Dropbox’s file sharing platform for businesses
Users struggled to trust DocSend due to fragmented flows and limited permission controls.
We developed a feature that gave clients fine-grained control over permissions and made complex information easier to understand.
This section maps out my UX thinking. It's basically an essay so here's the tldr;
I uncovered major trust and usability issues in DocSend’s permission editing flow. Research showed fragmented experiences, complex ux challenges around permission rules, and low feature discovery. I then defined KPIs and built a phased roadmap to guide the redesign.
Design process
I kicked off the project with a two-month research phase, speaking with over seven different active users, from a range of businesses, to uncover key insights.
Identified issues:
Severe lack of trust in content safety
Highly complicated flow of editing content permissions
Declining rate of files uploaded and shared
Little to no defined measurable metrics
Fragmented flows and no design consistency
Thousands of permission related CX tickets every week
Before moving into design, I evaluated each design solution based on engineering workload and its potential impact on both users and the business.
P0
Designing a feature that allows mass editing of content permissions
UX overhaul to simplify and streamline the permission editing flow
Introducing contextually relevant entry points for permission editing
Allowing easy access to file sharing from any core flow
P1
Updating the design language to bring consistency
Creating new opportunities for account upgrade upsells
Designing new flows for better visibility of new features
P2
New design system and UX standardization for feature tutorial
Introducing motion design to bring delight and polish
UX challenges
The permission editing flow introduced several unique complexities that needed to be carefully addressed during the solution design phase.
Key challenges:
Users could share either their entire workspace or specific folders and files within it
Each content type had its own permission rules and limitations
Every link was unique and targeted different audiences
Certain permission settings varied depending on the user’s plan type
Permissions can be edited for all links for one content or for all contents within a link
Key solutions
I introduced three key flows to streamline the bulk editing flow and to give users more confidence in their task completion.
Adaptive buttons:
Action bar system that prioritizes the display of critical information while offering deeper control through contextual expansion.
Displays permission statuses even when inactive
Maintains flow by avoiding disruptive interactions like modals or drawers
Surfaces detailed information contextually, based on task relevance, to lower design clutter
Checkbox system:
Developed a checkbox-based settings model that streamlines bulk permission edits and guides users through key actions.
Simplifies and accelerates the bulk editing flow
Applies changes seamlessly across flows with clear confirmation steps
Leverages familiar interaction patterns to lower the learning curve
Toggles and dots:
Utilized blue notification dots and manual toggles to reinforce a sense of control, security, and visibility over changes.
A recognizable visual pattern that helps users quickly identify updated content
Gave users greater sense of control through manual toggles to enable permissions
Enabled users to update permissions across multiple files and links, with changes applied seamlessly across flows.
Introduced a checkbox system that reduces clicks and made the flow 38% more efficient.
Metrics
32% increase in product active users
41% increase in permissions adoption
49% increase in user satisfactions with permissions
2% increase in total customer retention
One of Dropbox’s most fundamental flows
Uploads redesign
Thousands of CX tickets pointed to a slow and confusing upload experience, directly impacting retention and increasing churn rates.
Our two-year initiative focused on diagnosing these UX issues and delivering solutions that restored confidence and improved performance.
Original: file uploading
Original: file finishes uploading
The original experience resulted in thousands of upload cancellations each week.
It suffered from major performance and UX problems, lacking both a roadmap and data driven direction.
Design process
To ensure confidence in our approach while redesigning one of Dropbox’s most critical flows, I conducted a six-month research project.
Identified issues:
No upload progress indication
Uploaded files are difficult to find
Upload error diagnosis is near impossible
High barrier to taking action on uploaded files
Limited scalability for large upload quantity
Underutilized design space in high traffic flow
Key solutions
I designed a new scalable component for the Dropbox design system: collapsible trays. This design was then reused across multiple teams and design needs.
Noteworthy:
Introduces a less disruptive design space by unlocking a new level in the z-axis
Allows users to collapse the tray without losing visibility on critical information
Provides more real estate for contextually relevant actions
Allows easy access to follow up actions
Metrics
3.5% increase in paid WAU adding content to Dropbox
2.7% increase in paid WAU adding content on mobile
30% decrease in weekly upload cancellation
24% decrease in uploads related CX tickets
Awards
Two Spotlight awards for delivering outstanding improvements to company metrics and culture
Hack Week Sweet Spot Award for new feature concepts that led to a patent