Sole UX designer working alongside UI design team and dedicated development teams.
My collaboration with Advisro360 centered on enhancing the Advisor360 platform to streamline the user experience for advisors. We focused on several key areas, including optimizing trading during model rebalances, improving dashboard data visualization, and evolving the design system for better consistency and collaboration.
Due to confidentiality agreements, I am unable to disclose specifics, so you will have to believe that my efforts were aimed at empowering advisors with efficient tools and processes to make informed decisions effectively.
I was assigned to create wireframes for a new trading feature which empowers users to make real-time adjustments and respond quickly to market changes by allowing advisors to generate additional trades, specifically during large model rebalances, seamlessly within a unified trading interface. This streamlined process reduces cognitive load and facilitates quicker decision-making, improving overall efficiency.
The focus was on scalability and performance to ensure that what we're creating can accommodate future growth without degradation in usability or responsiveness. I achieved this goal by bringing dev teams into my designs early and often, validating that my designs aligned with our existing APIs. To remain consistent with user expectations this new functionality lived in a table (trading interfaces are largely table-dependent) inside a modal comprised of several input fields with labels, pointing to different data sets across a table row. This approach was also favored by users as it didn't vary drastically from the legacy trading application.
The biggest obstacle came in the form of validations. It was unclear if we could run validations OnBlur (when a user enters data in an input field and tabs out) or on submission due to the amount of data that has to be called. I'm sure we can agree having a modal with several table rows displaying validation errors all at once is not the greatest user experience. Conversely, having validations run against large data sets per field can take a substantial amount of time and system resources.
Due to API limitations, and in order to break this project down into smaller phases we moved forward with running validations on submission.
To address the user roles, I relied on my UI counterpart to confirm that we could disable individual menu actions if a user did not have the proper permissions. All menu/table actions will show independent of the user ID but the interface will disable actions based on the user's permissions. This approach got the green light from product managers and dev team confirmed it as a common component.
The trading enhancements introduced a unified interface that empowered users to execute additional trades swiftly during large model rebalances, minimizing cognitive load and enhancing efficiency. Excited users embraced the enhancement, with 11 firms adopting it on day one, showcasing its immediate value and impact on trading operations.
Advisor360 recognized the importance of elevating its user experience (UX) maturity to remain competitive in the market. To address this, the company initiated a six-month-long project to establish a comprehensive design system. The project involved assembling a dedicated team comprising six designers from both UX and UI disciplines.
We established robust protocols for maintaining and updating the design system. I performed audits and updated design documentation, and specs, ensuring that it remained aligned with evolving product requirements and technological trends. Additionally, dedicated efforts were made to streamline the management of the UI library with the design system's component library, facilitating more manageable collaboration for developers.
I co-led education initiatives to enhance awareness and understanding of the design system across the organization. Workshops, and training sessions, using Figjam and Figma prototypes were leveraged to empower teams with the knowledge and skills for effective implementation. Moreover, I was given the role of Figma SME to address any concerns or roadblocks encountered during the adoption process promptly.
The design system overhaul generated remarkable improvements in UX consistency and efficiency across the Advisor360 platform. With a meticulously crafted set of design principles and components, we witnessed a significant reduction in design debt and inconsistencies, leading to a smoother collaboration between design and development teams. User feedback indicated a heightened satisfaction with the platform's visual coherence and usability, contributing to increased user engagement and adoption rates. Moreover, the streamlined management of the UI library alongside the design system's component library facilitated faster development cycles and enhanced product scalability.
Delving into the intricacies of enterprise-level user experience, particularly within the financial sector, has been a journey filled with challenges and valuable insights. Tackling the complexities of extensive data sets prompted me to dive deeper into backend functionality and APIs, expanding my skill set along the way.
Additionally, leading the initiative to establish a comprehensive design system has been instrumental in elevating A360's UX maturity and ensuring consistency across the platform. Through meticulous documentation updates, streamlined management of the UI library, and comprehensive education initiatives, we've empowered teams with the tools and knowledge needed for effective implementation. Overall, the implementation of the design system proved instrumental in elevating Advisor360's UX maturity and maintaining its competitive edge in the market.
