Hamish Snow https://hamishsnow.co Hamish Snow Sun, 27 Jul 2025 06:56:10 +0000 https://hamishsnow.co en Canva for Google Gemini http://hamishsnow.co/Canva-for-Google-Gemini Sun, 27 Jul 2025 06:56:10 +0000 Hamish Snow 457434 HAMISH SNOWABOUT Canva for Google Gemini Envisioning a deep platform integration RESPONSIBILITIESConcept designPrototypingStakeholder alignementTEAM Supergroup LeadGroup Design LeadFORMATNative integration via MCP TIMELINE2 days With a mission to empower the world to design, Canva enables +220 million people in 190 countries to create and communicate visually. Valued at $32 billion and generating $3 billion in annual revenue, its design platform is used by 95% of Fortune 500 companies. Strategic opportunity, shared visionCanva&nbsp;identified a potential strategic partnership with Gemini as the platform looks to expand its support with various LLMs and agentic workflows. Both also share a vision to democratise creativity, productivity, and access to powerful tools for expression. On Canva's side, there were several compelling value adds to contribute to the partnership. Primarily, its recently built model context protocol (MCP) server would enable completely agentic workflows, allowing users to access Canva's capabilities natively inside Gemini and unlocking prompt-driven design creation. And with Canva connected to Gemini as a knowledge source, users would also be able to use their designs—Documents, Sheets, Whiteboards—as context for their prompts and for deep research, making it incredibly easy to connect the dots and drastically improve productivity.Intent ≠ outcome Currently, when Gemini users prompt "Create me a Canva presentation", all they get back is a long list of written instructions explaining how to manually create the design. This interaction is misalined with their intent and expectations—particularly in the context of AI assistants—and was causing untold frustration. We wanted to hone in on this problem and pitch Canva as the ideal pain killer.Visualising the futureThe head of Canva’s Ecosystem supergroup was scheduled to discuss a potential partnership with the Gemini team in two days' time, and wanted to present a vision of what a deep integration between the two platforms could look like. I was asked to imagine and create a high-fidelity design concept that could be used during the presentation for maximum impact. First, I set about ideating on a hypothetical narrative and user flow that demonstrated Canva's capabilities in context, creating a fully interactive prototype that could be dropped into a presentation deck. To do this, I visualised each step of the flow, and finessed the timing and transitions to make the overall composition feel as realistic as possible. And even though the majority of the experience would exist in Gemini, I still wanted to maintain Canva's design integrity by including key visual elements that users would recognise, like the rich previews and design type icons.<img width="2400" height="1600" width_o="2400" height_o="1600" src_o="https://cortex.persona.co/t/original/i/e7e63623ddba1e852ab1c17eb2245817b462b50059b5d129c989894d9105d48c/main-1.png" data-mid="1416246" border="0" /> <img width="2400" height="1600" width_o="2400" height_o="1600" src_o="https://cortex.persona.co/t/original/i/7498cea8d0217e7738933cbcd76b5f46c4bca45cbcc00fd0bbf4846b2653c76b/main-2.png" data-mid="1416243" border="0" /> <img width="1400" height="1400" width_o="1400" height_o="1400" src_o="https://cortex.persona.co/t/original/i/f198ceedb63c1dd97a6b2a064425334fc6aa5579a56e86d362979ff198c9b10e/detail-1.png" data-mid="1416245" border="0" /> <img width="1400" height="1400" width_o="1400" height_o="1400" src_o="https://cortex.persona.co/t/original/i/b9b627a68a1eafab44d36bfbf99e600649b27d8ea03753923f7f7bb708c36c16/detail-2.png" data-mid="1416244" border="0" /> Mission accomplishedFeedback from the Gemini team after the meeting was resoundingly positive, and a strategic partnership was locked in soon after. This will make Canva the only design platform accessible agentically through the LLM. And to bring the vision to life, the Gemini team is now in the process of creating the integration themselves. This is a testament to their investment in the partnership, because the engineering enablement for third party integrations is typically supplied by Canva. Next project HAMISH SNOWABOUT Canva for Google Gemini Envisioning a deep platform integration RESPONSIBILITIESConcept designPrototypingStakeholder alignementTEAM Supergroup... Linktree: Podcast Link http://hamishsnow.co/Linktree-Podcast-Link Thu, 06 Jul 2023 06:54:05 +0000 Hamish Snow 445276 HAMISH SNOWABOUT Linktree: Podcast Link Empowering podcast creators to grow their audience RESPONSIBILITIESProduct designPrototypingDelivery documentationQA TEAM Product ManagerTechnical LeadFront-end Engineer PLATFORMResponsive web application TIMELINE2 months More than just linksLinktree is the go-to link in bio solution, trusted