Projmatic

Elevate your project success with AI-driven

efficiency and seamless collaboration

UX Case Study Josephine Hostin

Duration:
September - December 2023

Project Overview
ProjMatic is an AI-driven project management tool designed
for SMEs and modern businesses. It integrates with tools like
Figma, Jira, and Trello, streamlining cross-functional
collaboration. Key features include adaptive AI for
personalized project recommendations, real-time analytics
for performance tracking, and effective resource
management for managers.

Responsibility Tools
Identify Problem Figma Google Slides
Conduct Research Trello Slack
Develop Prototype and User Testing Asana Procreate

Problem Statement
75% of organizations report that their projects are off
Does the dev team have space to take on a
track or over budget (McKinsey & Company, 2019).
new infrastructure development project?

Predictive analytics in project management can

Yes. Could provide me more info on the
project so I can find the best suited
developer to assign the project to

increase on-time project delivery by up to 50%"

Yes: We've been approached to design a
"Inventory Management System" for a retail (Forrester, 2020).

Goals
client, high stakes.

Assign task to Ethan? He has

consistently delivers his project on time

and has experience with systems

Yes

Addressing the need for an AI-driven, integrative project

management tool .

Or ani ational Goal

g z

The primary goal was to enhance overall project

efficiency in SMEs .

Personal earnin L g

Focused on practical application of U principles in AI- X

driven tools.

Desi n Process g

The design process involved a user-centric approach, focusing on understanding the needs of project managers
and teams. This involved conducting 0 min interviews with industry professionals for user research, developing 3

user personas, and creating a platform that simplifies tasks with digestible breakdowns and time saving
suggestions .

Und er t s and De e fin Id e tea

er e e rc
Us R s a h Us er er P sonas Us er Flow

er ter e
Us In vi w E mp t p a hy Ma Info rm t a ion A rc tect re hi u

Co mpet t e i v Analysis Us er r e Jou n y

De sign T et s

Wi re r me f a Fee b c d a ks

Hi Fi - De signs Con c lusion

r t t pe
P o o y Fu u t re cept Con

Desi n Timeline g

1st week 2 nd w ee k 3r d w ee k 4th week 5th week 6th week

Und er t s and
Us er e e rc ,
R s a h Us er ter e ,In vi w Co mpet t e i v Analysis

De e fin
Us er er P sonas E , mpathy Map, User Journey

Id e te a
Us er fl ow Ca d so , r rt
ing Info , rm t a ion A rc tect re
hi u

De sign
Wi re r me,
f a HI Fi - De sign P o o y , r t t pe

T et s
F ee b c ,d a ks Con c lusion Fu u , t re Con cept

Tar et Audience g

Small to Medium Enterprises

(SMEs)
Product Managers
Team Leaders

User Research
Conducted interviews with project managers and team leaders to understand their challenges and needs in
project management. Interviews were help with companies like Animoto, Salesforce, Tesla, Hubspot, and Hotel
CEO’s

Primary Research: Conducted interviews with project managers and team leaders .

Secondary Research: Reviewed existing literature on AI in project management .

Competitive Analysis
We focused on understanding how ProjMatic complements rather than competes with existing tools like Tara
AI, Notion, and Slack. ProjMatic's strength lies in its integrative capability, positioning it as a partner to these
platform, offering a solution that collaborates with and elevates an existing ecosystem of tools. This approach
positions ProjMatic as a collaborative partner in the industry.

Co mp any Name Tara Ai Notion Slack

mp Engineering Workflow Personal Organization Team Communication

Co any Info
Managment Software Software

Aids Co mm uni c t a ion

Fully In te r t e g a iv

e t me
R al i

Co mm c t uni a ion

Ai Dr e D t iv n a a Insigh s t

Us er r e F i ndly UI

Unique Features
Unlike Tara AI which offers predictive analytics mainly for project planning, ProjMatic provides comprehensiv e

AI-driven insights across all aspects of project management, enhancing decision-making and efficiency.
More customizable and user-friendly than the fixed layouts of Tara AI or the limited customization of Slack.
LSeamlessly integrates with various platforms, unlike Notion and Slack which are more specialized.
While Notion and Slack focus on organizational tools and communication, respectively, ProjMatic excels in
integrating these functionalities into a singular, cohesive platform. This allows for streamlined workflows that
combine task management, documentation, and communication.

