/ideas Designing for Clarity
Mar 6, 2025
Pranava Tandra, a Senior Product Designer at Intercom, discusses the art of redesigning information architecture to enhance user clarity amidst rapid product changes. She shares her experience navigating the complexities of user feedback, AI integration, and the need for seamless navigation. Tandra emphasizes balancing depth with simplicity and how to effectively structure features using progressive disclosure. Alongside Michelle Fitzpatrick, they delve into the potential pitfalls of design decisions and the significance of aligning team visions with user perspectives.
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User Confusion Sparks IA Redesign
- Intercom faced user confusion about finding features as the product rapidly evolved, especially with AI and automation additions.
- A customer once said they knew Intercom could do something, but didn't know where or how to start, highlighting IA issues.
Rebuild IA Without Disruption
- Audit your entire product to identify redundancies, confusing elements, and real user workflows before redesigning IA.
- Introduce changes gradually using feature flags and opt-in flows to avoid disrupting users.
Clarity Is Reducing Cognitive Load
- Clarity means reducing cognitive load with predictable UI, progressive disclosure, and real user validation.
- If users hesitate or get confused, the design lacks clarity, which often goes unnoticed without testing.