Litespace Coffee Chat
Litespace Coffee Chat
AI powered coffee chat for intentional, pressure free pairings across hybrid teams. 63% opt in, 200+ chats in month one
AI powered coffee chat for intentional, pressure free pairings across hybrid teams. 63% opt in, 200+ chats in month one
Project Type
Professional
Timeline
Sep 2023
Team
Design Lead
1 Engineer
Product Designer (Me)
Contributions
Research
Prototyping
Testing
Project Type
Professional
Timeline
Sep 2023
Team
Design Lead
1 Engineer
Product Designer (Me)
What I Did
• Led end to end design of an AI powered coffee chat feature.
• Identified social friction through qualitative research and internal testing.
• Designed transparent pairing logic that explains why users are matched.
• Simplified scheduling to reduce coordination effort and cognitive load.
• Partnered closely with engineering to iterate on the MVP.
OVERVIEW
OVERVIEW
Bridging the gap between structured meetings and casual interactions
Bridging the gap between structured meetings and casual interactions
Litespace is an AI-powered enterprise platform that helps organizations improve engagement and satisfaction in hybrid and remote workplaces. It offers hybrid scheduling, event recommendations, and integrations with Slack, Outlook, and Google Calendar to support large teams.
Coffee Chat is an enterprise 0-to-1 solution designed to spark spontaneous, meaningful conversations across distributed teams. It turns routine meetings into casual yet purposeful interactions that strengthen culture. I led the design and experience iterations, adapting to evolving enterprise needs.
Litespace is an AI-powered enterprise platform that helps organizations improve engagement and satisfaction in hybrid and remote workplaces. It offers hybrid scheduling, event recommendations, and integrations with Slack, Outlook, and Google Calendar to support large teams.
Coffee Chat is an enterprise 0-to-1 solution designed to spark spontaneous, meaningful conversations across distributed teams. It turns routine meetings into casual yet purposeful interactions that strengthen culture. I led the design and experience iterations, adapting to evolving enterprise needs.
Impact
Impact
Through design and product iterations, Coffee Chat quickly proved its value by driving engagement and adoption across hybrid teams.
Through design and product iterations, Coffee Chat quickly proved its value by driving engagement and adoption across hybrid teams.
63%
63%
Users opted into Coffee Chat within the first month, signaling strong early adoption.
Users opted into Coffee Chat within the first month, signaling strong early adoption.
200+
200+
Chats generated in the first month through auto-matched pairings, with consistent weekly participation.
Chats generated in the first month through auto-matched pairings, with consistent weekly participation.
$4.5M
$4.5M
Company valuation reached alongside the Coffee Chat launch and other key feature rollouts.
Company valuation reached alongside the Coffee Chat launch and other key feature rollouts.
PROBLEM
PROBLEM
Remote teams lack casual social interactions
Remote teams lack casual social interactions
To improve team connection in hybrid and remote environments, I identified key challenges through observations, customer feedback, and teammate interviews. For Litespace, addressing these issues showed that the platform drives real engagement in distributed workplaces rather than only scheduling meetings.
To improve team connection in hybrid and remote environments, I identified key challenges through observations, customer feedback, and teammate interviews. For Litespace, addressing these issues showed that the platform drives real engagement in distributed workplaces rather than only scheduling meetings.
Lack of Spontaneous Interactions
Lack of Spontaneous Interactions
In hybrid and remote work environments, opportunities for spontaneous, meaningful conversations are limited, leading to reduced team cohesion.
In hybrid and remote work environments, opportunities for spontaneous, meaningful conversations are limited, leading to reduced team cohesion.
Sense of Disconnection
Sense of Disconnection
Traditional work models often create a disconnect among team members, particularly in settings where remote and in-office work are mixed.
Traditional work models often create a disconnect among team members, particularly in settings where remote and in-office work are mixed.