by over 50 million users including the world’s biggest&nbsp;brands, influencers and celebrities. It simplifies the way people showcase their digital presence by enabling them to share everything they create, curate, and sell through a simple, customisable landing page. The atomic unit of Linktree is the “link” — a versatile tool that goes beyond a standard URL. Links can direct visitors to other web pages or deliver immersive experiences with embedded videos, audio, and more, making every Linktree a dynamic hub of digital content. The tyranny of choicePodcast creators often host their shows on multiple streaming platforms to reach new audiences. But in the context of their Linktree, this came at a cost. Creating separate links for each platform was time-consuming and led to a visually cluttered layout, pushing other important content further down the page where it was less visible and engaging.For visitors, the experience was equally frustrating. They had to sift through a long list of visually indistinguishable links to find their preferred streaming platform, with no context about the podcast’s content, creation date, or episode count — severly compormising discovery and engagement. <img width="3080" height="2000" width_o="3080" height_o="2000" src_o="https://cortex.persona.co/t/original/i/8985cc4a79805fb41f093df159bfe7b0a838be24737b67429dd1b2ac3fda00c6/PodcastLink-OG.png" data-mid="1300303" border="0" />&nbsp;At a glance, it was extremely difficult to differentiate between podcast streaming services One link to rule them allI led the design of a new Podcast Link that transforms how creators share their shows, consolidating all streaming platforms into a single, interactive surface. This innovation made life easier for creators and delivered a seamless experience for visitors. Using a unique content matching service (powered by SongLink/Odezli, acquired by Linktree in 2021), creators now only need to provide one URL, and Linktree will automatically detect every available streaming platform. Podcast imagery and descriptions are automatically populated, and visitors can even preview recent episodes, making the discovery process both engaging and effortless. <img width="3500" height="2924" width_o="3500" height_o="2924" src_o="https://cortex.persona.co/t/original/i/312a77519e1a76180af6650666dbae7be8d6a4d9579ddafa51a838dddb55f548/PodcastLink-1.png" data-mid="1305825" border="0" />Et voila! Streaming services are automatically detected from a single URL <img width="3620" height="2552" width_o="3620" height_o="2552" src_o="https://cortex.persona.co/t/original/i/639230bfa5dfd599015d615a0fa661327a75a395ffb7e0de375b91e5d843653e/PodcastLink-2.png" data-mid="1300279" border="0" /> For a visitor, the new Podcast Link becomes a “one stop shop” <img width="1600" height="1600" width_o="1600" height_o="1600" src_o="https://cortex.persona.co/t/original/i/2dbbe7e819fa11f69626dd4bc73d5671b20197e98478fbad33f0f20a14b87434/PodcastLink-4.png" data-mid="1300245" border="0" /><img width="1600" height="1600" width_o="1600" height_o="1600" src_o="https://cortex.persona.co/t/original/i/5cd5897e668b5e2a85074e279f5d3961f6172fc2230cc6f56394cfa475322ba9/PodcastLink-3.png" data-mid="1299758" border="0" /> Streamlined browsing and rich embeded previews futher improve the visitor experience Mike dropAfter a successful launch and go-to-market campaign, Podcast Link quickly gained traction in Linktree’s App Marketplace. After only a few months, there were 248,585 active links across 180,646 Linktree accounts. With a 61% adoption rate, the feature has become a favorite among creators, and has simplified the experience of sharing and discovering podcasts on Linktree. Previous projectNext project HAMISH SNOWABOUT Linktree: Podcast Link Empowering podcast creators to grow their audience RESPONSIBILITIESProduct designPrototypingDelivery documentationQA ... About http://hamishsnow.co/About Fri, 30 Jun 2023 00:55:42 +0000 Hamish Snow 445050 HAMISH SNOWABOUT G’day, I’m Hamish, a digital product designer based in Melbourne (Naarm), Australia. Exacting. Thoughtful. Tall. These are all terms that colleagues and collaborators alike have used to describe me. I have a background in industrial design (that’s physical product design) and consider myself a bit of a word nerd. Away from work I’m an avid cyclist, aspiring home chef, and dedicated cat dad.You can view my CV here. Want to get in contact? Feel free to email me at hello@hamishsnow.co. I’m also on&nbsp;LinkedIn. FEATURESShillington Graduate SpotlightView WRITING Product design: a tale of two disciplinesRead I acknowledge the Traditional Owners and Custodians of the land on which I am living and working, and I recognise their continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. I pay my respects to the Elders past and present, and their traditions. HAMISH SNOWABOUT G’day, I’m Hamish, a digital product designer based in Melbourne (Naarm), Australia. Exacting. Thoughtful. Tall. These