AI Video Editor

Overview

This AI-powered video editing app offers AI tools like voice generation, text-to-speech, and audio filters. As the product evolved, these tools were introduced as separate experiences, making them difficult to discover and use within the editing workflow.

I led a complete redesign of the app, working closely with developers and stakeholders to improve usability and support future feature scalability.

Problem

Despite having powerful AI features, users struggled to actually use them.

• Tools were buried deep in the interface

• Navigation felt complex and inconsistent

• AI features lacked clarity and context

This led to low discoverability and disrupted editing workflows.

Goal

Make AI tools easy to find, understand, and use, without disrupting the editing experience.

Key Issues

After auditing the app and mapping the editor structure, a few key issues stood out:

• Deep navigation - Tools were hidden in nested menus, forcing users to leave the editing context and breaking their workflow.

• Lack of context for AI tools - Users didn’t understand what features like voice filters actually did.

• Inconsistent UI - Multiple colors, typefaces, and components created weak hierarchy and visual noise.

• Unclear iconography - Many tools relied on abstract icons, forcing users to guess.

Design Principals

After reviewing the pain points, I developed a set of design principles to help guide our redesign.

• Discoverability - Tools should be easy to find at any time

• Clarity - Users should understand what each tool does instantly

• Consistency - Unify the design system and UI patterns

Centralized Toolbar

I moved all clip-related tools into a bottom toolbar, giving users one-tap access from anywhere in the editor. This approach aligns with common mobile editing patterns, reducing the learning curve and improving speed of access.

• Reduced navigation depth

• Improved speed and efficiency

• Cleared up header space and reduced clutter

• Scales easily as new tools are added

Dynamic Tool States

While surfacing more tools in the toolbar increased accessibility, it risked adding visual clutter. To balance this, I introduced dynamic states that only show relevant tools based on selection.

The toolbar adapts based on what type of clip the user selects on the timeline.

• Shows only relevant tools

• Reduces overwhelm

• Keeps users focused on the current task

• Scales easily as new features are added

Simplified Editing Flow

Instead of sending users into separate screens or flows, most tools now work within the editor.

• Maintains context while editing

• Speeds up workflows

• Makes interactions feel more lightweight and intuitive

Results & Impact

• Improved tool discoverability

• Created a scalable structure for future AI features