The document outlines a project to enhance the LinkedIn groups feature by integrating collaboration and task management tools for users, with a focus on improving user experience through UX methodologies like research and usability testing. It includes details of user research conducted through surveys and persona development, identifying user needs and prospective scenarios for the new feature. Prototypes were created and tested to ensure usability, culminating in a stakeholder presentation detailing the project findings and recommendations.

1. BRIEF
LinkedIn wants to boost its "Groups"
feature by adding collaboration and
task management for companies and
co-workers.
CLIENT
Project for User Experience Design
Immersive at General Assembly,
Sydney 2014
DURATION
2 weeks of 8 week course
MYROLE
UX designer - individual project
TOOLS
Axure, Omnigraffle, Excel, Google Form,
Sharpies & paper.
RESULTS
• Benefits for the business
• Findings of what users want
• Similarities and differences with
the regular group feature
• Suggested next steps
UXMethodologies:
Research, Ideation, Prototyping, Usability Testing.
Adding a new feature
to an existing product
SARAMICHELAZZO
User Experience Designer
hello@sara.michelazzo.com
www.saramichelazzo.com

2. COMPETITIVEANALYSIS&RESEARCH
This involved analyzing existing contact management networking systems,
collaboration and task management tools. Research involved understanding the
function of LinkedIn Groups, in particular users participating in an existing
group and creating a new group.

3. USERRESEARCH&SURVEY
User research involved understanding the target for the new feature, creating an
ad hoc survey to understand how LinkedIn group is perceived and how people
go about contact management networking and collaboration tools. The survey
was completed by 14 people currently living in Sydney.

4. USERRESEARCH&SURVEY
3 personas were built for this project. 1 primary persona: Annah, and 3 secondary
personas: her classmates, Linda and Bill and their teacher, Tina. The main scenario was
Annah creating a new group with her classmates to complete a project from school. The
classmates were able to share files, chat and set a shared calendar. Tina, the teacher
was added to the chat later to check their work.

5. "HOWTOINTRODUCETHEFEATURETOTHEGROUP"
Meet the brand vision:
The mission of LinkedIn is to connect the world's professionals
to enable them to be more productive and successful.
LinkedIn "collaboration groups" meets this goal by keeping
teams organized and efficient and allows them to share
information effectively.
Introduce the group feature:
To understand where to introduce the new feature I have mapped
the LinkedIn website and analyzed the navigation system. The goal
was to use, when possible, the existing features and the current
design patterns.

6. SKETCHING&PROTOTYPING
Identify the main LinkedIn pages involved in merging the new feature with
the existing one, using LinkedIn design patterns to keep consistency

7. USABILITYTESTING
A high fidelity prototype with full features was built in Axure in order to test every
interaction that a user does to open a communication group and share files and
updates. A script was prepared for usability interviews and 6 people were asked to
complete the tasks above on a laptop sharing their thoughts.

8. ITERATION&PROTOTYPE(AXURE)
Data and thoughts from usability testing were collected and analyzed in order to
understand shared pain points. The first design was improved and a second
prototype was built.

9. RESULTSANDPITCHTOSTAKEHOLDERS
The following image is a map that allows to
explain the main findings of this research in
5 minutes.
The presentation covers:
• Benefits for the business
• Findings of what users want
• Similarities and differences with
the regular group feature
• Suggested next steps

10. Leave a feedback or comment :)
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