XY Sense App Case Study
Putting user intent at the forefront of workplace intelligence
Problem statement & the process
Defining the problem we're solving
Problem
The original XY Sense app delivered valuable workplace data but required users to hunt for insights through flat navigation and manual filtering. This slowed decision making, made it harder to see what truly mattered, and reduced engagement. Users had to work to find value rather than having value presented to them.
The solution
I redesigned the app around intent-driven, proactive experiences:
- Universal search to instantly surface spaces, metrics, and insights.
- A "while you were away" panel that pushes updates and key changes to the user, reducing cognitive load.
- An AI prompt layer that lets users ask for the information they need, without navigating menus or dashboards.
- A shift from a flat structure to a clear hierarchy (Region Building Floor) so changes cascade meaningfully and the app adapts to context.
- Contextual insights and flows mapped to user intent, helping teams move from raw data to clear, actionable outcomes.
The result: an app that feels smarter, faster, and more aligned with how people think, empowering users to act with confidence rather than get lost in data.
Before & After
A snapshot of what the XY Sense App page used to look like.
A quick brainstorm
With only two days to bring this idea to life, I focused on rapid exploration over polish. The goal wasn’t perfection, but to prove the value of intent-driven design. I sketched, prototyped, and validated just enough to show how universal search, proactive insights, AI prompts, and hierarchical navigation could transform the XY Sense experience.
Before: Data Without Direction
The original XY Sense app required users to dig through flat structures and manual filters to uncover insights. While the data was powerful, the experience was system driven rather than user driven. Making it harder to act quickly or see the bigger picture.
After: Intent Led, Insight First
The redesigned app puts user intent at the center. Universal search, proactive while you were away updates, AI prompts, and a clear region to building to floor hierarchy shift the experience from data hunting to actionable clarity. Helping teams move faster with confidence.
Testing & Feedback
I shared the concept at our Friday company session to showcase how a Region Building Floor hierarchy could transform navigation. The aim was to spark discussion and align internally before taking the idea further.
Key feedback from the session:
- This mirrors how we actually talk about sites.. it makes total sense.
- It feels like the app understands our structure rather than forcing us to adapt to it.
- I can already see how this will cut down the clicks it takes me to get to the right data.
This direction wasn't designed in a vacuum. We heard similar pain points from users in previous conversations, which gave weight to exploring hierarchy, universal search, and proactive insights. The internal response confirmed we were on the right path. That said, this was still an early hackathon prototype, and broader validation with end-users remains essential to refine and scale the solution.
This mirrors how we actually talk about sites.. it makes total sense.
It feels like the app understands our structure rather than forcing us to adapt to it.
I can already see how this will cut down the clicks it takes me to get to the right data.
Final Product
Take it for a test spin. The new and improved XY Sense offering
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