Prototype
I created a few preliminary screens and messy notes to begin compiling information to craft a prototype

FEB MAR APR

February 2021
Filter Month
1 8 15 22 26 26 26 26 26 26

Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa Su

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Jira logo 3-4 tasks 10% Comp

8 9 10 11 12 13 14
Engineering Feb 1 - Feb 22 Jan 31 - Feb 4

3 Tasks 4 Tasks
15 16 17 18 19 20 21

22 23 24 25 26 27 28

Marketing
29 30 1 2 3 4 5

Upcomimg Events

HR
UX Presentation

Design 10:00 am

Figma Review
Accounting

Design 10:00 am

Top Performing Teams

Creative

Engineering

Ted

Marketing

Janice

HR

Ben

Accounting

uxcel

Data Plugin’s Displayed

E mpathy Map
S ays Thinks

"I'm overwhelmed “Sometimes the Overwhelmed by Thinks about how

with managing work our teams do the challenges of AI might offer
multiple tools all ends up being maintaining smarter insights for
day” redundant because effective team project planning
of poor communication
communication”
Contemplates the Considers the
“I wish there was a “AI makes make my need for more importance of a
way to streamline job easier and I am transparent and tool that can bring
our workflow more excited to use it” efficient teams. together different
effectively." project aspects
seamlessly.

D e o s F ee ls

Frequently Struggles to assign Frustrated with the Stressed about

navigates between and monitor tasks inefficiency of ensuring team
different tools like due to unclear managing multiple accountability and
Figma for design roles. project clarity in roles.
and Jira for project management tools.
tracking.
Overwhelmed by Overwhelmed by
Tries to align team Tries to unify team the challenges of the challenges of
members on progress through maintaining maintaining
project goals tools like Slack, effective team effective team
despite tool Email and Asana. communication communication
limitations.

Pain Points
1. Pain Poin t 1: Tool Overload
The average employee switches between 10
apps 25 times a day, which can leads
decreased efficiency and increased
frustration.

2. Pain Poin t 2: Poo r Coo dina ion r t

Teams spend a significant portion of their
time coordinating tasks rather than
completing them, indicating a need for
better collaboration tools.

3. Pain Poin t 3: De lay e d P o r ject s

Only 40% of projects meet schedule,

budget, and quality standards, highlighting
inefficiencies in project management.

User Persona
Bio Quote
Miggi works with educators and “The big issue at Figma is that
students to integrate Figma into everyone is coming from a
classroom settings, creating a different application. There's a big 

dynamic virtual space for issue with cross-functionality,

collaboration .
everything is everywhere” 

He taught courses with a focus on

U /UI design at RIT and is seeking
X

to connect with Design Educators

who are interested in bringing
Figma into their classroom
environments.

NAME : Miggi
Pain points Goals
AGE: 38
Struggles with tool overload and Enhance team coordination and
poor coordination between tools. communication across functions.
E DUCATION: RIT Challenges in integrating Figma Achieve efficient integration
with other project tools between Figma and other tools.
OCATION: Rochester, NY
Lack of communication between Effectively manage and allocate
L

teams design project resources.

J OB: Figma Design Advocate

H OBBIES: Cats and design

I nterview Insi hts g

In the development of ProjMatic, several initial assumptions were made about what users might need from a
project management tool. One key assumption was the preference for a feature-heavy interface, anticipating
that users would value a wide array of advanced functionalities to handle various aspects of project
management. Another was the belief that standardized collaboration tools, similar to those found in existing
platforms, would be sufficient for effective teamwork. There was also a strong focus on integrating AI primarily
for automating routine tasks, underestimating other potential AI applications. Moreover, we assumed a
generalized approach to the user interface would be universally adequate, catering to a broad user base
without the need for significant customization .

However, insights gathered from user interviews significantly challenged these assumptions. People showed
a distinct preference for simplicity and ease of use, favoring a streamlined and clear interface over a complex,
feature-saturated one. This contradicted my initial belief in the need for numerous features. In terms of AI
integration, the feedback leaned towards the use of AI for predictive insights and analytics rather than mere
task automation, highlighting a need for AI to offer strategic guidance and foresight. Lastly, contrary to my
assumption of a one-size-fits-all user experience, we discovered a strong demand for customizable user
interfaces, indicating a need for flexibility to cater to diverse team workflows and project types. These user
insights led to significant adjustments in ProjMatic’s development strategy, ensuring that the final product
aligned more closely with the real-world needs and preferences of its users.

