Our Role

As Knowledge’s design partner, we collaborated closely with the founder and later the founding engineer to:

• Define the UX/UI for the MVP.
• Design an interface that balances simplicity with powerful features for document exploration.
• Establish a foundation for iterative enhancements based on user feedback.

Challenges

1. Complex Problem Space: Designing a tool that serves both casual users and power researchers while addressing trust issues with AI-generated outputs.
2. Unclear Brand Identity: With no existing branding, the UI had to stand alone in conveying clarity and trustworthiness.
3. Ambitious Features: Incorporating dynamic features such as audio narration, interactive highlights, and multi-document navigation within a cohesive design.

Solutions

1. Core Interaction Design:
   
   some text
   • Designed a document-first interface where source materials are central, with highlights and summaries complementing the content.
   • Developed an intuitive flow that allows users to query, review documents, and dive deeper into specific sections with minimal friction.
2. Enhanced Usability:
   
   some text
   • Introduced interactive highlights for quick navigation and deeper exploration.
   • Designed audio walkthroughs as a primary feature, allowing users to listen to summaries while visually engaging with highlighted content.
   • Created controls for navigating through summaries, highlights, and entire documents with ease.
3. Collaborative Process:
   
   some text
   • Conducted iterative design reviews to refine concepts in real time.
   • Incorporated feedback from the founder to align the product’s design with its broader vision and technical constraints.
4. Custom Mockups:
   
   some text
   • Built detailed high-fidelity mockups showcasing various document types, transitions between highlights, and focus modes to address diverse user needs.

Results

• Full MVP Design: Delivered a functional, high-fidelity MVP ready for development, balancing advanced functionality with intuitive design.
• Improved User Experience: Created an engaging interface that mimics the experience of working alongside a knowledgeable colleague.

Foundation for Growth: Established a scalable design framework adaptable to future features like note-taking, jargon explanations, and extended document types.