Feed Builder

Overview

Feed Builder is an innovative application designed to streamline the integration of custom content into our ad formats. As the project lead, I spearheaded the design and development of this tool, which has significantly enhanced our ability to handle diverse client data feeds and maintain long-term relationships with major clients.

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The Challenge

Our team faced several challenges in handling client content:

• Frequent client requests to integrate custom content into our ad formats
• Managing content integration requests on a case-by-case basis was unsustainable
• Lack of a standardized method to ingest and structure data from various sources
• Need for a scalable solution to handle diverse data formats (XML, JSON)

These challenges resulted in inefficient processes, potential inconsistencies, and limitations in our ability to serve clients effectively.
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The Solution

To address these challenges, we developed Feed Builder, an application designed to:

• Consume client data in any format (XML or JSON API feed)
• Restructure data into a standardized format compatible with our ad formats
• Feature a "subscription" function to periodically check for updates
• Automatically save new entries to the database, ensuring current and relevant content
• Allow users to edit text, images, and other metadata directly in the UI

My Role

As the project lead, I was responsible for:

• Conceptualizing the Feed Builder application
• Conducting user interviews with clients and the sales team
• Leading the design process and collaborating closely with my engineering team
• Overseeing the development and implementation of the application

The Process

1. Research and Conceptualization

I began by:

• Conducting user interviews with our clients and sales team to evaluate the viability of the solution
• Analyzing existing processes to identify pain points and areas for improvement
• Defining the core features needed to address our team's challenges

2. Design

The design phase included:

• Collaborating with the software engineering team to bring the creative solution to life
• Prototyping the application using Material UI's component library and React
• Repurposing some components from Ad Builder for consistency and efficiency
• Creating a UI that allowed users to interact with the content of the feed

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3. Development and Iteration

As the project progressed:

• Worked closely with the engineering team to implement the designed features
• Conducted user testing with the operations team to identify areas for improvement
• Iterated on the design based on user feedback and emerging needs
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4. Integration and Expansion

We continued to enhance the application by:

• Developing a publicly accessible feature to consume private Google Sheets data
• Implementing a Slack integration for monitoring feed updates
• Planning the integration of Feed Builder directly into the Ad Builder application
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Key Features

• Universal Data Ingestion: Ability to consume any XML or JSON API feed
• Data Standardization: Restructuring of diverse data into a format compatible with our ad formats
• Subscription Function: Automatic checking and updating of feed content
• User-Friendly Interface: Easy editing of text, images, and metadata
• Google Sheets Integration: Ability to consume private Google Sheets data
• Slack Notifications: Updates pushed to a private Slack channel for monitoring

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Outcome and Impact

The Feed Builder application had a significant positive impact on our operations:

• Enhanced ability to consume and standardize diverse data feeds
• Improved long-term relationships with major clients
• Enabled leveraging of vendor feeds like Ticketmaster API and real estate APIs
• Led to the development of a publicly accessible feature for Google Sheets integration
• Streamlined workflow for the operations team

Lessons Learned

1. User-Centered Design: The importance of designing for non-technical users became evident through the process.
2. Iterative Improvement: Continuous user testing and feedback are crucial for enhancing usability and adoption.
3. Cross-Functional Collaboration: The success of the project relied heavily on close collaboration with the engineering team.
4. Scalability: Designing for future expansion and integration with existing tools (like Ad Builder) is crucial for long-term success.

Reflections and Next Steps

Moving forward, we plan to:

• Conduct ongoing user testing and feedback sessions with the operations team
• Integrate Feed Builder directly into the Ad Builder application for a more seamless workflow
• Continue iterative improvements based on real user inputs
• Explore additional integrations and features to further enhance the tool's capabilities

This project demonstrates the power of innovative solutions in addressing complex client needs. It showcases my ability to lead cross-functional teams, design user-centered solutions, and create tools that not only solve current problems but are also adaptable for future challenges.

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