesale, etc. happens in different countries, so it is crucial for the entire team, to understand the process and complexities of each customer and use cases.
To do this work, we performed interviews with the team members that interact with the customers the most, like sales and business development, as well as team members in the support group. We also joined in customer calls with current and prospect customers, to get a better sense of their use case, workflow and challenge.
Link Developers Website
The redesign of the Link Developers website was part of the business strategy. Below there are some examples of the Link Developers landing page, Get started and Authentication pages. The goals of these pages were:
• Users understand the API purpose and overall requirements within 5 minutes.
• Users have a high level understanding of how the technology works and its main components. Object model is clear.
• Users can create an account, get authenticated and make one call within 30 minutes.
• When developer is unable to proceed, he/she is able to find appropriate help resources in the help site.
My team and I performed usability testing of these pages and created several iterations of the pages based on the feedback obtained. The design and implementation of these pages is currently work-in-progress.
Link API usability testing
The problem:
Many customers were having a very hard time using and integrating with our APIs. Our development teams were spending a lot time 1:1, hand-holding customers to help them integrate with Link dev tools.
UX Process
Many customers were having a very hard time using and integrating with our APIs. Our development teams were spending a lot time 1:1, hand-holding customers to help them integrate with Link dev tools.
UX Process
Our organization implemented several efforts to improve and simplify our APIs. As part of this, my team and I implemented the practice of performing of usability testing sessions of the Link APIs, SDK's and other developer tools throughout the API development cycle.
We performed in-person sessions with developers to validate task success to create a QR code, a short URL and a watermark in a set amount of time. Three rounds of testing were performed to ensure success of tasks
We performed in-person sessions with developers to validate task success to create a QR code, a short URL and a watermark in a set amount of time. Three rounds of testing were performed to ensure success of tasks
A real-time shared Google doc was used by on-site and remote teams to capture usability observations, findings, and solutions. Clear success metrics were identified prior to testing and session debrief and new user stories were written within 2 days.
