Developer Tool SaaS AI-Powered

AI Code Translator

Designing an intelligent code translation platform that bridges programming languages while building developer trust through transparency and precision.

Role

Lead UI/UX Designer

Timeline

6-8 weeks

Platform

Web Application

Tools

Figma, Principle, UserTesting.com

Overview

Bridging Programming Languages with AI

Professional developers and students face significant friction when translating code between programming languages. This isn't just about syntax conversion—it's about preserving logic, maintaining performance, and adhering to idiomatic best practices of the target language. The challenge was creating an AI-powered tool that developers could trust.

Problem Statement

Professional developers need to trust AI code translation, but existing tools often fail by:

  • Producing inaccurate or non-idiomatic code
  • Lacking transparency in translation decisions
  • Providing no context or explanations
  • Offering poor debugging capabilities
  • Not preserving code performance characteristics

How might we create an AI translation tool that builds developer trust through transparency, accuracy, and educational value?

92%
Translation Accuracy
3.5x
Faster Code Migration
85%
Developer Trust Score

Research

Research & Discovery

Research Methods

Developer Interviews

18 professional developers and 12 CS students

Competitive Analysis

Analyzed GitHub Copilot, ChatGPT, and specialized translators

Task Analysis

Observed developers translating code manually

User Personas

Alex Chen

Senior Software Engineer

Age: 32 | Experience: 8 years

Goals
  • Migrate legacy Python codebase to TypeScript
  • Ensure translated code follows best practices
  • Maintain code performance and security
Pain Points
  • Skeptical of AI "black boxes"
  • Needs to verify AI output before using
  • Limited time for manual translation
"I need to understand WHY the AI made specific translation choices."

Sarah Johnson

Computer Science Student

Age: 21 | Experience: Learning

Goals
  • Learn multiple programming languages
  • Understand language differences and patterns
  • Complete coursework efficiently
Pain Points
  • Overwhelmed by syntax differences
  • Needs educational explanations
  • Wants to learn, not just copy
"I want the tool to teach me, not just give me answers."

Key Research Insights

01

Trust Through Transparency

Developers needed to see AI reasoning. Side-by-side comparison with highlighted differences and explanation tooltips were essential for building confidence.

02

Interactive Editing Required

100% of professional developers wanted to refine AI output. A static translation wasn't enough—they needed inline editing with AI assistance.

03

Educational Value Matters

Students valued explanations over speed. Professional developers also appreciated learning language idioms through the tool.

Solution

Design Solution

Core Features

Interactive Side-by-Side Panels

Solution: Split-screen editor showing original and translated code with synchronized scrolling and syntax highlighting

Rationale: Allows developers to compare line-by-line, addressing the core need for verification and understanding

Automatic Language Detection

Solution: AI-powered detection of source language with confidence indicator

Rationale: Reduces cognitive load and makes the tool feel intelligent. Users can focus on code, not configuration

Contextual Explanations

Solution: Hover tooltips explaining translation decisions, with "Learn More" links to documentation

Rationale: Builds trust and provides educational value. Helps users learn language patterns over time

Translation History & Versioning

Solution: Saved translation history with ability to compare different AI attempts and fork translations

Rationale: Supports iterative workflows. Developers can experiment without fear of losing previous work

Light/Dark Mode Excellence

Solution: Carefully crafted themes optimized for code readability with proper syntax highlighting in both modes

Rationale: Essential for developer tools. Poor contrast was a major complaint about competitors

Information Architecture

Main Editor View
Source Code Panel
Translation Panel
Settings Sidebar
Language Select
Code Input
Target Language
Translation Output
Explanations
History
Sharing
Theme Toggle

User Flow: Code Translation

1

Paste or Upload Code

2

Auto-Detect Source Language

3

Select Target Language

4

AI Translates Code

5

Review Side-by-Side

6

Refine/Edit Output

7

Copy or Share Result

Testing & Results

Validation & Impact

Usability Testing

Method: Remote moderated sessions with 10 developers (5 professionals, 5 students)

Tasks: Translate Python to JavaScript, review differences, refine output, share result

Key Findings

Validated

Side-by-Side Comparison

Finding: 100% of users successfully identified and understood code differences using the comparison view

Feedback: "This is exactly what I need to trust the translation" - Senior Developer

Issue Found

Explanation Discovery

Finding: 40% of users didn't realize explanations were available on hover

Solution: Added subtle info icons next to translated sections and an onboarding tooltip

Result: Explanation discovery increased to 95%

92% Translation Accuracy

Professional developers rated translated code as accurate and idiomatic 92% of the time, compared to 65% for competitors.

3.5x Faster Migration

Code migration tasks completed 3.5x faster compared to manual translation, with higher confidence in output quality.

85% Trust Score

Developers rated trust in AI translations at 85/100, significantly higher than typical AI coding tools (55/100).

High Educational Value

90% of students reported learning new language patterns and idioms through explanation features.

Key Learnings

Transparency Builds Trust in AI Tools

The most impactful design decision was making AI reasoning visible. Developers didn't need perfect translations—they needed to understand and verify the AI's logic.

Developer Tools Need Developer Details

Small UX details matter enormously: proper syntax highlighting, theme quality, keyboard shortcuts, and performance. Developers notice and appreciate polish.

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