I f n ormation Architecture/User Flow

Start

Slack Message

Response

Click into Projmatic

Engineering Marketing HR Accounting

Project Tasks

Resource Matrix
Ai Chatbot

Analytics
Request

Calendar View
Request Sent

Accept

B ack to Resource Matrix

Sketches/ ow-fidelity Wireframes L

Company Finance Ltd. #design-team Company Finance Ltd. #design-team

Kenny Park

Really need to give some kudos to @Emily for helping out with the new influx of tweets yesterday.

People are really really excited about yesterday’s announcement.

Paul Leung

No! It was my pleasure! Great to see the enthusiasm out there.

Google Calendar

Evvent starting in 15 minutes:

Team status meeting

Today from 13:00 to 13:30

# social-media # social-media Emily Anderson

Meeting notes from our sync with @Lisa

Kenny Park

Really need to give some kudos to @Emily for helping out with the new influx of tweets yesterday.

# team-finance # team-finance
People are really really excited about yesterday’s announcement.
1/9 meeting notes

Paul Leung

No! It was my pleasure! Great to see the enthusiasm out there.

Emily Anderson
Google Calendar
Hi Bea,

Evvent starting in 15 minutes:

Team status meeting We've been approached to design a "Inventory Management System" for a retail client. Before moving forward,
can accommodate this project. Could you please check our current bandwidth
I need to make sure engineering
Today from 13:00 to 13:30

Emily Anderson Current Workload: How are we doing with the ongoing projects? Any near completion
Resource Availability: Do we have the necessary expertise, particularly in AI and automation, available at the
Meeting notes from our sync with @Lisa
moment

Estimated Bandwidth: Considering our current commitments, would we be able to take on this project in the
3 1/9 meeting notes 3
next quarter?

Company Finance Ltd. #design-team

Evvent starting in 15 minutes:

Team status meeting

Today from 13:00 to 13:30

Emily Anderson

Meeting notes from our sync with @Lisa

1/9 meeting notes

# social-media
Emily Anderson

Hi Bea,

# team-finance
I have a potential new project on the horizon and need your insight. We've been approached to develop a

"Smart Inventory Management System" for a retail client. The system is envisioned to leverage AI for predicting
Transition
stock levels and optimizing warehouse operations.

Before moving forward, I need to understand engineering can accommodate this project. Could you please
check our current bandwidth
animation
Current Workload: How are we doing with the ongoing projects? Any near completion
Resource Availability: Do we have the necessary expertise, particularly in AI and automation, available at the

moment

Estimated Bandwidth: Considering our current commitments, would we be able to take on this project in the
next quarter?

Bea Rosen
3
Sounds good!

Projmatic main page w all

teams opens up

Login to asana and engineering is orange

click into -> people

Projmatic file ->People -> click into it

Engineering user message is send to

char t appears, engineer asked to take on
assign someone to task.

a task using the ai

chatbot Approve? This will appear
on the asana screen.

Engineering
Engineering
Engineering
Project Title
Feb 1 - Feb 22

Team Project A: Cloud Project B: E- Project C: Cyber Notes/AI

Member/ Infrastructure Commerce Security Upgrade Suggestions

23%
Capacity Platform

Alice (70%) 40% (Cloud 30% (Consultant + Project C due/

Architect) her expertise in
cloud-based
Task 1 systems.
Bob (7 5%) 25% (DevOps -- 50% (Security N/A
Details Engineer) Analyst)

Assigned to: Team Member 1, Team Member 2

Charlie 50% (Project 2 0% (Advisor) 50% (Security increase
(70%) Manager) Analyst) involvement in
Project B.
Deadline: 12/13/23

Danielle 30% (Data 40% (Backend Content Danielle's backend

(70%) Engineer) Developer) development skills
are underutilized;
Task 2 consider
increasing her role
Details in Project B.

