Chat GPT Interface Optimisation
Enhancing how users find and organise past conversation threads
A Case Study for the UX Tree Mentorship Programme
Role: UX & UI Designer
Year: 2024
Background
Coming from a psychology and cognitive science background, I’m fascinated by how people interact with technology and process information, especially within Chat GPT's design. My focus is on understanding how users access, organize, and retrieve information from their past conversations to optimize Chat GPT’s interface. This project aims to align Chat GPT with users' cognitive processes, enhancing productivity and overall user experience.
This project focused on improving Chat GPT, an AI chatbot interface, by enhancing how users organize and find past conversations. The goal was to boost user experience and efficiency across various tasks.
Project Summary
This project focused on improving the user experience of Chat GPT, an AI chatbot, by enhancing how users organize and retrieve past conversations. The core challenge was to address the cluttered conversation history panel and make it more intuitive for users who rely on Chat GPT for multiple, ongoing projects.
The final design enables Chat GPT users to intuitively search, categorize, and retrieve their past conversations, significantly improving productivity and user satisfaction. This project deepened my expertise in user-centered design and further sharpened my ability to turn user frustrations into effective design solutions.
Through a combination of user research, persona development, and iterative prototyping, I designed features like advanced search functionality, tagging, and folder systems to streamline the user’s interaction with their conversation history. These design solutions were tested and refined based on real user feedback.
Project Overview
Challenge
The project addressed key challenges and opportunities:
User Experience Enhancement: Improving Chat GPT's usability to increase user satisfaction and engagement.
Adaptability and Learning: Enhancing Chat GPT's ability to learn from user interactions for more relevant responses over time.
Competitive Edge: Offering robust features for efficient conversation management, positioning Chat GPT as a preferred AI chatbot solution.
These elements highlight the project's importance in optimizing Chat GPT's performance across diverse user needs and use cases.
Goals
This project aimed to enhance the Chat GPT AI chatbot interface by:
Improving User Experience: Making it easier for users to find and organize past conversations.
Solving Navigation Challenges: Addressing user feedback about difficulty in finding past conversations.
Increasing Productivity: Helping users save time by making it quicker to find useful information from past conversations.
These goals were based on user feedback and aimed to make Chat GPT more useful and user-friendly in various professional settings.
My Impact
Enhanced User Experience: Led the design and development of key features within the Chat GPT interface, including the search, tagging, and folder functionalities, which significantly improved users' ability to organize and retrieve conversation threads.
User-Centered Design: Ensured the design solutions were deeply rooted in user research, leading to a more intuitive and efficient interface that catered specifically to power users' needs.
Design System Contribution: Contributed to refining the Chat GPT design system by integrating new components that aligned with the existing aesthetic, ensuring seamless functionality while enhancing usability for all user types.
Process
Research and Ideation
Initially, I researched and analyzed the needs and behaviors of Chat GPT users who interact with various topics. I then identified challenges such as difficulty in organizing and retrieving information from past conversations. This phase clarified our objectives to enhance user interaction and streamline information retrieval.
I then defined specific problems to solve, such as improving search functionality and organizing conversations effectively. Clear goals were established to enhance user experience, increase efficiency in information retrieval, and support diverse user tasks. Persona profiles helped us understand user behaviors and preferences, guiding design decisions.
Development and Iteration
We generated ideas and created prototypes for new features like advanced search, tagging, folder organization, and tab functionality. Prototypes were tested with users to gather feedback on usability, functionality, and effectiveness.
Iterative improvements based on user feedback and strategic insights contributed to a more refined and user-centric design in Chat GPT's conversation management features. These enhancements aimed to meet user needs more effectively while advancing the overall usability and functionality of the platform.
Mockups
I Created initial mock-ups to include the redesigned conversation history sidebar.
Emphasis was placed on improved Searchability and organization.
Search Function
Easily locate past conversations using keyword searches within conversation titles.
Tagging
Organize conversations by applying tags based on topics or categories.
Folder
A nested folder structure to categorize conversations, facilitating better organization and retrieval.
Mockups - 3 Functions
The UI aligns more seamlessly with the existing Chat GPT aesthetic
The Search Function is more prominent and closer to the conversation titles.
Before Usability Study
After Usability Study
Mockups - Search Function
Enhanced search function after iterative design improvements includes Improved usability for precise search and filtering options.
Before Usability Study
After Usability Study
Mockups - Tag Function
The Tag function was in green below the three new function buttons but potentially causing some interface clutter.
The Tag menu is now in black for better visual harmony. The update also adds a ‘create new tag’ option for improved functionality.
Before Usability Study
After Usability Study
Mockups - Folder Function
Updated Folder function now blends with the interface in black and uses drop-down arrows and guiding lines instead of icons.
Conversation title tags are integrated for clearer organization and improved usability.
Before Usability Study
After Usability Study
Mockups - Right-Click Function
Emphasising the overall user experience led to the integration of features like right-click functionality.
This enhancement streamlined interaction with conversation management tools, enhancing usability and user satisfaction.
Key Takeaways
These key takeaways reflect how insights gained from the project have shaped my approach to design ensuring a more informed, user-centric, and inclusive design process within Chat GPT.
Prioritising Research Data
The importance of relying on research data rather than assumptions.
Designing for a Target User Group
The solutions were crafted to appeal to a both Power Users and a broader audience, ensuring inclusivity and usability across different user types.
Connecting Research to Design
Every design decision was rooted in addressing authentic user needs uncovered during research.
Holistic User Experience
Focusing on user experience led to right-click functionality in Chat GPT, streamlining interactions and boosting usability and satisfaction.