are all terms that... Home http://hamishsnow.co/Home Fri, 30 Jun 2023 00:23:09 +0000 Hamish Snow 445049 HAMISH SNOWABOUT Welcome. Come in, take a look around. Selected work <img width="5600" height="3200" width_o="5600" height_o="3200" src_o="https://cortex.persona.co/t/original/i/6516d763e9d0766efb8b4186dddc76671dc5f731c0166a8ba549cdb4d04cd1ce/hero-2.png" data-mid="1414611" border="0" /> Canva for Google GeminiEnvisioning a deep platform integration View <img width="2800" height="1600" width_o="2800" height_o="1600" src_o="https://cortex.persona.co/t/original/i/86b72f40e23273d5694b74840058c7734bc5096de39cfcd8fc3b37f02ac29f58/PodcastLink.png" data-mid="1305823" border="0" /> Linktree: Podcast LinkEmpowering podcast creators to grow their audience View <img width="2800" height="1600" width_o="2800" height_o="1600" src_o="https://cortex.persona.co/t/original/i/f377c65bd0f2a8a659ae57444ec1a5c7e43acff4367443cc93ac99faa4586271/Pocket.png" data-mid="1307931" border="0" /> Pocket: Open HomesStreamlining the real estate inspection process View ©️Always hello@hamishsnow.co HAMISH SNOWABOUT Welcome. Come in, take a look around. Selected work Canva for Google GeminiEnvisioning a deep platform integration View Linktree:... Pocket: Open Homes http://hamishsnow.co/Pocket-Open-Homes Fri, 17 Apr 2020 02:07:25 +0000 Hamish Snow 363417 HAMISH SNOWABOUT Pocket: Open homes Streamlining the real estate inspection process RESPONSIBILITIESResearch and competitive analysisProduct designPrototypingUsability testingDelivery documentationQA TEAM Product Owner2x Engineers PLATFORMNative mobile application (iOS and Android) TIMELINE4 months Your agency in your pocketPocket is a mobile-specific customer relationship management (CRM) application for real estate agents, powered by Rex. With roughly 3000 monthly active users throughout Australia, New Zealand and the UK, the app allows an agent to manage their entire workflow from a smart device. An important part of this workflow is facilitating inspections of properties that are for sale, commonly known as open homes. Because of this, Pocket’s dedicated open homes functionality became its most frequently used and highest-value feature following its release. Weakened at the seams Despite being well received initially, user engagement was steadily decreasing and a growing portion of customers were churning to a competitor’s product to manage their inspections. Feedback collected directly from agents highlighted several underlying UX and performance issues, so we decided a change was necessary. Extensive renovationsI was tasked with completely redesigning the open homes feature to better cater to the needs of agents, which included an extensive research and user testing process, as well as thorough documentation and quality assurance testing directly with Engineers. <img width="4350" height="1534" width_o="4350" height_o="1534" src_o="https://cortex.persona.co/t/original/i/c7e1df8995c3a1ad647c99827da8b1220f5580080bf8cc517df1e0cc19d881dd/Pocket-Wireframes.png" data-mid="1300327" border="0" /> A sample of initial wireframes <img width="4040" height="2312" width_o="4040" height_o="2312" src_o="https://cortex.persona.co/t/original/i/979f65e2258fc5d4e5a481df1884c782ef2c9e03a3daf8002f041203e7bf80ee/Pocket-Exploration.png" data-mid="1300328" border="0" />Early iterations in higher fidelity <img width="1600" height="1600" width_o="1600" height_o="1600" src_o="https://cortex.persona.co/t/original/i/065e3429874d1a6f4ddd759de8c7d269b2c06ecb414bf41df9126ed9adb0fc2e/Pocket-2.png" data-mid="1307930" border="0" /><img width="1600" height="1600" width_o="1600" height_o="1600" src_o="https://cortex.persona.co/t/original/i/53e823b17d304c6d75826a1bdc89e6066fb80b9e70f476fcf023fe650ce5c287/Pocket-5.png" data-mid="1307929" border="0" /> <img width="1600" height="1600" width_o="1600" height_o="1600" src_o="https://cortex.persona.co/t/original/i/ab2d903ca5331c026497914ecb06510c0c38eae9e6982ed0dff7b1f0cb440828/Pocket-3.png" data-mid="1307934" border="0" /><img width="1600" height="1600" width_o="1600" height_o="1600" src_o="https://cortex.persona.co/t/original/i/f8a06b7ce0ff18655715aff4939953817ebb970cdcdafb3ceb6202c9144d79cb/Pocket-4.png" data-mid="1307928" border="0" /> Final visual design of some of the feature’s key views Favourable first impressionsOn the first weekend after its release, primary screens of the open feature were viewed a record number of times, with a peak 70% higher than any previously measured. Average per-user engagement also increased by 22% in following months, in terms of attendees added and open home “records” viewed. That increased usage trend continued to persist, and while there was a steep decline during the COVID-19 lockdown period, it recovered wonderfully with the return to in-person inspections. Previous project HAMISH SNOWABOUT Pocket: Open homes Streamlining the real estate inspection process RESPONSIBILITIESResearch and competitive analysisProduct...