Intercom
As Senior Group Design Manager on the Messenger Team, I addressed challenges of scalability, usability, and customer friction in the original product, remaining hands-on throughout. I upscaled Design capacity through strategic hiring, strengthened R&D efficiency with new processes, managed execution, and partnered with product and engineering leadership on strategy, vision and implementation.
Jul 15, 2022
COMPANY
Intercom
COMPANY
Intercom
COMPANY
Intercom
Role
Senior Group Design Manager
Role
Senior Group Design Manager
Role
Senior Group Design Manager
Service
Messenger 5 Design Leadership
Service
Messenger 5 Design Leadership
Service
Messenger 5 Design Leadership
Context
Context
Context
When I joined Intercom’s Messenger team, our flagship app faced several challenges: limited differentiation in a crowded market, a dated 4-year-old UX/UI and feature set, a lack of configurability and a 'one size fits all' approach plus shallow performance insights for enterprise and SMB customers. I led the Product Design team to rethink the product’s architecture, visual design, and capabilities, aimed at growing enterprise engagement, improving revenue and customer satisfaction. The solution evolved Messenger into a next gen modular and configurable platform delivering a fully adaptable, automated, and AI-powered experience.
When I joined Intercom’s Messenger team, our flagship app faced several challenges: limited differentiation in a crowded market, a dated 4-year-old UX/UI and feature set, a lack of configurability and a 'one size fits all' approach plus shallow performance insights for enterprise and SMB customers. I led the Product Design team to rethink the product’s architecture, visual design, and capabilities, aimed at growing enterprise engagement, improving revenue and customer satisfaction. The solution evolved Messenger into a next gen modular and configurable platform delivering a fully adaptable, automated, and AI-powered experience.
When I joined Intercom’s Messenger team, our flagship app faced several challenges: limited differentiation in a crowded market, a dated 4-year-old UX/UI and feature set, a lack of configurability and a 'one size fits all' approach plus shallow performance insights for enterprise and SMB customers. I led the Product Design team to rethink the product’s architecture, visual design, and capabilities, aimed at growing enterprise engagement, improving revenue and customer satisfaction. The solution evolved Messenger into a next gen modular and configurable platform delivering a fully adaptable, automated, and AI-powered experience.
Process
Process
Process
I focused on identifying opportunities to meet business objectives for deeper engagement and faster growth with enterprise customers by evolving Messenger into an enterprise and AI-ready platform.
I operated within the leadership triad alongside the Engineering Director and Group PM, shaping the strategic direction and roadmap of Messenger. I focussed on building and scaling the design team, hiring permanent staff, authoring design briefs, leading design crits, mentorship, ramping up user research, goal setting and ensuring alignment across functions. I introduced stronger design rituals, improved communication channels, and advocated for design excellence across the company and collaborated regularly with senior directors, presenting strategy, vision, and product directions to secure alignment and exec buy-in.
Additionally, I was a key contributor to Messenger's GTM strategy, metrics frameworks, and new business opportunities to strengthen Messenger’s role in the broader ecosystem.
I focused on identifying opportunities to meet business objectives for deeper engagement and faster growth with enterprise customers by evolving Messenger into an enterprise and AI-ready platform.
I operated within the leadership triad alongside the Engineering Director and Group PM, shaping the strategic direction and roadmap of Messenger. I focussed on building and scaling the design team, hiring permanent staff, authoring design briefs, leading design crits, mentorship, ramping up user research, goal setting and ensuring alignment across functions. I introduced stronger design rituals, improved communication channels, and advocated for design excellence across the company and collaborated regularly with senior directors, presenting strategy, vision, and product directions to secure alignment and exec buy-in.
Additionally, I was a key contributor to Messenger's GTM strategy, metrics frameworks, and new business opportunities to strengthen Messenger’s role in the broader ecosystem.
I focused on identifying opportunities to meet business objectives for deeper engagement and faster growth with enterprise customers by evolving Messenger into an enterprise and AI-ready platform.
