UX RESEARCH - PROJECT MANAGER
CrossTalk
A unified messaging app that syncs multiple social and chat platforms for international students and professionals.
73
Surveys
15
Interviews
10
Participants
Discovery
BEFORE
20%
AFTER
83%
+63% Improvement: Moved account sync from hidden nav drawer to onboarding carousel and added persistent FAB button.
Translation Cognitive Load
BEFORE
29s
AFTER
14s
+52% Faster: Implemented inline translation with one-tap language switch, reducing cognitive load.
Reminder Task Completion
42%
92%
+50% completion: Added long-press gesture to set reminders and implemented toast confirmation.
Chat Categorization
BEFORE
33s
AFTER
14s
+58% Faster: Renamed labels to intuitive categories (Work, Friends, Updates) and added emoji icons for visual recognition.
01 - CONTEXT
Context and Role
Context
International students and professionals in Vancouver manage 4-6 different chat apps daily, dealing with language barriers and missing important updates buried in chat threads.
Problem
People living abroad juggle multiple messaging apps (WhatsApp, Telegram, Slack, Instagram DMs, WeChat, Line), each with its own inbox and notification logic. This leads to missed messages, language barriers, and communication chaos.
My Role
Led user research including online surveys (n=73), semi-structured interviews (n=15), task-based usability tests (12 participants), and A/B preference tests (40 participants). Synthesized research findings into actionable insights, created user personas and journey maps, and designed the unified messaging solution based on validated user needs.
02 - RESEARCH
Insights Found
Five key insights emerged from mixing quantitative data with qualitative depth interviews.
01
Fragmented Communication Overload
62% check 4+ apps before 10 AM
Users experience "morning notification scramble" trying to manage multiple inboxes, leading to missed or duplicated messages.
02
Language Switching Amplifies Cognitive Load
29s average pause for manual translation
Multilingual groups switch rapidly between English, Hindi, Japanese, etc. Manual copy-paste to Google Translate disrupts conversation flow.
03
Plans Buried in Chat Threads
7 of 12 testers couldn't create events without leaving the app
Users forget important dates and plans buried in chat threads, leading to missed opportunities and relationship friction.
04
Account-Sync Flow Was Invisible
Only 3 of 15 interviewees found the "Add Platforms" button
The core value proposition was hidden in a nav drawer, causing users to think the app was "just another chat."
05
Category Filter Labels Confused Users
33s average filter task time — users misread "Social" as "Stories"
Filter labels didn't map to users' mental models, causing confusion and making users give up on organization features.
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.
Unified Inbox
Centralized dashboard syncing messages from WhatsApp, Telegram, Slack, Instagram DMs. Default unified notifications eliminate the morning scramble.
Real-Time Translation
Inline translation with one-tap language switching. Reduces translation time from 29s to 14s, keeping multicultural conversations flowing.
Chat Categorization
Filter chats by purpose (Work, Friends, Updates) with clear labels and emoji icons, redesigned from confusing labels to intuitive categories.
Smart Reminders
Long-press any message to set a reminder with toast confirmation. Completion rate increased from 42% to 92%.
Prominent Account Sync
Onboarding carousel and persistent FAB button make platform linking discoverable. Discovery rate went from 20% to 83%.
Offline Messaging
Fallback to SMS when Wi-Fi drops, ensuring critical messages still send even in poor connectivity situations.