Case Study

How We Made UserBook’s Hero Clear, Engaging, and Trustworthy

Done for

K

Kyle Gawley

@kylegawley

Duration

Published on

Hero section redesign for Kyle Gawley
Cover image showing the hero section redesign for Kyle Gawley

A good product deserves a landing page that knows how to sell it.

For UserBook, the core idea was already strong — a tool that helps teams create product documentation without writing a single word.

But the first impression? Not doing it justice.

This is where the HeroMaxx Roast came in.


🔥 The HeroMaxx Roast Process

Every redesign I do follows a battle-tested process:

  1. Understand the product’s personality
  2. Break down the current landing page
  3. Use the product to get real insights
  4. Analyze competitors
  5. Define the audience, use cases, and USPs
  6. Roast it
  7. Redesign it ✨

It’s not just about making things look pretty — it’s about clarity, positioning, and building trust where it matters most: above the fold.


🧠 Understanding UserBook

To design something that works, I first had to define what this product is, who it’s for, and why it matters.

Audience: Product teams, Developers, Documentation teams
Use case: AI-generated product and user documentation
Competitors: HelpDocs, GitBook AI, Scribe
Problems solved:

  • Saves hours of manual doc writing
  • Automatically generates docs from user activity
  • Clear onboarding for users without lifting a finger
  • Helps users help themselves (reducing support tickets)
  • Zero setup, low effort, high output
  • Easy to embed, share, and update

Tone of Writing: Friendly, Clear, Empowering
Style of Design: Light, Minimal, Soft gradients, Clean UI


🧾 The Original Version

The original design had a good start — minimal, clean, and focused.

But it missed out on key fundamentals:

Headline was vague: “Never write docs again” sounds catchy, but tells us nothing
No context: Who is this for? What kind of docs? Why should I care?
Flat visuals: No depth, no contrast, no visual entry point
Wall of text: No clear flow or visual hooks
No trust signals: No testimonials, logos, or users shown

Original hero section


✍️ Clear, Targeted Messaging

Great design without good copy is like a racecar with no engine.

I rewrote the hero copy to clearly communicate what the product does, why it matters, and who it helps — in plain English.

Copywriting Decision


🎨 Using Color With Intention

I actually liked the color palette they used — but the application didn’t follow UX best practices.

I kept the core palette, but improved how it was used:

  • Better contrast
  • Clearer focus
  • More warmth + hierarchy

🤝 Adding Social Proof

People trust people.

I added user avatars and real metrics to immediately show that people are using and benefiting from the product.

Social Proof


🔄 Explaining the Product Journey

The original had a product demo — good!

But there was no explanation. No clarity on how the docs were generated or what the process looked like.

So I added a simple stepper visual to show the journey from input to doc generation.

Stepper


🚀 Call-to-action

Closer look at the CTA.

CTA


✏️ Small Copy, Big Clarity

Sometimes, one sentence can change how a product is perceived.

I added a short line to clarify the product and it instantly improved comprehension. No guessing needed.

Copywriting Decision


🌌 Visual Polish & Final Touches

Then came the polish.

Gradients, soft shadows, refined spacing, better alignment, cleaner hierarchy. Everything working together to make the user experience feel seamless and thoughtful.

Here’s the final result:

Final result


🚀 Final Thoughts

UserBook already had a solid idea — it just needed the right story, the right visuals, and the right structure to connect with people instantly.

It’s not about adding more. It’s about adding meaning.