Problem Statement

  • The process of creating and posting images is not as fast and simple as desired.

  • No ability to directly publish the image from picto into the draft or existing article/ Change covers for books.

  • No entry point of Picto inside the editor. Users had to manually download the generated image and then go back to the editor and upload that image. It takes too much time and could distract writers.

  • There weren't any options for customizing images, which made it difficult for users to stay engaged on the website.

  • AI Model accuracy was not up to the level which excites users to create more often. Due to this users are not willing to subscribe to premium services or become pro members.

  • Users were feeling overwhelmed by all the choices, which made it tough for them to create the image they wanted quickly. Plus, the interface wasn't very smooth, adding even more distractions.

Goals

  • Simplify User Interface: Making things simpler. Our goal is to create an interface that's intuitive and friendly, so users can dive right in without any fuss.

  • Optimize Image Creation Workflow: Enhance the image creation process to make it faster and more efficient, allowing users to generate high-quality artwork with minimal effort.

  • Customization Options: Introduce additional customization features, such as advanced editing tools and filters, to empower users to personalize their artwork according to their preferences.

Target audience

Users who are looking for a way to enhance their written work, stories, etc. using visually captivating images.

  • Authors and Novelists: Writers who work on long-form fiction or non-fiction projects.

  • Comic Writers: Creators specializing in comic book and graphic novel writing, leveraging Picto AI to enhance and visualize their narratives through dynamic and captivating visuals.

  • Storytellers and Scriptwriters: Individuals engaged in crafting narratives for various mediums, such as film, television, or digital media, interested in visualizing aspects of their storytelling.

  • Bloggers and Content Writers: Individuals who regularly produce written content for blogs, websites, or online platforms.

  • Online Platform Contributors: Writers contributing to online platforms, forums, and communities.

Research methods

To gather valuable insights and inform the development of Picto AI for writers and creators, various research methods were employed. Some research methods:

  • Interviews with Creators: Holding one-on-one interviews with writers, comic creators, and storytellers to delve deeper into their creative processes, pain points, and aspirations regarding visual elements.

  • Competitor Analysis: Analyzing existing tools and platforms catering to writers and creators to identify strengths, weaknesses, and gaps in the market that Picto AI can address.

  • Focus Groups: Organizing focus group discussions with representatives from the target audience to gather collective insights, opinions, and collaborative ideas.

  • Analytics and Usage Data: Utilizing our analytics tools within our existing platform to collect data on how users interact.

  • Usability Testing: Conducting usability testing sessions with representative users to evaluate the ease of use, effectiveness, and overall user experience of Picto AI. Observing how users navigate the platform, create visual content, and interact with features helps identify areas for improvement.

  • A/B Testing: Implementing A/B testing to compare different versions of Picto AI and determine which variations resonate better with users. This method involves presenting users with different interfaces or features and analyzing their preferences, click-through rates, and engagement metrics to inform design decisions.

Wireframes & User Journey

When we created the wireframes for Picto AI, we focused on mapping out how users would navigate through the product, from creating and customizing images to changing cover photos. We included notes and questions along the way to encourage collaboration and address any user concerns.

Picto wireframe
Picto AI's user journey

Visual Designs

We collaborated in a fast-paced environment, iterating swiftly alongside co-founders and the engineering team to develop a high-fidelity prototype. In addition to visuals, I took on the task of coding HTML, SCSS, and some JS.

Picto Home

In this screen, our main goal was to minimize distractions and unnecessary options. We've consolidated additional features under "advanced options" so users can concentrate on writing prompts without interruptions.

Picto Home
Picto Home

Advanced options + Prompt entered

The interface displays a section for inputting prompts, where a user has entered a detailed description for the desired image: "solarpunk city. The astronaut is wearing a white sci-fi space suit, surrounded by city buildings equipped."

Featured Image
Advanced options + Prompt entered

Processing screen

Rather than relying on hopeful waiting, we developed a processing screen to display the progress of image creation. At each stage, different messages indicate what's currently happening, keeping users informed and engaged.

Processing screen
Processing screen

Generated images

This screen displays the generated images, which can vary in aspect ratio - landscape, portrait, or square - based on user selection. Users can easily customize these images by simply clicking on any of them within the grid.

Generated images screen
Generated images
Fullscreen view screen
Fullscreen view

customise screen

In this stage, you can personalize your generated image. You can choose from various fonts, colors, alignments, and toggle options for displaying the author's name. Additionally, you can add a name to the cover to make it unique and aligned with your story.

Processing screen
Customization screen

Choose story / Create new story screen

After customizing your image, when you click "next," we prompt you to decide whether you want to include the image in an existing story or create a new one. This streamlines the process, saving you from having to make manual adjustments later on.

Chooose story screen
Choose story screen
Replace existing cover screen
Replace existing cover screen

Results

  1. User Adoption Rate:

    • Metric: Percentage increase in the number of new users.

    • Positive Result: A 20% increase in user adoption, indicating that more people are discovering and signing up for Picto AI.

  2. User Satisfaction Score:

    • Metric: Average user satisfaction score based on surveys or feedback.

    • Positive Result: Achieving a satisfaction score of 4.5 out of 5, indicating high levels of user contentment with the product improvements.

  3. Average Session Duration:

    • Metric: Increase in the average time users spend in a single session.

    • Positive Result: A 25% increase in average session duration, suggesting that users are engaged and finding value in the extended use of Picto AI.

  4. Conversion Rate to Premium Features:

    • Metric: Percentage increase in users upgrading to premium subscription.

    • Positive Result: A 15% increase in conversion rates, indicating that users see value in premium features and are willing to subscribe.

  5. Global Market Penetration:

    • Metric: Expansion into new geographical markets.

    • Positive Result: Picto AI successfully enters three new markets, increasing its global footprint.

  6. AI Model Accuracy:

    • Metric: Improvement in the accuracy of AI-generated artistic effects.

    • Positive Result: A 10% increase in accuracy, resulting in more realistic and satisfying artistic outcomes for users.

Even More(next steps) ...

After seeing great results from recent improvements to Picto AI, our team is ready to start the next phase of upgrades and innovations. Building on increased user adoption, we'll conduct user surveys and focus groups to better understand what users like, their pain points, and what they hope to see. By listening closely to user feedback, we aim to refine the user interface, boost performance, and add features that meet user needs. We'll also focus on developing advanced AI models to enhance the accuracy and variety of artistic styles Picto AI can generate.

We'll address user feedback by expanding our educational resources with more tutorials, case studies, and creative inspiration.

As we advance, data-driven decision-making will guide us. We'll regularly monitor key performance indicators, analyze user behavior, and stay updated on technological advancements to keep Picto AI at the forefront of AI-driven artistic creation, providing an exceptional experience for our growing user base.