Transforming the Intercom Messenger to be AI-First

Overview

The Messenger is the primary channel used by Intercom customers, allowing businesses to communicate with their end-users. As Intercom shifted towards an AI-first strategy, the Messenger needed evolve to effectively integrate Fin, the AI agent, to continue having a strong market positioning.

The goal: To create and execute on a product vision that positioned the Messenger as AI-native and conversational, optimised for seamless AI and human support.

The project involved establishing the product vision, creating core agentic UX concepts, and implementing this vision through validation with both our customers and end-users.

Role

Staff Product Designer

• Led product vision through to detailed design execution across web and mobile platforms,
• Defined new product concepts, including new interaction patterns for human handoffs, AI agentic experiences and simplifying the existing system,
• Collaborated cross-functionally with Product and Engineering teams to break down the vision into deliverable iterations,
• Conducted validation loops with both customers and end-users to validate the vision, and usability of new features.

Outcomes

• Shipped a redesigned version of Messenger that is fully optimised for AI-first conversational support,
• Validated the overall vision and adopdability via beta testing with customers,
• Created new interaction patterns that clearly distinguished AI from human support, improving clarity and trust with end-users.