AI & Evolving Command Palette Search

My Role

Product Design — Interaction Design, Prototyping, Technical Documentation

Team

Luke W, Lead SWE (Initial MVP)

Denis M, FE SWE

Ben B, PM

Timeline & Status for Initial MVP

• Q3 2023 Redesign Proposal
• Q4 2024 Proposed for 2025 Roadmap
• Q1 2025 Roadmap for AI Command Palette Interface

Overview

This case study explores how we transformed initial success into a comprehensive vision for an intelligent command palette search.

What started as a side project addressing immediate client needs evolved into a critical search functionality with lots of opportunity for artist events at Prism. The initial MVP developed by our lead engineer demonstrated significant user adoption and engagement. 🚀

Jump to even is a command palette search solution that empowers users to quickly access event and reporting data, with future AI integration possibilities.

The Power of Bottom-Up Innovation

When organic adoption speaks volumes

The initial MVP's success was evident with the: high time-to-activation, strong stickiness, and sustained user adoption metrics. 📈

Client feedback:

Want want this to do more!

This organic growth signaled an opportunity to evolve the feature further.

North star design principles

01. Speed & Efficiency

Optimize for quick data access across large client datasets

02. Scalability

Design for future AI integration and expanded functionality

03. Framework Compatibility

Maintain Angular compatibility while incorporating modern patterns

Understanding the Landscape

Initial research focused on best-in-class command palette implementations, particularly @pacocoursey's CMDK component. The challenge was adapting these patterns for our Angular framework while maintaining performance.

Designing for Scale

The redesigned component introduces:

• Structured data organization
• Enhanced routing capabilities
• Extensible architecture for future AI integration

From Functional to Polished

• Enhanced typography and spacing
• Improved information hierarchy
• Refined interaction states

Future Roadmap Integration

The prototype and technical documentation serve as foundation for:

• 2025 roadmap inclusion
• AI search capability integration
• Cross-functional team alignment

PROJECT IMPACT & LEARNINGS

Bottom-up Innovation

Sometimes the best product improvements start as simple solutions to immediate needs

Data-Driven Evolution

Usage metrics provided clear validation for feature expansion

Technical Prototyping

Rapid prototyping with AI tools accelerated stakeholder buy-in as well as customer feedback opportunities

Cross-functional Alignment

Early and ongoing stakeholder involvement and technical documentation were crucial for roadmap inclusion