Ineffective Communication Channels
Ineffective Communication Channels
Existing meeting structures tend to be formal and rigid, making it difficult to foster casual, purposeful interactions that build stronger team relationships.
Existing meeting structures tend to be formal and rigid, making it difficult to foster casual, purposeful interactions that build stronger team relationships.
RESEARCH
RESEARCH
Why existing tools fall short
Why existing tools fall short
To understand how others addressed casual interactions, I conducted a competitive analysis of Slack bots, virtual spatial platforms, and co-working tools.
To understand how others addressed casual interactions, I conducted a competitive analysis of Slack bots, virtual spatial platforms, and co-working tools.
Existing tools approach casual interaction from different angles, such as automated matching, shared spaces, or structured activities, but few clearly communicate the reason behind a specific pairing or reduce the social pressure of starting the conversation. This insight shaped Coffee Chat’s direction: combining intentional pairing with a low pressure experience, without requiring direct message coordination.
Existing tools approach casual interaction from different angles, such as automated matching, shared spaces, or structured activities, but few clearly communicate the reason behind a specific pairing or reduce the social pressure of starting the conversation. This insight shaped Coffee Chat’s direction: combining intentional pairing with a low pressure experience, without requiring direct message coordination.
DESIGN GOALS
DESIGN GOALS
Designing intentional connections with minimal social pressure
Designing intentional connections with minimal social pressure
After conducting team interviews, analyzing competitive tools, and researching human behavior in workplace interactions, we established key goals to achieve during this MVP.
After conducting team interviews, analyzing competitive tools, and researching human behavior in workplace interactions, we established key goals to achieve during this MVP.
Automated Pairing with Purpose
Automated Pairing with Purpose
Automatically match employees and clearly communicate the reason behind each pairing, helping users feel confident about joining the conversation without extra effort.
Automatically match employees and clearly communicate the reason behind each pairing, helping users feel confident about joining the conversation without extra effort.
Conversation Starters
Conversation Starters
Suggest engaging topics or icebreakers to help participants initiate conversations, making interactions more comfortable and productive.
Suggest engaging topics or icebreakers to help participants initiate conversations, making interactions more comfortable and productive.
Smart Scheduling
Smart Scheduling
Allow users to select preferred times and automatically schedule chats within available time slots, ensuring flexibility and seamless integration into their workflow.
Allow users to select preferred times and automatically schedule chats within available time slots, ensuring flexibility and seamless integration into their workflow.
Cross-Department Matching
Cross-Department Matching
Enable connections between employees from different teams or departments to break down silos, encourage collaboration, and foster company-wide networking.
Enable connections between employees from different teams or departments to break down silos, encourage collaboration, and foster company-wide networking.
CONSRTAINTS
CONSRTAINTS
Launching a new feature ahead of the rebranding
Launching a new feature ahead of the rebranding
The product was transitioning from a green-dominant identity to a more modern blue-focused visual system, but the rebrand was still in progress. We had just two weeks to design and release the coffee chat feature so it could become the first experience aligned with the new direction. This constraint pushed us to focus the MVP on enabling one meaningful chat per week, quickly validating core value while building a scalable foundation for future brand-consistent improvements.
The product was transitioning from a green-dominant identity to a more modern blue-focused visual system, but the rebrand was still in progress. We had just two weeks to design and release the coffee chat feature so it could become the first experience aligned with the new direction. This constraint pushed us to focus the MVP on enabling one meaningful chat per week, quickly validating core value while building a scalable foundation for future brand-consistent improvements.
EXPLORATION CHALLENGE 1
EXPLORATION CHALLENGE 1
Creating meaningful pairings
Creating meaningful pairings
Early feedback showed that users were more likely to accept a coffee chat when they understood why they were paired. I used ChatGPT-3’s contextual comprehension to infer meaningful connections from lightweight signals such as onboarding inputs, profiles, post chat feedback, and shared Slack channel participation, without accessing private messages. The system then generates a brief pairing explanation so users can quickly understand why the match makes sense.
