Sandbox

OVERVIEW

What is Sandbox?

Sandbox by Quicko offers a suite of tax reporting, calculator, analytics, and payment APIs for businesses in India. With flexible, usage-based pricing, Sandbox enables organizations of all sizes to easily integrate tax capabilities into their platforms without navigating complex regulations.

When I joined Quicko, the company relied on manual onboarding through the sales team, lacking a dedicated API management product. Navigating through the complexities of tax regulations presented a significant barrier for businesses seeking to incorporate tax functionalities into their operations. Recognizing this pain point, our team identified a compelling opportunity not only to enhance the onboarding experience but also to elevate Sandbox into a distinctive brand.

GOALS

Defining the Objectives

Our goals with Sandbox, before launching it were to:

Simplify Customer Onboarding

Our primary goal was to eliminate the manual hurdles associated with customer onboarding, creating a user-centric experience for businesses of all sizes.

Create a Distinct Brand Identity for Sandbox

Establish Sandbox as a unique and recognizable brand, separate from Quicko, with a modern and user-friendly identity that conveys trust and simplicity.

Design an Intuitive Dashboard for Managing API Subscriptions

Develop an intuitive, user-centric dashboard that simplifies API subscription management, providing clear overviews, usage analytics, and seamless subscription controls.

Ensure a Seamless Transition for Existing Quicko Customers

Facilitate a smooth transition for Quicko customers to Sandbox, minimizing disruptions by migrating data and offering personalized support.

Research

I conducted research to the best of my abilities since I was still learning and did not have hands-on experience with user research. I did the best I could and tried using the internet to my advantage. Here’s what I did:

Competitor Analysis: Evaluated competing API management platforms by mapping their feature sets, user flows, interfaces, and pricing models. (Back when I did this, I did not even know this was an actual way of collecting insights from secondary user research.)

Synthesizing Existing User Feedback: Reviewed feedback data to identify major pain points related to key management and usage monitoring.

User flow analysis: Analyzed current dashboard user flows, uncovering stubborn friction points in account configuration and billing upgrades.
Technical Analysis: Conducted preliminary analysis of website and API documentation technology stacks to identify opportunities to modernize based on industry standards.

ITERATION 1

Facilitating Seamless Migration and Refinement

Based on initial research insights, our vision, and the current state of the dashboard, we built the first iteration of Sandbox to facilitate easy migration for existing users. Once the migration was complete, we focused on refining the user experience over the next month. Here are key screens from iteration 1:

ONBOARDING SCREEN

This is the onboarding screen for a new user on the Sandbox platform. It provides with the necessary documentation the user might need as well as quick CTA to create a free trial.

CREATING A NEW SUBSCRIPTION

A user-friendly interface allows users to easily select a subscription plan that aligns with their business requirements.

MANAGING A SUBSCRIPTION

Details about current subscription
Users can view detailed information about their current subscription, including plan details, pricing, and easily take action to cancel their subscription if needed.
Subscription History
Users have access to a complete record of their subscription history, enabling them to track past payments, plan changes, and relevant billing information.
Option to change subscription plan
Users are provided with the flexibility to modify their subscription.

DESIGN OUTCOMES

Incorporating Feedback & Final Iteration (for me)

As I reached the end of my journey at Quicko and Sandbox, I proudly present the final version of the product:

PAIN POINT 1: LACK OF TRANSPARENT COMMUNICATION

Users emphasized the need for transparent and timely communication regarding any modifications to pricing plans, feature availability, or billing cycles. They wanted to be informed in advance about upcoming changes and receive clear explanations to ensure a smooth transition.
Subscription History did not give enough context for understanding the user's previous charges. The users had to recall past events to make sense of them.

FINAL SHIPPED DESIGN

Clearer Pricing and Plan Information
The current plan card provides detailed plan information along with quick actions for subscription management.
Enhanced Subscription History
Users can now access a complete record of their subscription history, providing clarity on past payments, plan changes, and relevant billing information.
Improved change plan options
The change plan card now has more information on why the user can't upgrade/downgrade rather than just disabling the "proceed" action button

PAIN POINT 2: MISSING ANALYTICS

Users emphasized the need for API usage information, which in iteration 1 hadn't been fully developed yet.

FINAL SHIPPED DESIGN

This design helped us quickly deliver usage information to the users while working on providing more in-depth analytics.

IMPACT

Driving Growth and Industry Adoption

Successful Product Hunt Launch

Sandbox received positive reception and gained traction in the industry after a successful launch on Product Hunt.

Integration with leading businesses

Within just 3 months, Sandbox's tax compliance APIs were integrated into the platforms of renowned businesses such as Udaan, Lenskart, Zerodha, Gaana, and more.

REFLECTING ON THE JOURNEY

My Learnings

Embracing An Iterative Approach: Building upon an MVP, I learned to embrace an iterative approach that allowed for continuous refinement and value addition to the product over time. This approach enabled us to create a flexible and scalable design foundation, accommodating future iterations and expansions without compromising usability or performance.
Adaptability and Agile Delivery: During the development of the product, the unexpected changes to recurring payment regulations by the government of India presented a significant challenge. However, by maintaining a strong focus on delivering updates, even incremental ones, we were able to quickly navigate through the situation and regain momentum. This experience taught me the power of adaptability and the importance of embracing an agile approach to development, allowing for flexibility and responsiveness in the face of unforeseen obstacles.
I also took on mentoring junior developers and designers who were responsible for bringing the Sandbox website to life. This role provided me with a broader perspective on collaboration and the importance of effective communication within a team.
Revisiting the journey always gives me confidence in my UX skills, reinforcing the importance of industry knowledge and empathetic design approaches.