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Synaptico
Synaptico: From an early AI-powered MVP to a market-ready scalable SaaS Platform
Led the end-to-end UX/UI redesign of the MVP across 3 product versions, aligning recruiter needs with business goals — resulting in a 10× increase in qualified leads, 60% demo-to-deal conversion, and over $85K in early revenue.
Company
Helix Collective (Venture Studio)
Year
2023 – 2024 | Sydney, Australia
Role
UX/UI Design
Website
synaptico.io
Overview
The project
When I joined, Synaptico was an early MVP built by the engineering team to validate AI-powered outreach. While the AI engine worked, the product lacked a usable interface, scalable architecture, recruiter workflows, onboarding, and monetisation paths.
To bring it to market as a SaaS product, the platform required a full UX/UI redesign aligned with both user needs and business growth.
What is Synaptico?
Synaptico is an AI-powered SaaS platform that helps recruiters automate high-volume candidate outreach via personalised email and SMS.
The platform integrates with ATS systems (JobAdder, Bullhorn) and simplifies recruiter workflows, helping generate qualified leads more efficiently.
My role
As a UX/UI Designer, I worked closely with the Lead Designer, founders, and engineers to drive the full end-to-end product design lifecycle across three major versions — from early discovery to scalable delivery:
User discovery — recruiter interviews, stakeholder workshops, journey mapping.
UX strategy — defining key design goals aligned with business objectives.
Information architecture — reorganising flows around recruiter tasks, not features.
UI design — wireframes, prototypes, high-fidelity screens, and usability testing.
Design systems — modular and scalable for rapid iteration.
Brand identity — visual language and assets for go-to-market positioning.
Synaptico’s MVP
Outcomes
10×
Growth in qualified leads per recruiter
70
Qualified leads within 48 hours of campaign launch
60%
Demo-to-deal conversion rate
$85K+
In early revenue
11+
Recruitment firms engaged for full trials
1
Scalable design system + full brand identity delivered
01
Design foundation
Understanding recruiters
Discovery: Understanding Users, Workflows & Frictions
The real problem
Recruiters were juggling disconnected tools — spreadsheets, email, LinkedIn, and ATS platforms — making outreach inefficient and hard to track. Personalisation was low. Follow-ups were manual. Reporting was non-existent.
Approach
To ensure the design addressed recruiter behaviours, workflows, needs, and business goals, I conducted:
User interviews with recruiters and HR managers.
Stakeholder workshops to align on product direction.
MVP audit to identify friction and usability gaps.
Competitive & market research to gather patterns from adjacent SaaS products.
Journey mapping
I mapped the full recruiter journey from campaign planning to reporting. This revealed key friction points that became design opportunities. This grounded the product in real user behaviours, not assumptions.
Stage
Pain points
Strategic opportunity
Plan Campaign
Manual, repetitive, time-consuming setup
Automate repetitive tasks
Write Message
No time for personalisation
Enable AI templating
Manage Conversations
No single source of truth
Build centralised “Conversation Hub”
Qualify & Report
No visibility on results
Deliver clear dashboards
MVP audit & early UX improvements
After mapping the recruiter journey, I audited the MVP to identify UX gaps and friction points. This informed early wireframes and helped restructure the experience around recruiter workflows and real-world tasks.
Information architecture
I defined a new information architecture that organised features by task and simplified navigation—making key actions easier to find and reducing cognitive load.
02
Design strategy
Aligning user goals with business outcomes
Design goals
From research, I defined 5 design goals that would guide every iteration:
Design goal
UX focus
UX solution / key features delivered
Released in
#1 Simplify Campaign Creation
Reduce setup time and manual errors.
Onboarding wizard, drag-and-drop builder, usage alerts, Email/SMS options.
V.1 → V.2
#2 Centralise Candidate Sourcing
Integrate with ATS tools recruiters already use.
ATS integrations (JobAdder and Bullhorn)
V.2
#3 Personalise Outreach at Scale
Enable dynamic, human-like messages.
AI recruiter profiles, dynamic templates, multi-channel support
V.1 + V.2 → V.3
#4 Automate Repetitive Work
Free up recruiters’ time for strategic tasks.
