Harmonizing template classification with logic-based nomenclature
Mural's templates team focuses on empowering users to efficiently collaborate by utilizing pre-built mental models that optimize knowledge sharing.
The templates feature was cluttered with over 2,000 obsolete or unused templates, with only 200 being actively used, many of which were redundant. This clutter caused unnecessary scrolling, increased drop-off rates, and led users to "hack" commonly used templates, undermining their intended purpose and functionality.
Drop-Off Rates
Poor visual aesthetics and outdated content provoked drop-off rates by failing to engage users. Users found it irrelevant and cumbersome, leading them to abandon the template and seek more modern, efficient alternatives (i.e. competition).
Slow Performance
Slow performance could frustrated the user by causing delays when loading or interacting with the template, leading to interruptions in workflow and decreased productivity.
Obsolete Designs
An outdated template design with a cluttered layout and non-intuitive navigation could frustrate the user by making it difficult to locate necessary elements, leading to wasted time and effort.
Poor Classification
Inadequate classification led to a poor user experience by making it difficult for users to find the templates they need. For example, templates that were categorized under vague or non-intuitive labels struggled to identify relevant templates for specific tasks. This confusion and inefficiency created frustration, wasted time, and ultimately, users abandoning the tool in favor of more organized alternatives.
Conducting a templates audit helped classify these templates accurately, ensuring that redundancies were eliminated and the logical structure of the template library. This initial organization improved findability, reducing the time users spent searching, and increased efficiency, user satisfaction, and engagement within the canvas area.
Clustering templates that share similar relationships was also crucial as part of first initiatives because it streamlined the user experience by reducing clutter and making it easier for users to find templates that visually related to the topics they were looking for.
Core iterations to the templates feature were made that enhanced both performance and engagement by converting shapes into areas/frames (e.g., circles, squares, rectangles), giving users more control when using the template, instead of dealing with static images. Another key iteration was eliminating the templates panel altogether and utilizing the dashboard modal to streamline consistency, reduce cognitive overload, and create familiarity when opting to use the feature.
Simplifying the template selection process had a significant impact on user experience. Time savings were substantial, with the process being reduced from 3 minutes to just 30 seconds, an 83% reduction. User satisfaction also saw a marked improvement, increasing from 60% to 85%, which is a 41.7% rise. This streamlined approach not only enhances efficiency but also boosts overall user satisfaction.
Before the reclassification, users needed to navigate multiple menus and sub-menus to find and select a template.
After the reclassification, templates became more accessible with simpler language with a single click, lowering cognitive load and increasing logic word matching. These changes also drove the design from the panel component to the modal to continue a more seamless flow when the users clicked on the feature via the dashboard and canvas area. From 2,000 nuanced templates, it narrowed down to 200 core templates that served specific themes that eased the customer journey through lesser options to choose from.
