PartDesigner
Built a new product from the ground up for custom digital part creation.
Led from concept to launch. PartDesigner expanded what the platform could build, and reached 11K downloads against an expectation of one thousand.
11K+
Downloads
44K+
Executions
11×
Over forecast
Within the first five months. Initial expectation was a few hundred to 1,000 downloads.
The 30-second story
Challenge
Turn a broad idea, letting Studio users make custom digital parts, into a product with a clear scope, workflow, and interaction model.
Key move
Defined the product around four core workflows and a reusable component model for shape and connectivity.
Validation
Six usability sessions confirmed the end-to-end structure while exposing friction in tool switching, discoverability, and onboarding.
Result
Launched to public beta with 11K+ downloads and 44K+ executions in five months, about 11× the original forecast.
Problem
The project began with a broad idea: create a tool that would let users make digital parts compatible with Studio. There was no defined product scope, target use case, feature set, or interaction model. The challenge was turning that idea into a viable product.
Process
01
Defining the product from scratch
I researched how users might create and modify digital parts, what they needed from a Studio companion tool, and where general-purpose 3D software fell short.
From that research I defined the initial product around four core workflows: creating new parts, importing existing 3D objects, editing shapes and connectivity, and exporting the results directly to Studio.
02
Establishing the part system
Creating a digital part involved more than editing its shape. Each part also needed structural components and connectivity data to function correctly in Studio.
I defined a component model around reusable elements, bodies, studs, bottom tubes, accessories, and holes, and established how each could be created, selected, edited, and connected. This system became the foundation for the product's tools and interaction patterns.
03
Designing the core workflows
Once the product model was defined, I translated it into end-to-end workflows: creating a part from scratch, importing existing 3D objects or Studio parts, editing shape and connectivity, and exporting the finished result back into Studio.
To make a technically complex tool easier to navigate, I organized the experience around separate shape and connectivity editing modes while keeping essential controls consistent with Studio. I then defined detailed behaviors for drawing, selecting, resizing, grouping, applying textures, adding connectivity, and exporting.
04
Clarifying PartDesigner's role in the Studio ecosystem
I mapped how PartDesigner connected to the broader Studio experience, from importing a model or existing Studio part, to adding connectivity, to exporting the finished part back into Studio.
This clarified PartDesigner's role as a companion tool for advanced creation needs, rather than a standalone modeling application or a replacement for Studio.
05
Testing and refining the experience
Before the public beta I planned and ran six usability sessions across two user groups, to evaluate whether the product was intuitive enough for release and could replace the existing Connectivity Editor. Participants completed the core import, edit, and export flow without assistance, validating the overall product structure.
The sessions also revealed friction around tool-switching behavior, hidden features, drawing interactions, connectivity editing, and onboarding. I translated the findings into a prioritized improvement plan and worked directly with the developer to refine the experience before launch.
06
Making the first experience approachable
Internal feedback indicated that the welcome experience did not clearly surface PartDesigner's main capabilities or reflect its core workflows. I saw an opportunity to give first-time users a more approachable starting point by surfacing guided decal creation directly from the welcome screen.
Users could choose a minifigure or part, apply images, preview the result, and export to Studio without first learning the full editing environment. This created an accessible entry point while still leading users toward the product's broader creation capabilities.
07
Leading the product to public beta
Working directly with one developer, I owned product decisions, scope, prioritization, UX, UI, QA, and release planning through the public beta launch. With a two-person team, sequencing and dependency management were critical. I created and managed a shared schedule that aligned research, product definition, component modeling, interaction design, development, and QA.
As the product expanded beyond editing existing parts into a broader creation tool, I renamed it PartDesigner to better reflect its purpose. I also wrote the user instructions, coordinated launch readiness, monitored early adoption and community feedback, and translated reported bugs and suggestions into priorities for the next release.
Outcome
11K downloads and 44K executions in five months, against a forecast of 1,000.
PartDesigner launched as a public beta for a specialized group of advanced Studio users who needed to create custom digital parts. Within five months it reached more than 11,000 downloads and 44,000 executions, far exceeding our initial expectation of a few hundred to 1,000 downloads.
The tool later expanded beyond the original part-editing workflow, supporting designers creating custom decals and minifigures.
PartDesigner remains publicly available for download today.