## [Empathy Platform Docs (2024)](/nominees/2024/empathy-platform-docs)
Owner
Empathy.co
[ Visit the portal ](https://docs.empathy.co)
## About the Developer Portal
The Empathy Platform Docs (EPDocs) portal serves as a comprehensive self-service documentation resource, providing both technical and business users with the knowledge and tools necessary to understand, integrate, and use the Empathy Platform product effectively.
EPDocs is a proprietary, custom-built documentation hub developed entirely from scratch; it offers a tailored experience that goes beyond the limitations of off-the-shelf documentation solutions. By building the portal from the ground up, Empathy.co has created a unique environment to find a wealth of valuable information, step-by-step written guides, clean and interactive code examples, API and UI references, and all the technical details that make Empathy Platform tick.
By developing EPDocs as a proprietary solution, Empathy.co can offer a documentation experience that aligns perfectly with its brand values and user needs, offering a level of customization and flexibility that pre-built solutions simply cannot match. So, the key aspects and features that now shine are:
- Intuitive, clean, and consistent style design that guides users through various layers of product information from the homepage with pleasing interactions.
- Intuitive content architecture, with a strategically structured side menu, allows technical and business users to find key information smoothly through the four key catered content sections: [Understand](https://docs.empathy.co/understand-empathy-platform/), [Onboard](https://docs.empathy.co/onboard-empathy-platform/), [Play](https://docs.empathy.co/play-with-empathy-platform/), and [Develop](https://docs.empathy.co/develop-empathy-platform/) Empathy Platform.
- Hybrid search, mixing GenAI and holon-based search features to ease content discovery.
- [Interactive map](https://docs.empathy.co/understand-empathy-platform/diagram/) to explore the product's layers and functionalities autonomously.
- [Onboarding section](https://docs.empathy.co/onboard-empathy-platform/) to set up and begin harnessing the power of Empathy Platform.
- Developer's playground with interactive code snippets, UI & API references, and demos for hands-on experimentation.
- [Video Library](https://docs.empathy.co/video-library.html) and [Blog](https://docs.empathy.co/blog/) hubs for learning more about the product from different perspectives.
- Regularly updated content with an interactive timeline and transparent news sections, such as [doc updates](https://docs.empathy.co/doc-updates.html), [release notes](https://docs.empathy.co/release-notes.html), and [changelog](https://docs.empathy.co/changelog.html).
- Content feedback for continuous improvement.
- Interactive [product roadmap](https://docs.empathy.co/roadmap.html) to follow what’s in the making on Empathy Platform.
[Empathy Platform](http://empathy.co/) is the leading innovator in commerce Search and Discovery. Committed to building ethical, human-centered commerce Search & Discovery platforms, Empathy.co gives brands everything they need to create trustworthy, understanding, and joyful shopping experiences.
## Why They Stand Out
###
### Best AI-augmented User Experience in a Developer Portal
EPDocs integrates a search layer where different GenAI-based technologies are combined to offer a disruptive, hybrid search experience. Developed to support complex conversational prompts, this search system leverages **Retrieval Augmented Generation** (RAG) to offer an accurate search experience that understands the search intent while adhering to Empathy.co’s privacy-by-design principle. So, the AI data model is enriched with a closed Empathy Platform domain dataset, offering a reliable content search solution. Note that search accuracy and relevancy are ensured through an internal feedback process that evaluates the AI model performance.
It offers a dual response system: the **AI-based response** gives a quick overview for immediate insights without the need to visit and read multiple result documents. Empathy.co’s **proprietary holon search response** complements the AI search response for detailed exploration by expanding knowledge with final document results and topic-related results.
This 360-degree approach satisfies diverse search needs, ensuring users can efficiently discover and connect relevant content within the Empathy Platform domain.
### Best Onboarding Experience in a Developer Portal
The recently released **[Onboard Empathy Platform](https://docs.empathy.co/onboard-empathy-platform/)** feature results from extensive UX research, discovery, and analysis aimed at understanding our customers and providing them with the best onboarding experience. This feature offers an **interactive, step-by-step journey bar** that guides prospects and customers through the onboarding process. Much like in a choose-your-own-adventure, it allows users to select their implementation path and dive into the specific requirements and stakeholders involved in getting started with the product. All of this is encapsulated in a single, beautifully designed landing page that serves as a gateway to all the information. Beautified UX, joyful interactivity, and simplicity are the key ingredients for a successful and smooth onboarding!
An onboarding experience that begins right on the well-structured EPDocs homepage, guiding prospects and customers seamlessly through essential touchpoints. -
### Best Findability of Products in a Developer Portal
The carefully thought-out design and focus on usability allow our prospects and customers to navigate and search in our developer portal at their own pace. With a **strategically renewed information architecture and homepage**, EPDocs is now more intuitive, featuring a simple, succinct organization that helps people find key information rapidly.
The product’s **interactive map** provides a virtual hands-on experience, guiding users through the many layers of Empathy Platform and inviting them to dive deeper into the documentation.
**Documentation landing pages** showcase detailed child pages through beautifully designed clickable cards. **In-page navigation** components such as breadcrumbs, TOC, Dive Deeper links, and many callouts, CTAs, and banners ensure visitors can reach every corner of the portal effortlessly.
Our **innovative content search layer**, accessible from any page, is the cherry on top. Recognizing that not all users navigate information the same way, EPDocs offers a dual search response: the **GenAI-based search** responses that provide an overview of the Empathy Platform product ecosystem in user-friendly language; the **Holon-based search** responses display contextual topic relationships alongside final document results. This dual approach allows users to quickly find the information they need while also exploring related content and documents.
2024