Pivot: uncovering our it factor

Role

Lead Product Designer

Focus

Product Thinking, UX Design

Company

PairUp (Growth Stage Startup)

CONTEXT

By mid-2023, PairUp was leveraging generative AI to allow for on-demand connections between employees seeking guidance, expertise, or social connection. The core experience was moved to Slack to better integrate into existing workflows and allow for rapid iteration.

Although we were moving into a growth stage, PairUp was still operating within some startup constraints:

  • Lean Team of Three: Executed in collaboration with CTO and Head of Product

  • Tight Deadlines: Pressing commitments to investors and launches with new customers

  • Slack App Limitations: Limited library of Slack-defined components to work with

PROBLEM

Engagement was dropping and our audience was finding more value in efficient help-seeking over social connection.

SOLUTION

We saw an opportunity to break into knowledge management with our key differentiator: leveraging people when documentation falls short. 

Quickly find info, docs, and deadlines.

Stop digging through documents and wondering who to ask for help.

Take the social anxiety out of asking for help with automated connections.

Take pressure off of experts, allowing them to help on their own terms and timeline.

IMPACT

Without losing sight of PairUp’s initial vision, we built a unique product, pivoted into a new market — and now, continue to grow.