In-Product Message Templates and Design System Case Study
Developed templates and established a design system for a new messaging platform, implemented across Autodesk's 40+ desktop products.
Role
Design Strategy
UX and Visual Design
Go-To-Market Execution
Duration
6 months for launch
Evergreen iterations
Tools used
Photoshop
Illustrator
IcoMoon (SVG font creator)
Overview
I led the redesign of templates and created the first dedicated design system for a new In-Product Messaging (IPM) platform. This platform serves as a critical touchpoint in product trials across Autodesk's extensive portfolio of over 40 desktop products, including AutoCAD, Revit, Inventor, and Maya.
Project Context
In-product messages (IPMs) are popup windows shown during product trials, delivered via the CLiC licensing system. Size constraints included:
Large: 850x500px
Small: 300x170px
Micro: 300x70px
The large window size (850x500px) was smaller than its predecessor (ADLM 860x640px). Inaccessible header and footer area further reduced the usable content area to 860x390px. Additionally, system fonts replaced Autodesk’s branded typeface, and each product had a preset background image.
Design Objectives
Feature up to three pieces of learning content
Display a countdown of trial days remaining
Provide a clear purchase path with pricing
Include sales support links and licensing links
Ensure layout is flexible for localization in 14 languages
Key Challenges
Limited content area (860x390px)
Rigid CLiC system constraints
Supporting multiple languages
Balancing content priorities in restricted space
Old design on ADLM framework
Specs for new CLiC framework
Background
Despite being my first project at Autodesk, my prior experience working with Autodesk's brand at an agency helped me adapt quickly. As the sole creative lead on the Trial Marketing Team, I managed:
Design strategy
UX and visual design
Copywriting
GTM execution
Collaboration with a Product Manager and Web Publisher enabled my team to stay agile and meet our six-month deadline.
Solution
I designed a simplified user experience with a clean, flexible design system that emphasized clarity and ease of use.
Design System
Since Autodesk lacked a dedicated digital design system at the time, I developed one for specifically for IPM, including:
Core Design Principles: Specifications, grid system, text guidelines, and color standards
Reusable Components: Countdown tab, sidebar, button with icon, text links with icon, and an icon library delivered via a custom font
Templates
Default Templates: Standardized designs for immediate deployment across all products and languages in all three sizes
Learning Content Templates: Two variations—one with buttons for different content types and another with text links for lengthy translations
Expiry Template: Focused design for trial expiration messaging
Post-Launch Enhancements
I introduced thumbnail-enhanced templates that improved engagement by providing clearer content previews.
Testing and Insights
Key analysis revealed that trial users engaging with the product three or more times were twice as likely to convert. However, segmenting IPM content by user experience or industry did not improve engagement as expected.
Promotional Enhancements
After securing approval for trial-specific discounts, I designed a promotional popup to maximize visibility in the limited window space. A/B testing refined the wording to optimize engagement before wider rollout.
Enhanced Visual Design
To align IPM visuals with Autodesk’s trial marketing emails (managed by my team), I designed bold, impactful designs for top-tier products, creating a cohesive campaign across touchpoints.
New Brand Alignment
Due to technical constraints, Autodesk’s new brand design system could not be fully adopted. I collaborated with stakeholders to implement visual updates that aligned IPM designs with Autodesk’s refreshed branding.
Further Testing
A simplified learning-focused design with background video and a buy-focused pictogram improved engagement rates. In A/B tests, the learning-focus design increased engagement by over 10% and improved billings by more than 35%. These designs were deployed across major products and key markets.
Results and Impact
The new IPM templates and design system proved highly effectual:
Expanded Autodesk’s IPM campaigns from 5 products in select languages to all 40+ desktop products in 14 languages.
Improved user engagement and increased conversion rates.
Recognized as a benchmark for design excellence, with the Engineering Manager stating it was "the most effective and well-structured guidelines" they had seen.
Newly tested designs became the foundation for the In-Product Message Refresh (See In-Product Message Refresh Case Study).