I operated within the leadership triad alongside the Engineering Director and Group PM, shaping the strategic direction and roadmap of Messenger. I focussed on building and scaling the design team, hiring permanent staff, authoring design briefs, leading design crits, mentorship, ramping up user research, goal setting and ensuring alignment across functions. I introduced stronger design rituals, improved communication channels, and advocated for design excellence across the company and collaborated regularly with senior directors, presenting strategy, vision, and product directions to secure alignment and exec buy-in.
Additionally, I was a key contributor to Messenger's GTM strategy, metrics frameworks, and new business opportunities to strengthen Messenger’s role in the broader ecosystem.
Solutions / Deliverables
Solutions / Deliverables
Solutions / Deliverables
Team work culminated in the biggest update in 11 years since Intercom's original in-product Messenger was launched.
New Messenger is now fully customizable and configurable with a modular UI designed to meet the needs of modern businesses tailored to their brand and customer needs.
The design solution impacted 3 core areas: reducing resolution times with self-serve features, greater transparency and AI-powered features, a highly configurable Messenger client with a modular feature set resulting from a 360-degree rethink and fully on brand UX/UI to meet the demands of our B2B customers.
Team work culminated in the biggest update in 11 years since Intercom's original in-product Messenger was launched.
New Messenger is now fully customizable and configurable with a modular UI designed to meet the needs of modern businesses tailored to their brand and customer needs.
The design solution impacted 3 core areas: reducing resolution times with self-serve features, greater transparency and AI-powered features, a highly configurable Messenger client with a modular feature set resulting from a 360-degree rethink and fully on brand UX/UI to meet the demands of our B2B customers.
Team work culminated in the biggest update in 11 years since Intercom's original in-product Messenger was launched.
New Messenger is now fully customizable and configurable with a modular UI designed to meet the needs of modern businesses tailored to their brand and customer needs.
The design solution impacted 3 core areas: reducing resolution times with self-serve features, greater transparency and AI-powered features, a highly configurable Messenger client with a modular feature set resulting from a 360-degree rethink and fully on brand UX/UI to meet the demands of our B2B customers.
Outcomes
Outcomes
Outcomes
These efforts created a clear long-term strategy for Messenger, positioning it as a modular, extensible client capable of adapting to any business scenario. The visual refresh modernized the interface, reduced customer friction, and aligned Messenger with Intercom’s evolving brand, while also paved the way for greater configurability and third-party integrations.
By improving design ops and scaling the team, I increased delivery velocity and design quality, enabling the group to execute complex initiatives more effectively. The introduction of stronger rituals and cross-functional collaboration improved alignment with engineering and product leadership, reducing rework and accelerating time to market.
Collectively, these outcomes established Messenger as a future-proofed platform that has evolved into an increasingly AI-powered client (Fin.ai), expanding customer adoption, adaptability and company revenue.
These efforts created a clear long-term strategy for Messenger, positioning it as a modular, extensible client capable of adapting to any business scenario. The visual refresh modernized the interface, reduced customer friction, and aligned Messenger with Intercom’s evolving brand, while also paved the way for greater configurability and third-party integrations.
By improving design ops and scaling the team, I increased delivery velocity and design quality, enabling the group to execute complex initiatives more effectively. The introduction of stronger rituals and cross-functional collaboration improved alignment with engineering and product leadership, reducing rework and accelerating time to market.
Collectively, these outcomes established Messenger as a future-proofed platform that has evolved into an increasingly AI-powered client (Fin.ai), expanding customer adoption, adaptability and company revenue.
These efforts created a clear long-term strategy for Messenger, positioning it as a modular, extensible client capable of adapting to any business scenario. The visual refresh modernized the interface, reduced customer friction, and aligned Messenger with Intercom’s evolving brand, while also paved the way for greater configurability and third-party integrations.
By improving design ops and scaling the team, I increased delivery velocity and design quality, enabling the group to execute complex initiatives more effectively. The introduction of stronger rituals and cross-functional collaboration improved alignment with engineering and product leadership, reducing rework and accelerating time to market.
Collectively, these outcomes established Messenger as a future-proofed platform that has evolved into an increasingly AI-powered client (Fin.ai), expanding customer adoption, adaptability and company revenue.
