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Codex
A headless CMS for publishers, focused on fast content creation and streamlined workflows.
Codex was one of the company’s largest and most significant SaaS products. As a full-time Lead UX UI Designer at Gjirafa Inc., I was responsible for shaping the product vision and ensuring it aligned with both client requirements and company objectives.
My Role
UX/UI Designer
Project type
SaaS
Year
2021
Tools
Figma, Miro
Client
Gjirafatech
Objective
The main objective was to design a headless CMS for publishers, focused on simplifying content creation. Key business requirements included a Content Editor and a Content Model Builder, enabling a system that supports both content creation and publisher management.
Ideation and Iteration
The design process involved multiple rounds of iteration, beginning with user flows and low-fidelity mockups and evolving into high-fidelity prototypes.
I collaborated closely with lead developers to define the functionality of the Content Editor with Blocks, as it was the core feature of Codex.
Challenges
One of the main challenges of Codex was designing the Content Editor and Content Modular Builder, which publishers would use daily to create and manage their content.
Defining the pre-built blocks was another challenge due to the large number of blocks and their integration into the Codex system. Comparing Codex with tools like WordPress WYSIWYG editor and Elementor added complexity, making it critical to find a smooth and intuitive solution.
User Research
Each design iteration was thoroughly tested with the internal team to refine features step by step and ensure they addressed both usability and functionality goals.
User research sessions and usability testing, helped us understand how publishers interacted with the Content Editor and Modular Builder, uncovering pain points in daily content creation and management.
We also conducted a competitive analysis of WordPress and the Elementor plugin to identify best practices and gaps in existing solutions. Insights from this research guided the design of an intuitive drag-and-drop system that allows publishers to manage all CMS content efficiently, with minimal distractions, while ensuring a smooth and seamless experience.
Outcome
The Codex project successfully delivered a robust headless CMS tailored for publishers, enabling efficient content creation and management through an intuitive Content Editor and Modular Builder.
The drag-and-drop system, combined with pre-built content blocks, allowed publishers to manage complex workflows with ease, improving productivity and reducing errors. Early testing and feedback from internal teams and publishers were highly positive, highlighting the platform’s usability, flexibility, and alignment with real-world publishing needs.
By addressing privacy, performance, and user workflow challenges, Codex became one of the company’s flagship products, streamlining the publishing process and setting a new standard for content management within the organization.
