Integrations existed in the product but not in the workflow. They were invisible during moments of need and disconnected from core communication tasks. This created low adoption, duplicated work, and inconsistent CRM data.

The core issue was not UI. It was the system. Integrations were not embedded into the communication workflow.

Through analysis of usage patterns, support data, and behavior logs, I found three foundational gaps.

1. Users did not know integrations existed

Integrations lived in a nested profile panel, detached from areas where communication work happens. Visibility was accidental, not intentional.

2. Integrations were not present during the actual task

During calls, users had no access to CRM actions. After calls, users saw no contextual link between conversations and CRM or ticketing tools.

3. The product architecture treated integrations as settings, not as workflow participants

This prevented integrations from influencing behavior at the right moment.

First principles interpretation: If a tool is not surfaced at the moment of need, adoption is mathematically capped.

As the product designer, I reframed the problem from “How do we make integrations more visible?” to “What is the lifecycle of communication work, and where does integration value naturally fit?”

This resulted in a workflow-aligned framework:

Discovery

Where users explore what tools are available.

In-flow action

Where users need to log, sync, or enrich data while the call or message is happening.

Post-call review

Where users understand context or complete tasks.

This framework guided the entire redesign and became a rulebook for engineering and design system teams.

Awareness

To support the new workflow model, I introduced a lightweight, rule-based banner system that appears only when users demonstrate behaviors that indicate missed integration value — for example manually logging calls in Salesforce or switching apps mid-call.

The banner was not the primary solution. It served as an activation accelerator, ensuring that the larger investments (sidebar, call pill, conversation history) were actually discovered by users.

1. Sidebar: Rebuilt for Discovery

The sidebar became the dedicated place for learning, browsing, and activating integrations.

• Introduced an integrations panel based on the new discovery model.
• Provided clear entry points for CRM, helpdesk, and productivity tools.
• Validated with Salesforce pilot groups to ensure mental model alignment.

2. Call Pill: Designed for In-flow Action

The call pill became the real-time surface for action.

• Added one-tap CRM logging and syncing.
• Brought integration actions directly to where the call happens.
• Reduced tab switching, duplicate data entry, and workflow friction.

3. Conversation History: Built for Post-call Context

Conversation threads now reveal where CRM or ticketing systems are involved.

• Displayed synced records and metadata inside threads.
• Made context visible without changing apps.

4. System Banner: Awareness and Activation

A small but high-impact system banner complemented the core redesign by addressing the awareness gap:

• Triggered when users repeated tasks that integrations could automate
• Provided guided activation flows directly from the surface
• Replaced a failed marketing blocker and a low-visibility settings nudge
• Increased early activation of integrations without disrupting workflows

The banner acted as the ingress layer, complimenting the workflow layer.