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Abdullah Al Mahmud (Saikat) :: Growth Product Designer

AI Powered Mail Automation (MVP)

AI-powered automation reduced response time by around 40% and counting

Date

September 2024

Client

Concorde Garments Limited

Category

Web Application

Rolo

Solo Designer

Timeline

16 Days

Tools

Figma

01 Background Story

Concorde Garments Limited struggles with managing high email volumes, leading to time-consuming replies and difficulty tracking conversations or action points. To solve this, an AI-powered mail portal will integrate with Gmail, Yahoo, and Outlook, automating routine replies, drafting response suggestions for important emails, identifying key action points, and summarizing threads. This will streamline communication and improve efficiency.

02 Initial Challenge

Concorde Garments Limited faces significant challenges in managing email communication due to the high volume of messages from clients, merchandisers, and other stakeholders. Responding to emails individually is time-consuming, and the frequent looping of email threads makes it difficult to track conversations, identify action points, and determine the current status of tasks.

126+
Hours spent
12+
Screen Design
4
Competitor Lookup
6+
People Interviewed

02 Key Details

To address this, management envisions an AI-Powered Mail Portal that integrates seamlessly with popular email platforms like Gmail, Yahoo, and Outlook.

“Raugh design idea” we needed to start prioritizing features and build strategy.
— Automated Replies

  • Auto-respond to routine queries with predefined templates.
  • Offer personalization based on user or client preferences.

— AI Draft Suggestions

  • Generate possible replies for complex emails.
  • Allow users to select or refine drafts before sending.

— Action Point Identification

  • Detect and highlight tasks or follow-ups within emails.
  • Display actionable items in a dedicated section for quick access.

— Summarization

  • Condense lengthy email threads into concise highlights.
  • Emphasize agreements, pending decisions, and deadlines.

— Technical Integration Challenges

  • Email Integration: APIs for Gmail, Yahoo, Outlook, and other services.
  • NLP Models: For summarization, action point detection, and natural conversation.
  • Data Privacy and Security:
    • Ensure encryption for email content.
    • Comply with GDPR, CCPA, and other data protection regulations.
  • AI Model Training:
    • Use anonymized historical data to train AI for drafting replies and suggesting actions.
  • Scalability:
    • Cloud-based processing for handling high email volumes.

03 Goal and Milestone

We were responsible for doing User Research, Usability Testing, Taking Interviews, Competitive Analysis, Creating Personas, Mapping User Journeys, User Flows, Sketches, prototypes, and User Testing. We bounded ourselves with a 30-day deadline to finish the project.

  • Apply problem-solving tactics to solve problems.
  • Finish the project from scratch to end perfectly.
  • Explore and apply design thinking throughout the project.
  • Improve interpersonal skills and socialize ourselves more.
  • Enhance skills in user experience & interface design.

04 Project Execution Plan

Firstly we created a strategy to finish this project on time. At first, We outlined tasks and listed down all necessary steps we needed to perform. So we divided all the tasks and organized them in Jira.

— User Survey

We generated a set of poll to identify filter out the users most used  IOT products. We launched the poll through social media specially in Smart Device Facebook groups and we got enough responses for device selection.

— Competitor Analysis

We generated a set of poll to identify filter out the users most used  IOT products. We launched the poll through social media specially in Smart Device Facebook groups and we got enough responses for device selection.

05 How Might We

Jumped into How Might We research to improve our product strategy and build user flow.

Key Areas AI Can Improve in a Mail System

  1. Smart Email Organization
    • Automatically categorize emails into folders (e.g., promotions, social, updates).
    • Highlight priority emails based on user behavior.
  2. AI-Powered Search
    • Natural language search for emails (e.g., “Show emails from Sarah about budget”).
    • Context-aware search for attachments, links, or specific discussions.
  3. Automated Summarization
    • Provide concise summaries of lengthy emails or threads.
    • Highlight important points and action items.
  4. Smart Reply & Compose
    • Generate context-aware email replies or drafts.
    • Suggest tone adjustments based on the recipient (formal, casual).
  5. Follow-Up Reminders
    • Remind users of unanswered emails or follow-up actions based on deadlines.
    • Suggest scheduling follow-ups.
  6. Spam and Phishing Detection
    • Enhance detection using AI to reduce false positives/negatives.
    • Educate users with warnings on suspicious emails.
  7. Language Translation
    • Automatically translate incoming and outgoing emails.
    • Detect and recommend language preferences.
  8. Attachment Management
    • Provide suggestions for missing attachments based on email context.
    • Automatically organize received attachments into categories.
  9. Action Automation
    • Suggest creating events, tasks, or reminders directly from email content.
    • Integrate with calendars and task management tools.
  10. Personalization
    • Recommend optimal sending times for better email engagement.
    • Tailor settings based on user habits (e.g., display mode, notification preferences).

— Diving into designs and meaningful solutions

After 1.5 weeks of intensive brainstorming,
we start Wireframe design to find impactful solutions for real-world needs.

— Final Design

High Fi Design

The Login Screen

Simplifies onboarding with intuitive options like “Continue with Outlook” or “Google,” making it easy for users to log in. Its clean design, modern aesthetic, and trust-building features like “Forgot Password?” and “Need Support?” create a professional and user-friendly experience.

The Onboarding

Onboarding focuses on a user-centric start with a “Quick Start” section guiding users through syncing their email and understanding the platform. It includes a progress bar to motivate completion and uses a friendly tone with welcoming visuals to create an approachable first impression.

Mighty Inbox

The inbox management screen ensures streamlined navigation with organized sections like Dashboard, Inbox, and Analytics, making it easy to locate key functions. The prominent AI integration panel invites users to explore automated tools, while the clear communication and minimalistic design keep the interface functional and engaging for efficient email workflows.

Final Takeaways and Learnings

01 User-Centric Design is Essential

The designs emphasize the importance of creating intuitive and user-friendly interfaces. A clean layout and logical navigation ensure users can manage their emails effortlessly, boosting engagement and productivity.

02 AI Integration Adds Value

By incorporating AI-powered features like automated replies, action point extraction, and smart summaries, the designs demonstrate how technology can simplify complex workflows and save users time.

03 Functional Simplicity Drives Adoption

Focusing on essential functionalities and avoiding unnecessary clutter makes the platform approachable for users of all skill levels. A clear and organized interface ensures efficiency without overwhelming the user.

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