Assigned to: Team Member 1, Team Member 2 Ethan (80%) 60% (Senior -- 2 0% (Consultant) --
Developer)
Deadline: 12/13/23
Henry (80%) 40% (Infrastructure Content 50% (Lead Henr y is nearing
Support) Security Engineer) full capacity;
reassess allocation
Task 3 to ensure
efficiency and
Details prevent overload.

Assigned to: Team Member 1, Team Member 2

Deadline: 12/13/23

message is send to
engineer asked to take on
task.

New project is created in

their Gantt timeline

Approve? This will appear

and is now viewable
on the asana screen.

Bea goes back to slack

J AN FEB MAR APR

2 9 16 2 3 1 8 15 22 26 26 26 26 26 26 26 26

Project Alpha

and says she assigned an

Social media post Jan 26 - Feb 26
Project Alpha

Jan 22-Feb 26
Web Banner Jan 26 - Feb 26
44 Task assignments

engineer to the project,

Other marketing collateral Jan 26 - Feb 26
Task update

Social media post Jan 26 - Feb 26

Project Alpha

Jan 22-Feb 26
Web Banner Jan 26 - Feb 26
44 Task assignments

Other marketing collateral Jan 26 - Feb 26

Social media post Jan 26 - Feb 26

Project Alpha

Jan 22-Feb 26
Web Banner Jan 26 - Feb 26
44 Task assignments

Other marketing collateral Jan 26 - Feb 26

H i h-fidelity Wireframes
g

Company Finance Ltd. #design-team Company Finance Ltd. #design-team

Really need to give some kudos to for helping out with the new influx of tweets yesterday.

People are really really excited about yesterday’s announcement.

Team status meeting

Paul Leung Today from 13:00 to 13:30

No! It was my pleasure! Great to see the enthusiasm out there.

Emily Anderson

Google Calendar Meeting notes from our sync with @Lisa

Evvent starting in 15 minutes:

Team status meeting 1/9 meeting notes

Today from 13:00 to 13:30

Emily Anderson
Emily Anderson
# social-media Meeting notes from our sync with @Lisa # social-media
Hi Bea,

I have a potential new project on the horizon and need your insight. We've been approached to develop a
1/9 meeting notes
# team-finance # team-finance
"Smart Inventory Management System" for a retail client. The system is envisioned to leverage AI for predicting
stock levels and optimizing warehouse operations.

Before moving forward, I need to understand engineering can accommodate this project. Could you please
Emily Anderson
check our current bandwidth

Hi Bea,

Current Workload: How are we doing with the ongoing projects? Any near completion
We've been approached to design a "Inventory Management System" for a retail client. Before moving forward, Resource Availability: Do we have the necessary expertise, particularly in AI and automation, available at the

I need to make sure engineering can accommodate this project. Could you please check our current bandwidth
moment

Estimated Bandwidth: Considering our current commitments, would we be able to take on this project in the
Current Workload: How are we doing with the ongoing projects? Any near completion next quarter?

Resource Availability: Do we have the necessary expertise, particularly in AI and automation, available at the

moment

Estimated Bandwidth: Considering our current commitments, would we be able to take on this project in the
next quarter?
Bea Rosen
3 3
Sounds good!

Company Finance Ltd. Company Finance Ltd.

Filter J AN FEB MAR
Month
Engineering
2 9 16 2 3 1 8 15 22 26 26 26 26
Last S nc Update
y

7 PM EST
Engineering Cl oud Infrastructure
3 Projects Jan 31 - Feb 26 On T im e

E-Commerce Platform Resource Matrix Project Tasks Analytics

Jan 8 - Feb 4 On T im e

Cy ber Security Upgrade

Jan 31 - Feb 4 Delay

t
Feb 8 h

Team Project A: Cloud Project B: E- Project C: Cyber Notes/AI

Accounting
3 Projects
Project 1 Member/ Infrastructur e
Commerce Security Upgrade Suggestions
Jan 10 - Feb 4 On T im e
Capacity ETA: Feb 2 6 Platfor m

ETA: Feb 4
Project 1

Jan 31 - Feb 4 On T im e

Alice (70%) 40% (Cloud 30% (Consultant __ Add to Expertise in

# social-media # social-media Architect) cloud-based
systems.
Bob (7 5%) 25% (DevOps -- 50% (Security N/A
# team-finance Marketing Project 1
# team-finance Engineer) Analyst)
3 Projects Jan 31 - Feb 4 On T im e

Charlie 50% (Project 2 0% (Advisor) 50% (Security increase

Project 1

Jan 31 - Feb 4
(70%) Manager) Analyst) involvement in
Project B.
On T im e

Project

Danielle 30% (Data 40% (Backend Content Danielle's backend

1

Jan 31 - Feb 4 On T im e

(70%) Engineer) Developer) development skills

are underutilized;
Design consider
3 Projects
Project 1 increasing her role
Jan 31 - Feb 4 On T im e
in Project B.

