Developer Portal
Client
Thredd
Timeline
6 Months
Content
Lost Developers, Lost Sales
At Thredd, a leader in digital payment solutions, we identified the need to enhance our Developer Portal to effectively showcase the capabilities of our APIs and provide valuable resources for developers.
A Developer Portal is crucial in converting leads, providing integration and capabilities knowledge and enabling customers to experiment.
The portal enabled immediate sandbox environment creation, signposts developers to key information and provides an insights into the power of Thredd's API suite.
Key Results
Key Results
Customer/Prospect Satisfaction: Significantly boosted customer satisfaction, reducing negative feedback by over 40%.
Accelerated Sales Processes: Shortened the sales cycle by 25%, allowing faster onboarding of new clients.
Strengthened Market Position: The new system established us as a leader in within the fintech industry, paving the way for further innovation and growth.
My Role
My Role
Design: Led the creation of high-fidelity designs for the Developer Portal.
Research: Conducted in-depth research to understand developer needs and industry standards.
Strategy: Oversaw the development of information architecture and validation of design solutions.
Prospect Needs, Developer Needs
RFP,RFI & Interviews
Problem
Unclear what features and information developers need when evaluating payment processors. Project risked lacking critical features that could help differentiate our offerings from competitors.
Strategy & Approach
To solve this, I analyzed RFPs and RFIs, which are procurement documents outlining what prospective customers seek in a payment processor. Interviewed staff in the organisation familiar with the procurement process.
Execution
I reviewed numerous RFPs and RFIs to pinpoint common features and expectations using thematic analysis and ChatGPT to expedite the process. I validated findings during interviews. Report generated to be shared with the wider org.
Execution
I reviewed numerous RFPs and RFIs to pinpoint common features and expectations using thematic analysis and ChatGPT to expedite the process. I validated findings during interviews. Report generated to be shared with the wider org.
Competitive Analysis
Problem
We needed a clear understanding of how our developer portal compared to competitors' offerings to ensure we provided superior features and a better user experience.
Strategy and Approach
I conducted a comprehensive competitive analysis to identify strengths and weaknesses in competing developer portals. Criteria was elucidated by reviewing the developer portal awards website for "Best in Class"
Execution
I systematically reviewed the developer portals of competitors on a myriad aspects incl. positives, negatives, UX, Design and a number of expected capabilities.
Results
These insights informed targeted enhancements to our developer portal roadmap, ultimately revealing our existing strengths and exploitable weaknesses of competitors.
"Imagine you're Assessing a Payments Provider..."
Problem
Recruiting external developers for research was challenging, given the unusual background required and expense of reaching such users. This risked developing features that might not fully align with user expectations.
Strategy and Approach:
I decided to leverage internal developers who could provide valuable insights. This allowed us to still gather relevant feedback and ensure that our developer portal was aligned with real-world use cases.
Execution:
I organised interviews with internal developers from various teams or customers, focusing on their interactions with both our existing portal and competitor portals. We discussed their workflows, challenges, and feature preferences.
Results
The research provided crucial insights, such as the importance of clear and concise API documentation, intuitive navigation, and robust error handling examples.
Creating The Framework
Visualising the Portal
Problem
The development environments were complex, making it hard for team members and stakeholders to understand how everything worked together, which could lead to confusion and mistakes
Strategy and Approach
To make things clearer, I used visual maps to show how different parts of the environment interacted and created low-fidelity flows to outline user journeys in a simple, easy-to-understand way.
Execution
I created visual maps to outline the components of the development environment, such as servers, APIs, and user interfaces, to clarify the system's structure. I also developed low-fidelity flows to show key user actions, shared these with the team for feedback, and refined them based on their input.
Results
The visual maps and low-fidelity flows helped the team better understand the environment and user workflows. This led to better teamwork, fewer misunderstandings, and helped us spot potential issues early on. As a result, we were able to develop a more user-friendly system more efficiently.
Content is King
Problem
Content in this context really matters- there was a need to establish a clear and effective structure to ensure users could easily find relevant information and navigate smoothly.
Strategy and Approach
I used site mapping to design the information architecture from scratch, aiming to create a logical flow of content that meets user needs and business goals.
Strategy and Approach
I used site mapping to design the information architecture from scratch, aiming to create a logical flow of content that meets user needs and business goals.
Results
The final site map established a strong foundation for the new site’s information architecture, making it easy for users to navigate and find what they need. This well-organised structure improved user satisfaction and supported the overall goals of the site.
Assembling the Expeirence
Problem
Before design started, I wanted to ensure we were building the right thing. Developer portals can be massive, and are critical in the sales process. We were aiming for an "MVP" but I wanted to ensure a scaleable experience.
Strategy and Approach
Create the lowest fidelity wireframe possible to validate feature functionality, begin creating layout, navigation and design required wireframes to get a head start on high fidelity.
Execution
I created an initial site map to outline the site's structure, including key pages and navigation paths, based on user research and best practices. After reviewing it with stakeholders to align with user needs and objectives, we tested it with potential users and made adjustments to optimise the information architecture.
Results
The wireframes provided a clear blueprint for the design and development teams. This process helped streamline design and development and resulted in a more effective final design.
Adding The Ooomph
We divided the work into distinct features, starting with the homepage to establish the core design and set the tone for the rest of the site. By organising our workflow around key features, we could focus on creating high-impact pages first. We planned our sprints to work several steps ahead of the development team, allowing us to complete high-fidelity designs in the order they were needed. This approach ensured that the design was fully refined and aligned with the development schedule, enabling a smooth and efficient build process while maintaining a high standard of quality throughout.
The solution for the developer portal focused on creating an intuitive, user-friendly platform that caters to the needs of developers evaluating and integrating payment solutions. We designed the portal with clear, comprehensive API documentation, interactive tutorials, and a robust sandbox environment to allow developers to test features in real-time. The navigation was streamlined to ensure easy access to key resources, while support tools such as a community area and detailed FAQs were integrated to provide immediate assistance & foster a sense of community.
Outcomes
Improved Developer Experience: Streamlined access to API resources and sandbox environments, enhancing usability. Received favourable responses from developers regarding the portal’s design and functionality.
Effective API Showcase: Demonstrated Thredd’s API capabilities effectively, aiding developers in understanding and utilizing the technology.
Successful Integration Support: Facilitated easier integration of Thredd’s payment solutions with clear documentation and resources.
Lessons Learned
This project highlighted the importance of continuous user engagement and iterative design. By maintaining a close feedback loop with developers, we were able to identify critical pain points early and adapt our strategy accordingly. This approach ensured that the final product was not only functional but also met the evolving needs of our diverse user base.
Key Results
Key Results
Customer/Prospect Satisfaction: Significantly boosted customer satisfaction, reducing negative feedback by over 40%.
Accelerated Sales Processes: Shortened the sales cycle by 25%, allowing faster onboarding of new clients.
Strengthened Market Position: The new system established us as a leader in within the fintech industry, paving the way for further innovation and growth.