Thumbnail
Template Tool
Streamlining Creative Workflows
Prepared for:
Imprev (Now Moxiworks)
DISCLAIMER: All information presented in this case study is my own and does not necessarily reflect the views of Imprev or Moxiworks. For more information, please contact me via email at clara.e.leet@gmail.com
Project Overview
The Ask
Create a design workflow for thumbnail production that delivers:
Consistent results between team members
Faster output
Scalability for new products
Easy to learn for new & existing creative team members
My Roles
Project Lead
Production Design
Visual Design
Team
Creative Director
Creative QA
Production Design
Tools
Adobe InDesign
Adobe Photoshop
Internal CMS & DAM
The Problem
Imprev offered a B2B SaaS platform for real estate marketing. Our creative team struggled with inefficient thumbnail production. With 70+ product types and no standardized processes, designers were spending 3-5 minutes per thumbnail, creating inconsistent results that frequently failed QA review. The manual, repetitive workflow was unsustainable as project volumes and team size grew.
Solution
I designed and implemented a centralized drag-and-drop template system in Adobe Photoshop using Smart Object layers. This single tool accommodated all product types while ensuring visual consistency and accurate composition specifications.
Outcomes
300% increase in thumbnail production speed.
Virtually eliminated QA rejections due to consistency errors.
Under 1 hour training time for new team members.
Scalable foundation for process improvements across other design areas.
Process
Understanding Pain Points
I conducted interviews with team members and analyzed QA rejection patterns to understand why thumbnail production was inefficient and inconsistent. The research revealed that without a formal SOP, each designer had developed independent workflows, leading to significant variance in quality and speed across our 70+ product types.
Key findings
Each designer had developed their own workflow independently.
Lack of central documentation had created knowledge silos.
70+ product types meant complex specifications to remember.
Common errors included poor margins, incorrect spacing, wrong sizing, off-center placement, and incorrect drop shadows.
Rework cycles were eating into billable project time.
Finding a solution
I researched template-based approaches and experimented with Photoshop's Smart Object features to create a unified system. Before proposing team-wide changes, I tested concepts within my personal workflow to validate the approach and identify potential issues.
Goals
Familiar interactions: Leverage drag-and-drop patterns designers already knew.
Comprehensive coverage: One system for all 70+ product types.
Error prevention: Built-in specifications to eliminate common mistakes.
Future-ready: Expandable framework for new product types.
Build & Test
I built a master Photoshop file using Smart Object layers with embedded specifications for all product types. After testing and refining the system through my own work, I demonstrated its effectiveness with concrete QA data before rolling it out to the team.
Rollout Strategy
Demonstrate success through personal workflow improvements.
Present QA data showing zero rejections on my deliverables.
Conduct team training sessions (under 1 hour each).
Create comprehensive documentation for future reference.
Takeaways
Lead by example
Proving the concept through my own work was crucial for team buy-in. When QA data showed consistent success, the value became undeniable.
Documentation is Design
Creating clear usage guidelines was essential for adoption. Good tools need good instructions!
Sometimes the most effective solutions don't require new software or massive process overhauls. Smart use of existing tools can yield dramatic improvements.
Broader impact
This project taught me to spot repetitive patterns across design workflows to identify opportunities for improvement. After the thumbnail success, I took a similar templating approach to other areas of our production process to further streamline efficiencies wherever repetitive tasks existed.
Closing thoughts
UX thinking goes beyond building out products sold to customers; internal workflows are user experiences too! By applying user-centered design principles to our team's pain points, I was able to create a solution that improved both quality and efficiency.
The success of this template tool inspired more process improvements across our design team. It taught me to recognize repetitive patterns in any workflow and solve problems with a systematic approach, and seeing the value in demonstrating how small, thoughtful interventions can create lasting organizational change.