2
Project

Jan 31 - Feb 4 On T im e
Ethan (80%) 60% (Senior -- 2 0% (Consultant) --
Developer)
Project 3

Jan 31 - Feb 4 On T im e
Henry (80%) 40% (Infrastructure Content 50% (Lead Henr y is nearing
3 3 Support) Security Engineer) full capacity;
reassess allocation
Human Relations
3 Projects to ensure
efficiency and
Project 1

Jan 31 - Feb 4 On T im e

prevent overload.
Project 1

Jan 31 - Feb 4 On T im e

Project 1

Jan 31 - Feb 4 On T im e

Company Finance Ltd.

Engineering
Last S nc Update
y

7 PM EST 12/24/23

Resource Matrix Project Tasks Analytics

Does the dev team have space to take on a

new infrastructure development project?

Filter
Month
J AN FEB MAR

2 9 16 2 3 1 8 15 22 26 26 26 26 Yes. Could provide me more info on the

project so I can find the best suited
Cloud Infrastructure
developer to assign the project to
Feb 2 6, 2024 Review SaaS platform Jan 26
# social-media

75% Task neeCds to be completeJdanw26

ode frame
ith- Feb 26
“X” platform
c
A li e
Assigned to : Alice
# team-finance
Sean Review with stakeholders Jan 26 - Feb 26
Katie Links: Jira Ticket
Yes: We've been approached to design a
"Inventory Management System" for a retail
E-Commerce Platform client, high stakes.
Feb 2 6, 2024 Review framework Jan 26

50%
c
A li e
Ticketing Jan 26 - Feb 26
Assign task to Ethan? He has
Sean Testing launch Jan 26 - Feb 26
consistently delivers his project on time

Katie and has experience with systems

Cyber Security Upgrade

Feb 2 6, 2024 Social media post Jan 26

23%
Web Banner Jan 26 - Feb 26
Yes
3 c
A li e

Sean
Other marketing collateral Jan 26 - Feb 26
Katie

I nbo x I nbo x
A ctivity Starre d A rchive Messages I' ve sent A ctivity Starre d A rchive Messages I' ve sent

Send message Ex pan d l

Fi ter Mark complete Send message Ex pan d l
Fi ter Mark complete

Today This task is private to Today This task is private to

k l k l
Create you.
Create you.
Ma e pub ic Ma e pub ic

Y our tas k s for to d ay Y our tas k s for to d ay

You have a new task

Create a figma community file
Create a figma community l
fi e
Create a figma community file
Create a figma community fil e

Infrastructure Development Project

Home Past 7 Days

A ssignee
Sandeep
Baskaran
l
Recent y assigne d
Home Past 7 Days
Accept A ssignee
Sandeep
Baskaran
l
Recent y assigne d

My Project 1
Due date Today My Project 1
Review Due date Today

Tasks Co ll ect icons & l

co ours Projects Add j
to pro ects
Tasks Co ll ect icons & l
co ours
Deny Projects Add j
to pro ects

D
Secon d ary user moved this task from "Id ea" to "D l
eve opment" in Project 1. D
Secon
5 days
d ary user moved this task from "Id ea" to "D l
eve opment" in Project 1.

