Spark
About Spark
Spark is a cross-platform email client with users over 17.5 million worldwide. It’s built to help individuals and teams manage email more efficiently.
My role
I led the end-to-end design of Spark’s long-requested calendar for both Desktop and Android platforms, finally delivering on a top user demand. Building on the foundation from our in-app Calendar, I partnered closely with my manager and design lead to evolve the experience further by introducing Meet With - a scheduling feature designed to transform how users plan meetings and manage their time inside Spark.
My specific contributions included:
• Creating a comprehensive design system for calendar components
• Designing responsive layouts that worked across platforms
• Conducting comparative usability studies against competitor calendar apps.
Outcomes
increase Daily Active users on Desktop & Android Platforms.
reduction in meeting scheduling time for Premium users.
user satisfaction rating with the scheduling feature (based on in-app feedback).
Problem
Spark was forcing context-switching to external calendar app and lacked a fast, intuitive way to book shared time slots with multiple people
Pain Points
Context Switching:
Users identified that switching between Spark and other calendar tools if a "productivity killer' for them. Based on user interviews, we found users were leaving Spark often multiple times per session to check calendar app and then switch back.
Limited Platform Support
Android users were frustrated by the lack of calendar functionality, with many returning to Outlook despite preferring Spark’s interface. Based on surveys, calendar functionality was cited as the #1 reason for Android users leaving Spark.
Scheduling Friction:
Users reported frustrating email threads when scheduling meetings - proposing times, waiting for replies, and constant rescheduling created unnecessary back-and-forth. Our research showed an average of 4.2 emails exchanged just to schedule a single meeting.
Sync & Reliability Issues
Due to sync friction with external calendar apps, users experienced discrepancies between what was shown in Spark versus their actual availability, leading to confusion and double-bookings.
Key insight
We gathered insights from Spark's Premium users and Android beta testers. Interviews and surveys revealed that a majority of users found meeting scheduling to be a major friction point. Nearly 75% of users in one survey experienced the pain of coordinating availability through email.
Validation
User Surveys:
We conducted a comprehensive survey with over 150 active Spark users. Users consistently expressed frustration with the back-and-forth nature of scheduling meetings through email. Many shared that switching between Spark and external calendar apps disrupted their workflow and productivity. There was a clear desire for an integrated scheduling solution inside Spark that could surface everyone's availability at a glance and eliminate the need for manual coordination.
Competitive Analysis:
I conducted a systematic review of scheduling process across email clients and dedicated scheduling tools, creating a feature comparison matrix that highlighted opportunities for differentiation. This analysis revealed that while dedicated scheduling tools like Calendly offered robust and well-through tooling, they existed outside the email workflow where scheduling discussions typically begin.
Main
If we enable Spark users to schedule meetings by instantly viewing mutually available time slots for all participants, then we can dramatically reduce scheduling friction (no more email ping-pong) and make Spark an indispensable part of their workflow.
Goals
01
Seamless Integration:
The scheduling flow should live in Spark Calendar, so user won't need to leave the app.
02
Speed & Ease:
Minimizing steps - ideally from typing a name to confirming a slot with one or two clicks.
03
Reduce Errors & Conflicts:
By showing real-time availability, we could avoid conflicts and double-booking before they happen. The design would need to update suggestions dynamically as people are added or removed.
04
Cross-Platform Consistency:
Ensure the core experience functions consistently across Desktop and Android while respecting platform design patterns.
Design Approach
Initially, we ensured the base calendar UI could support the new functionality. Then we designed the core "Meet with" interface: the attendee picker, availability grid, and scheduling workflow. Finally, we refined edge cases, incorporated the Next Meeting widget, and aligned the feature with Spark's Premium model. Below is a walkthrough of key design steps and decisions.
In App Calendar
First, to solve the constant switching problem, we implemented calendar inside Spark, available in day, week, and month views.
I created a responsive grid system with careful attention to time slot sizing and interactions.
week view
day view
Next, we designed the "Meet with" sidebar panel, which is the command center for scheduling. In this panel, users can add meeting participants and immediately see suggested meeting times.
The participant selector underwent several iterations based on user testing:
1️⃣ Initial versions showed limited participant information, causing confusion
2️⃣ Final implementation included avatar presence and quick-select for frequent collaborators
We wanted to make event creation feel almost automatic once a free slot was found. In our design, the "Meet with" panel not only lists suggested times but also allows the user to interact with the calendar grid directly.
The scheduling algorithm required close collaboration with the engineering team:
1️⃣ We created a prioritization system that ranked time slots based on multiple factors:
2️⃣ Time preferences (working hours)
3️⃣ Meeting duration preferences
4️⃣ Past meeting patterns
5️⃣ Current calendar density
A widget that always surfaces upcoming meeting details at a glance. For example, if you have a meeting in 15 minutes, the Next Meeting panel (at the top of the Calendar view) will display the event name, time, and a one-click button to join the video call or open meeting details.
"Meet with" launched in late 2024 as part of Spark Premium and quickly became a flagship feature. It eliminated scheduling back-and-forth by surfacing mutual availability in one place, leading to a spike in calendar usage and Premium upgrades. Users praised it for saving time and simplifying coordination—turning Spark into a true all-in-one productivity app.
Learnings
Platform-specific optimizations matter:
While maintaining a consistent mental model across platforms, we found that respecting platform-specific interaction patterns significantly improved user satisfaction
Progressive complexity works
By introducing basic calendar functionality first, then layering in scheduling capabilities, we allowed users to build familiarity gradually rather than overwhelming them with a complex new system.
Technical constraints shape design
Working closely with engineering early allowed us to design within the bounds of technical feasibility while pushing those bounds where it mattered most for the user experience.