Synergy — Empowering Small Business Owners through AI Video Creation

Synergy is an AI video creation tool that lets small business owners produce full-length, professional videos without filmmaking experience. Ryan led UX from mobile-first wireframes to a dual-mode desktop experience serving both beginners and power users.

Role: Lead UX Designer

Overview

Synergy is an innovative AI video creation tool designed to empower everyday individuals, particularly small business owners, by simplifying the video production process. By harnessing the capabilities of generative AI, Synergy enables users to produce high-quality videos without the need for extensive filmmaking experience. The name "Synergy" reflects the app's mission to merge human expertise with cutting-edge technology, creating a seamless experience for video creation.

Role

As the Lead User Experience Designer for Synergy, Ryan focused on creating a platform accessible to non-technical users. He began with a mobile-first design, prioritizing visibility of system status through real-time suggestions and ensuring the system used real-world language. He also emphasized user control and freedom, giving users the ability to easily create what was otherwise an extremely complex activity — video creation — promoting flexibility and control in the process.

Activities

The design journey started with low-fidelity wireframes, quickly evolving into high-fidelity prototypes with tools like MidJourney and AI-driven techniques. Ryan adhered to iOS design standards, ensuring consistency and a seamless user experience. To reduce errors and enhance efficiency, he implemented error prevention measures like image and video uploads to storyboard creation, and designed with recognition rather than recall in mind. The UI was also flexible, catering to various user personas with a focus on efficiency and task flow.

Challenges

A significant challenge was simplifying a traditionally complex video creation process that required technical expertise. Drawing from his background in the film industry, Ryan designed a user experience that made video creation easy for small business owners — like real estate agents — who lack technical skills. His solution prioritized flexibility, ensuring users could customize their experience, and offered a minimalist design that emphasized usability while keeping the process intuitive.

Results

The project resulted in a revolutionary design that makes video creation accessible. The mobile app offers seamless onboarding and features a community hub for inspiration and social sharing. The desktop version provides two modes: a guided process for everyday users and an advanced mode for users seeking greater customization. This dual approach supports both beginners and power users, improving efficiency and user engagement.

Synergy's Unique Features

Synergy is designed for small business owners, allowing them to create full-length videos instead of just clips as most AI video tools today favor. The platform's clean, user-friendly interface eliminates technical jargon, making it easy for anyone to navigate and create professional content.

Conclusion

Synergy is poised to transform how small businesses create content. By merging the power of generative AI with a user-centric design approach, Synergy makes video creation accessible and enjoyable for non-experts, providing them with a simple way to promote their businesses in the digital era.