Early feedback showed that users were more likely to accept a coffee chat when they understood why they were paired. I used ChatGPT-3’s contextual comprehension to infer meaningful connections from lightweight signals such as onboarding inputs, profiles, post chat feedback, and shared Slack channel participation, without accessing private messages. The system then generates a brief pairing explanation so users can quickly understand why the match makes sense.
EXPLORATION CHALLENGE 2
EXPLORATION CHALLENGE 2
Mapping the user flow
Mapping the user flow
A key challenge was mapping different user scenarios, as participants could see different screens based on their actions. To improve scheduling, I compared a common coffee chat tool’s message-based coordination flow with the Coffee Chat experience, using the same user scenario. Existing tools rely on direct message coordination and back-and-forths, while Coffee Chat removes messaging, provides clear fallback paths, and reduces user pressure through default states and automated scheduling.
A key challenge was mapping different user scenarios, as participants could see different screens based on their actions. To improve scheduling, I compared a common coffee chat tool’s message-based coordination flow with the Coffee Chat experience, using the same user scenario. Existing tools rely on direct message coordination and back-and-forths, while Coffee Chat removes messaging, provides clear fallback paths, and reduces user pressure through default states and automated scheduling.
ITERATION CHALLENGE 1
ITERATION CHALLENGE 1
Simplifying coffee chat's interface
Simplifying coffee chat's interface
Faced with a complex UI in Coffee Chat, I initially designed a multi-functional widget. User testing revealed its high cognitive load, leading me to divide it into two simpler widgets for availability and reasons, which received more positive feedback during internal A/B testing. I also added a mutual availability tool for easier scheduling in remote or hybrid environments.
Faced with a complex UI in Coffee Chat, I initially designed a multi-functional widget. User testing revealed its high cognitive load, leading me to divide it into two simpler widgets for availability and reasons, which received more positive feedback during internal A/B testing. I also added a mutual availability tool for easier scheduling in remote or hybrid environments.
Before
After
ITERATION CHALLENGE 2
ITERATION CHALLENGE 2
Optimizing meeting format selection
Optimizing meeting format selection
I explored the option of letting users choose between virtual and in-person meetings, but A/B testing showed it caused delays and confusion without direct communication, and in-person meetings were rarely chosen in our remote and hybrid setting. Based on these findings, we removed the selection to simplify scheduling, reduce cognitive load, and improve efficiency by focusing only on availability.
I explored the option of letting users choose between virtual and in-person meetings, but A/B testing showed it caused delays and confusion without direct communication, and in-person meetings were rarely chosen in our remote and hybrid setting. Based on these findings, we removed the selection to simplify scheduling, reduce cognitive load, and improve efficiency by focusing only on availability.
Before
After
FINAL DELIVERABLES
FINAL DELIVERABLES
Seamless scheduling with contextual matchmaking
Seamless scheduling with contextual matchmaking
The Coffee Chat feature automatically pairs users each week based on their availability, integrating with Google Calendar. Matches include context on shared interests and suggested topics to facilitate conversation. The chat is set to "Going" by default, ensuring a seamless scheduling experience. Users can reschedule or decline if needed. Upon both users' confirmation, the system generates a Google Meet link and adds it to their calendar, making it easy to connect and engage in meaningful conversations.
The Coffee Chat feature automatically pairs users each week based on their availability, integrating with Google Calendar. Matches include context on shared interests and suggested topics to facilitate conversation. The chat is set to "Going" by default, ensuring a seamless scheduling experience. Users can reschedule or decline if needed. Upon both users' confirmation, the system generates a Google Meet link and adds it to their calendar, making it easy to connect and engage in meaningful conversations.
Handling chat declines without friction
Handling chat declines without friction
If either participant declines the scheduled coffee chat, both users will see a notification widget informing them that the chat has been canceled. To reduce pressure and maintain a seamless experience, the system does not require a reason for declining. Users will simply be notified that their next coffee chat will be scheduled in the following cycle.
