SketchUp Evolves User Support With Scalable AI-Powered Innovation

Client

Trimble, a global leader in software architecture and design, has advanced the intersection of the physical and digital worlds. At the heart of its innovative portfolio lies SketchUp, a 3D modeling powerhouse trusted by more than 16 million active users worldwide. Renowned for its user-friendly interface and unmatched versatility, SketchUp empowers architects, engineers, interior designers, and creatives across industries, such as construction, film, and game development. From seamless Trimble Connect integration to specialized solutions like SketchUp for Schools and Campus, the platform has become indispensable in modern design workflows.

Driven by a vision to position SketchUp as a comprehensive end-to-end modeling solution, Trimble has continually pushed the boundaries of innovation. Strategic advancements like the acquisition of Sefaira for sustainability analysis and the expansion into web-based modeling illustrate its commitment to addressing evolving industry demands. This vision also includes elevating material creation capabilities to unlock new levels of user creativity and precision.

Challenge

SketchUp, trusted by millions worldwide for its intuitive 3D modeling tools, faced mounting challenges in supporting its diverse and growing user base. With users spanning industries like architecture, engineering, and design, the SketchUp Help Center saw an overwhelming volume of repetitive queries, many already resolved in its extensive documentation. Traditional support models struggled to scale, leading to delays in assistance and inefficiencies that hindered user satisfaction.

Compounding this was the complexity of supporting the system, from updating knowledge to managing various assistant versions across environments. The lack of quick, conversational, and context-aware support made it difficult to meet modern user expectations.

SoftServe Solution

To tackle SketchUp's growing challenges, SoftServe engineered a scalable, AI-powered assistant through the Microsoft Power Platform. The solution was customized to streamline user support, enhance responsiveness, and transform interactions into a seamless experience, setting a new standard for service excellence.

Seamless user interaction with Custom Canvas UI

Central to the implementation of the solution, SoftServe developed a Custom Canvas UI using React. This intuitive interface, integrated into the SketchUp Help Center, enabled users to effortlessly interact with the bot. By blending native design with a responsive user experience, the assistant became an integral part of the website.

Intelligent query handling with Microsoft Copilot Studio

Harnessing the capabilities of Microsoft Copilot Studio, the assistant was programmed with more than 30 predefined conversation topics. Each topic was structured to provide dynamic, context-aware responses through Gen AI orchestration. This eliminated reliance on static, FAQ-style answers, and empowered the assistant to mitigate a wide range of queries with confidence and accuracy.

Real-time knowledge integration

To maintain accuracy and relevance, the assistant was directly connected to the SketchUp Help Center, supporting real-time information retrieval. This integration guaranteed that users received the most up-to-date and consistent information without discrepancies between human and AI-assisted responses.

Structured deployment for efficiency

SoftServe implemented an optimized, two-environment setup, separating development and production environments to ensure thorough testing before deployment. Using Power Platform’s automated deployment pipelines, updates are seamlessly rolled out, minimizing downtime and maintaining consistency across versions.

Natural and prompt responses

The assistant's conversational flow was enhanced using Power Automate to incorporate a deliberate three-second response delay. This subtle pause created a more natural interaction for users, replicating the timing of human conversation. Designed with scalability in mind, the solution’s architecture allows for easy integration of additional flows to meet evolving business needs over time.

Scalability, flexibility, and future-proof design

Built with adaptability as a priority, the assistant is fully equipped to grow alongside SketchUp’s needs. Whether adding new topics, introducing multilingual support, or integrating future advancements, the design ensures minimal disruption and maximum efficiency. This future-proof approach aligns with SketchUp’s vision to evolve as a global, user-focused platform.

Tech Stack

SoftServe’s innovative solution for SketchUp was underpinned by an advanced tech stack designed to deliver seamless support and scalability:

• Frontend. A Custom Canvas UI built with React enabled intuitive and responsive user interactions, providing a seamless experience within the SketchUp Help Center.
• AI and orchestration. Using Microsoft Copilot Studio and Gen AI orchestration, the assistant handled more than 30 topics, delivering context-aware and dynamic responses with precision.
• Platform. The Microsoft Power Platform formed the backbone of the solution, using Power Apps, Power Automate, and Power Platform Pipelines for structured deployment and streamlined scalability.
• Knowledge integration. Real-time data retrieval from the SketchUp Help Center ensured users received accurate, consistent, and up-to-date information with every interaction.

Value Delivered: Transforming Support, Driving Impact

Built on AI frameworks, SoftServe's solution modernized the SketchUp user experience, achieving measurable results across key areas:

• Faster response times. Users now receive instant, context-aware answers, cutting delays associated with human intervention and enhancing satisfaction.
• Reduced support tickets. A sizable portion of inquiries is directly resolved by the assistant, lowering the volume of support tickets and freeing SketchUp’s support team to focus on high-priority issues.
• Enhanced scalability and maintainability. The structured deployment model, powered by the Microsoft Power Platform, promoted the seamless integration of new features and topics. This streamlined scalability allows SketchUp to effortlessly grow with user needs.
• Consistent and reliable information. Through real-time integration with the SketchUp Help Center, users now access the most accurate, updated information without discrepancies between human and AI-assisted support.
• Operational efficiency gains. By automating repetitive support queries, SketchUp significantly reduced the manual workload for support teams, improving resources and cutting operational costs.

This innovative solution dealt with immediate challenges and set the foundation for long-term success. Aligned with SketchUp’s vision of offering an end-to-end, user-focused platform, the AI-augmented assistant guarantees support systems are future-ready, scalable, and efficient, meeting the demands of 16 million global users.