OmniGraffle 7 Redesign

Situation

OmniGraffle is a vector-based diagramming and illustration tool for macOS and iOS. As Creative Director for the end-to-end redesign of OmniGraffle 7, I led research, design operations, and a multidisciplinary team of UX designers, UI designers, and researchers.

This work resulted in a 23% increase in download-to-trial conversion and positioned OmniGraffle 7 as a top-10 grossing app on the App Store for seven weeks.

Task

OmniGraffle 7 application window — OmniGraffle 7 for macOS application window.

The goal of the version 7 redesign was to improve efficiency and usability for creative professionals by streamlining workflows, reducing complexity, and making core features easier to access.

Key improvements introduced in OmniGraffle 7 included:

Artboards for managing complex projects
Bezier point editing enhancements
Convert lines and text to shapes
Expanded keyboard shortcuts
A redesigned onboarding experience

Research and Analysis

For the OmniGraffle 7 release, I led the UX team through a combination of qualitative and quantitative research.

Research Methods

User interviews with experienced OmniGraffle users
Usability testing to observe real workflows and friction points

User Interviews (Pre-Development)

Participants: 15 OmniGraffle 6 users
Key findings:
- 60% requested improved Bezier editing
- 50% cited the lack of artboards as a deal-breaker
- 70% emphasized speed and efficiency

Usability Testing

Participants: 10 users
Task success rate: 65%
Average time on task: 4.2 minutes
55% of users felt workflows took too long

These insights clearly indicated the need for both new features and workflow simplification.

Collaboration with Engineering

We worked closely with engineering to validate feasibility and align design intent with technical constraints.

One major challenge was implementing artboards within an existing drawing model that wasn’t designed for them. By treating artboards similarly to layers while preserving performance, we delivered a flexible solution without compromising stability.

Key Improvements

1. Artboards

Artboards allowed users to organize complex projects more effectively and export assets at multiple resolutions.

Artboard functionality diagram — Illustration of how artboards function in OmniGraffle.

2. Bezier Point Editing Tool

Enhanced Bezier point editing in OmniGraffle 7.

Users could now add or remove points without switching tools, significantly improving speed and precision.

3. Convert Lines and Text to Shapes

Converting text to outlines — Converting fonts into editable vector outlines.

This feature preserved visual fidelity while keeping vector complexity manageable.

4. Keyboard Shortcuts

Keyboard shortcut modal — Keyboard shortcuts presented in a dedicated modal.

Shortcuts were consolidated, clarified, and enhanced with conflict warnings.

5. New Onboarding Experience

OmniGraffle onboarding screen — Redesigned first-launch onboarding experience.

The new onboarding flow introduced feature highlights, walkthroughs, and contextual education — driving substantial conversion gains.

Results

Download-to-trial conversion increased by:
- 23% on the Mac App Store
- 16% on the Omni website
Sales increased by 33% in the first three months
Workflow efficiency improved by 12%
OmniGraffle 7 remained a top-10 grossing app for seven weeks

Reflection

This redesign reinforced the importance of deeply understanding both technical constraints and user workflows. It also highlighted the value of clear communication between design and engineering — especially when introducing foundational changes like artboards.

The result was a more powerful, flexible, and professional-grade tool that better served OmniGraffle’s core audience.