If either participant declines the scheduled coffee chat, both users will see a notification widget informing them that the chat has been canceled. To reduce pressure and maintain a seamless experience, the system does not require a reason for declining. Users will simply be notified that their next coffee chat will be scheduled in the following cycle.
Flexible scheduling for better availability
Flexible scheduling for better availability
If user wants to reschedule, he can choose from alternative time slots automatically recommended based on both users' availability. This simplifies the process by providing quick, pre-selected options, allowing for a smoother scheduling experience. Once both users agree on a new time, the chat is confirmed.
If user wants to reschedule, he can choose from alternative time slots automatically recommended based on both users' availability. This simplifies the process by providing quick, pre-selected options, allowing for a smoother scheduling experience. Once both users agree on a new time, the chat is confirmed.
If the other user proposes new times, user can review and select a slot that works for both. This ensures flexibility while maintaining a structured approach, reducing the need for back-and-forth coordination and making it easier to finalize meetings.
If the other user proposes new times, user can review and select a slot that works for both. This ensures flexibility while maintaining a structured approach, reducing the need for back-and-forth coordination and making it easier to finalize meetings.
If none of the other user's suggested times work, users can propose their own availability for the other person to review. This flexible approach simplifies scheduling and increases the likelihood of finding a mutually agreeable time.
If none of the other user's suggested times work, users can propose their own availability for the other person to review. This flexible approach simplifies scheduling and increases the likelihood of finding a mutually agreeable time.
New identity design system
New identity design system
I collaborated with another designer to build the atomic foundations of the new identity design system, defining color tokens and typography. I also created molecule level components that balanced consistency with flexibility for different product needs, which helped both design and engineering move faster with clarity.
I collaborated with another designer to build the atomic foundations of the new identity design system, defining color tokens and typography. I also created molecule level components that balanced consistency with flexibility for different product needs, which helped both design and engineering move faster with clarity.
What I’d do differently in 2025
What I’d do differently in 2025
In 2025, I focused on AI driven design by building adaptive agents that created more human centered interactions. Using Figma Make, I prototyped conversational flows that adjusted to tone and context in real time. I learned that traditional interfaces create a high navigation cost because users must move through menus to find what they need. Generative UI changes this by acting as an interaction synthesizer that removes the navigation tax and surfaces only what matches the user’s intent. This shaped a more scalable conversational framework for future features.
In 2025, I focused on AI driven design by building adaptive agents that created more human centered interactions. Using Figma Make, I prototyped conversational flows that adjusted to tone and context in real time. I learned that traditional interfaces create a high navigation cost because users must move through menus to find what they need. Generative UI changes this by acting as an interaction synthesizer that removes the navigation tax and surfaces only what matches the user’s intent. This shaped a more scalable conversational framework for future features.
REFLECTION
REFLECTION
Designing Coffee Chat during the shift from a green dominant identity to a modern blue focused system taught me how to stay flexible while keeping the experience clear and lightweight. With only two weeks, I focused the MVP on one meaningful weekly pairing and removed anything that added friction. Working with early AI pairing logic gave me a deeper understanding of how contextual signals shape user trust. If I had more time, I would run more testing on hallucination control to ensure stable and reliable matches. This project reinforced how thoughtful details can strengthen connection across hybrid teams.
Designing Coffee Chat during the shift from a green dominant identity to a modern blue focused system taught me how to stay flexible while keeping the experience clear and lightweight. With only two weeks, I focused the MVP on one meaningful weekly pairing and removed anything that added friction. Working with early AI pairing logic gave me a deeper understanding of how contextual signals shape user trust. If I had more time, I would run more testing on hallucination control to ensure stable and reliable matches. This project reinforced how thoughtful details can strengthen connection across hybrid teams.
© 2026 Chang Mou. Crafted with 💪 and ❤️