Inbox Inbox
A Dependencies Add d epen d encies
A Dependencies Add d epen d encies

ago
Description New! Send feedback Description New! Send feedback
My Workspace My
Workspace

j Ask a question or post an update… Ask a question or post an update…

Pro ect 1 j
Pro ect 1

Pro ectsj Secon d ary user added a new task

Pro ects j Secon d ary user added a new task

Project Project
Collaborators Leave task Collaborators Leave task

1 1

Company Finance Ltd. Company Finance Ltd. #design-team

Engineering
Last S nc Update
y

7 PM EST
Meeting notes from our sync with @Lisa

Resource Matrix Project Tasks Analytics

1/9 meeting notes

Filter
Month
J AN FEB MAR

2 9 16 2 3 1 8 15 22 26 26 26 26 Emily Anderson

Hi Bea,

Cloud Infrastructure
6, 2024 Review SaaS platform Jan 26
Feb 2
We've been approached to develop a "Smart Inventory Management System" for a retail client. The system is
75% envisioned to leverage AI for predicting stock levels and optimizing warehouse operations.

# social-media Web Banner Jan 26 - Feb 26 # social-media

c
A li e
Before moving forward, I need to understand engineering can accommodate this project. Could you please
Sean Other marketing collateral Jan 26 - Feb 26 check our current bandwidth
Katie
# team-finance # team-finance
Current Workload: How are we doing with the ongoing projects? Any near completion
Resource Availability: Do we have the necessary expertise, particularly in AI and systems, available at the
E-Commerce Platform
Feb 2 6, 2024 Social media post Jan 26 moment

50% Estimated Bandwidth: Considering our current commitments, would we be able to take on this project in the
Web Banner Jan 26 - Feb 26 next quarter?

c
A li e

Sean Other marketing collateral Jan 26 - Feb 26

Katie

Bea Rosen
Cyber Security Upgrade Sounds good!
Feb 2 6, 2024 Social media post Jan 26

23%
Web Banner Jan 26 - Feb 26 Bea Rosen
c
A li e

Sean j
The new pro ect has been assigned to the senior developer Ethan. , We will have a team meeting with him on the
3 Other marketing collateral Jan 26 - Feb 26 3
Katie January 9th

Inf rastructure Development

Meet with Design Jan 26
Feb 2 6, 2024

0%

c
A li e

Sean
Katie

K ey Takeaways
Throughout the development of ProjMatic, I gained significant insights into the nuances of product
management, which led to some critical realizations and lessons. Firstly, the importance of extensive user
research, particularly for product managers, became evident. Reflecting on the process, I recognize now that
dedicating more time to understanding the specific needs and challenges of product managers would have
further refined ProjMatic’s functionality and user experience. This deeper dive into user research might have
highlighted the varied requirements across different organizations more clearly .

Another key learning was the need to focus more narrowly on specific aspects of the project workflow system.
While ProjMatic aimed to address a broad range of project management needs, I discovered that not all
organizations face challenges with resource optimization. This realization suggests that a more targeted
approach, focusing on specific workflow aspects most relevant to our user base, could have made ProjMatic
more impactful and relevant .

Regarding the presentation feedback, it was mixed, indicating that while the foundational idea of ProjMatic has
potential and grounding, there is room for refinement. This feedback underscores the necessity for further
research and development. It's clear that delving deeper into the specific needs and pain points of our target
audience will be crucial in evolving ProjMatic into a tool that not only meets but exceeds user expectations. The
mixed feedback is a valuable learning opportunity, guiding future iterations and improvements to the platform.

L ookin to the Future g

As I consider the next steps for ProjMatic, I'm excited to take this project into my capstone for the Brown/RISD
Dual Degree (BRDD) program. My plan is to continue with in-depth user research, delving deeper into
understanding the nuanced needs and challenges faced by project managers. This research will be pivotal in
refining ProjMatic's features and overall functionality. During my upcoming internship with Ken next semester,
I'm looking forward to collaboratively honing this idea further. Working with Ken offers a valuable opportunity
to gain industry insights and expertise, which I anticipate will be instrumental in shaping ProjMatic into a more
refined and effective tool.

UX Style Guide
Color Palette
Primary Color Secondary Color

#3B82F6 #EC8000

Shades Shades

Tints Tints

Typo raphy g

Aa Fon

Montserrat
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t err t t err t t err t t err t

Aa Aa Aa
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H eadin 1 g 24 px 36 px

H eadin 2 g 20 px 28 px

Body -L r e a g 18 px 24 px

Body - e R gula r 16 px 24 px

Body - Sm all 14 px 22 px

Ca pt ion 12 px 16 px

BUTTON 16 px 24 px

I cono raphy g

Outline Bold

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