UX RESEARCH - PROJECT MANAGER
Aura
The first pre-post AI coaching platform for short-form content creators. Practice, improve, and post with confidence.
12
Surveys
11
Interviews
10
Participants
Features Demand Validation
Content Ideas
4.4
Creators feel pressured to follow trends instead of creating content aligned with their interests and style.
Auto Video Enhancement
4.6
Lighting, audio, and editing complexity prevent creators from posting.
Practice Mode
4.0
Competitive gaps revealed no tool covers speech, visual presence, facial engagement, AND environment together.
Growth Dashboard
4.3
Growth dashboard scored 4.3/5, but interviews revealed metric-based progress increases anxiety.
01 - CONTEXT
Context and Role
Context
The creator economy has over 200 million active creators, yet every tool focuses on what happens after publishing: posting, editing, analytics. No platform addresses what happens before a creator hits Publish — the practice, confidence-building, and skill development that determine content quality.
Problem
Analysis of 9 competitors across five market categories (social platforms, editing apps, speech coaching, analytics, learning platforms) confirmed: no existing platform combines pre-post practice, AI coaching on delivery, personalized content ideation, video enhancement, and skill-based progress tracking.
My Role
UX/UI Designer in a team of 10 (5 designers and 5 developers). Contributed to user research planning, persona development, user journey mapping, wireframing, high-fidelity mockups, design system creation, and component architecture. Collaborated with developers on technical feasibility and co-designed the AI coaching interaction patterns. Involved in competitive analysis, feature prioritization across 5 epics (102 tasks), and brand personality definition.
02 - RESEARCH
Insights Found
From 11 in-depth interviews and survey data, four core pain points emerged that shaped every design decision.
01
Fear of Judgment Prevents Creators from Posting
73% expressed fear and anxiety
Creators abandon content or default to trends out of anxiety. No platform offers a private space to practice and build confidence before publishing.
8 of 11 interviewees described feedback as "scary," "stressful," or "overwhelming."
03
Content Ideation is Trend-Dependent and Generic
Localized Ideas rated 4.4/5
Creators feel pressured to follow trends instead of creating content aligned with their interests and style. No tool offers personalized, non-generic ideation.
The Authentic Artistic Creator persona rejected trend dependency, seeking tools that respect personal expression
02
Feedback is Metric-Driven and Anxiety-Inducing
Growth Dashboard rated 4.3/5
Creators want feedback on how they perform — clarity, presence, body language — not just views and likes. Metric-driven feedback creates anxiety, not growth.
Skill improvement drives motivation; metric growth drives stress.
04
Technical Quality is a Barrier, Not a Creative Choice
Auto-Polish rated 4.6/5 — highest
Lighting, audio, and editing complexity prevent creators from posting. Existing tools require expertise — they solve the wrong problem.
100% of interviewees described editing as a major challenge. Auto-polish scored highest across all personas.
02 - DESIGN
Designed Solution
Based on the research insights, CrossTalk was designed as a unified messaging platform addressing fragmented communication, language barriers, and missed updates.
Content Planning & AI Ideation
AI-powered content suggestions personalized through GPS location, personal interests, local events, and past uploads. Conversational AI chat (Gemini API) for refining ideas.
Private Practice & AI Coaching
100% private practice environment. Record in-app or upload videos. Structured feedback across 4 categories: Speaking, Presence, Facial Engagement, and Environmental Quality.
One-Tap Video Enhancement
Toggle-based controls for visual (lighting, color, sharpness), audio (noise reduction, normalization), and reach (subtitles, AI voice-over with translation).
Skill-Based Progress Tracking
Reflection-focused dashboard tracking clarity, confidence, storytelling, and consistency — not likes or followers.