Multi-channel campaigns, real-time email notifications for follow-up
V.1 → V.3
#5 Provide Visibility & Control
Show clear engagement and campaign results
Campaign dashboard, Conversation Hub, Admin & Settings UI
V.1 → V.3
03
Product evolution
Iterating across 3 key versions
Synaptico Version 1
From MVP to usable product
Design goals addressed
#1 Simplify Campaign Creation, #3 Personalise Outreach, #5 Provide Visibility & Reporting
Focus
Recruiter usability & operational foundation
This first version transformed the MVP into a usable product with core functionality and a clear, intuitive interface. Recruiters could now run campaigns independently, though initial email setup still required engineering support.
Key deliverables
4 core user flows in Figma: Dashboard, Conversations, Campaigns, and Settings.
Defined visual direction and delivered high-fidelity UI.
Information Architecture structured around recruiter tasks for intuitive navigation.
Built Campaign Builder v.1 CSV candidate upload and preconfigured templates.
Introduced Conversation Hub to centralise and manage lead statuses (Shortlisted / Ongoing / Completed).
Added Dashboard with essential campaign performance metrics.
Established an initial scalable design system for consistency and future growth.
Brand & product launched at TalentX Melbourne 2024.
Dashboard & Metrics
Campaign Builder v.1
Conversation Hub v.1
Conversation Details v.1
Initial Design System
TalentX Melbourne 2024
Landing Page
Contact Form
Synaptico Version 2
Onboarding, monetisation & ATS integration
Design goals addressed
#1 Simplify Campaign Creation, #2 Centralise Sourcing, #3 Personalise Outreach, #5 Provide Visibility & Reporting
Focus
Self-service onboarding, ATS data sync, revenue model foundation
Driven by user feedback from V.1 and new business requirements for pricing, this version improved onboarding, candidate sourcing, and platform scalability.
Key deliverables
Guided Onboarding Wizard Introduced a step-by-step flow for DNS setup, AI recruiter configuration, and domain connection—enabling full self-service onboarding.
ATS Integrations (JobAdder, Bullhorn) Enabled real-time candidate sourcing directly from recruiters’ existing Applicant Tracking Systems.
Pricing Plans & Usage Limits Embedded pricing tiers, usage limits, and upgrade paths directly within the UI.
Email Notifications Enabled real-time alerts for lead generation, allowing recruiters to respond to opportunities faster.
Onboarding Flow (Prototype)
Onboarding Flow (Prototype)
Pricing Plans
Campaign Builder v.2 – ATS Integration
Responsive Email Notifications
Synaptico Version 3
Multi-channel outreach & engagement
Design goals addressed
#3 Personalise Outreach, #4 Automate Repetitive Work, #5 Provide Visibility & Reporting
Focus
Self-Service Onboarding, ATS Data Sync, Revenue Model Foundation
This release expanded communication channels and enhanced recruiter responsiveness, boosting engagement and providing more flexible monetisation options.
Key deliverables
SMS Campaign Builder Enabled full multi-channel outreach capabilities, allowing recruiters to manage email and SMS campaigns seamlessly.
Conversation Hub Split by Channel Redesigned the Conversation Hub to offer distinct email and SMS views for easier navigation and faster follow-up.
Channel-Specific AI Recruiter Profiles Introduced AI profiles linked to channels and pricing tiers, enhancing personalisation.
Real-Time Lead Engagement Notifications Further improved notifications to help recruiters follow up even faster on hot leads.
Expanded Admin & Settings Added dedicated sections for billing, integrations, and usage tracking—improving administrative control.
Campaign Builder v.3 with multi-channel options
Email/SMS Conversation Hubs
SMS Notifications Flow (Prototype)
SMS Notifications Flow (Prototype)
Admin & Settings
Key takeaways
Working on Synaptico reinforced the importance of aligning UX decisions with both product strategy and business growth.
Operating in a fast-paced startup environment required end-to-end ownership — from discovery to delivery — while adapting quickly to shifting priorities and tight feedback loops.
Designing across multiple product versions taught me how to balance recruiter needs with scalability, pricing models, and self-service adoption.
Collaborating closely with cross-functional teams helped ensure that design not only improved usability, but directly supported monetisation, customer acquisition, and platform expansion.
Impact
From technical MVP to scalable SaaS platform
10× increase in leads per recruiter for the first client.
11+ recruitment firms engaged for full trials, providing valuable insights.
70 qualified leads within 48 hours of launching a campaign.
60% demo-to-deal conversion.
$85K+ in early revenue generated.
Full product UI system & scalable design foundation delivered.
Established a strong brand identity, building trust in a competitive market.