SwiftKey Note started as an experiment to take the SwiftKey prediction technology to the iOS platform. We explored several alternatives and decided that note-taking was a lightweight application that would enable the most users to benefit. At the time, iOS did not allow third party keyboards to be installed, except embedded within specialist applications like SwiftKey Note. We conceived and created the application in about six months with a team of three developers and one UX designer. We partnered with Evernote so our users could sync their content to both apps, and to reach a larger audience. SwiftKey Note is not a replacement for Evernote, but instead a companion application. SwiftKey Note is extremely lightweight, while Evernote is a full-featured solution. The public has been very kind in their appreciation for SwiftKey Note, with over a million downloads in our first month. At the moment, “flow,” our gesture input technology, is the most requested feature. We are currently expanding the convenience features of the product to improve user experience.

SwiftKey Note is a great example of a beautifully-made application, spawned by clever ideas and supported by a thorough UX process. We created personas, scenarios, and user flows, followed by wireframe drawings, mockups, and prototypes that we iteratively tested for usability. We formed a group of “chartered users,” who came in to discuss their use of SwiftKey Note weekly throughout our design and development cycle, resulting in numerous improvements to the product. The end result was a phenomenally successful launch with great feedback from our user base. This free product was created as a way to enrich and simplify the lives of list makers and note takers, who drive the features and improvements we make in every release.