Iterative Platform Redesign

Overview

This project demonstrates how systematic UX research, strategic team building, and iterative design can transform both user experience and business outcomes at enterprise scale.

Scope: 400→800 person organization, 100k→400k monthly users, 1→5 product verticals

Timeline: 4 years (2016-2020) with annual platform iterations

Tools: Sketch, InVision, UserTesting, Analytics, Requirements matrices

Constraints: Enterprise environment, multiple stakeholder groups, technical debt, rapid business growth

The Challenge

AWS Training & Certification was experiencing rapid business growth (15-20% YoY) but lacked UX expertise to support their expanding platform. As the sole UX designer in a 400-person organization, I was brought in to establish UX practices and scale the platform to support multiple new product offerings.

The Problem

• No UX Foundation: AWS T&C had never employed UX designers—I was the first in a 400-person organization reporting through marketing
• Severe Usability Issues: Initial testing showed only 25% task completion without help, with users confused by basic interactions like filtering and search
• Business Scaling Pressure: Needed to launch multiple new product verticals (Labs, Learning Paths, Certifications) while maintaining existing offerings
• Technical Debt: Existing platform had inconsistent information architecture and misaligned data models across different user journeys

My Approach

Discovery: Establishing UX Fundamentals

I started by conducting baseline user research to understand the current state and establish data-driven UX practices. The initial moderated testing with 8 AWS customers revealed critical usability failures: users thought all filters were required (appearing like a form), 60% failed to use the "Apply filters" button, and results lacked sufficient metadata for decision-making.

Key findings revealed 5 critical needs:

1. Consistent Information Architecture across all user touchpoints and content types
2. Clear Content Hierarchy to support different learning modalities and user goals
3. Scalable Design System to accommodate rapid product expansion
4. User-Centered Process to establish UX as integral to product development
5. Performance Baseline to measure improvement and demonstrate UX value

Strategy: Systematic UX Transformation

My approach centered on building sustainable UX capabilities while delivering immediate improvements. Rather than pursuing quick fixes, I focused on establishing processes and systems that could scale with the organization's growth.

The strategy centered on 3 pillars:

Foundation Building

• Conduct ongoing user research cycles to establish baseline metrics
• Create comprehensive IA audit and content prioritization framework
• Establish UX role in cross-functional product development process

Iterative Platform Evolution

• Launch systematic redesign across 4 annual iterations (2016-2020)
• Implement modern card-based UI to support multiple content types
• Create requirements matrix to track 6 different product offerings

Team and Process Scaling

• Build rationale for UX team expansion based on demonstrated impact
• Hire and onboard 10 additional UX professionals (researchers, writers, accessibility)
• Establish scalable design operations and documentation systems

Key Deliverables

Information Architecture Foundation

Comprehensive IA audit comparing data models across 5 competitors, establishing content hierarchy for different card types (Course Cards, Learning Path Cards) with 8-point prioritization system covering title, description, delivery method, skill level, duration, pricing, domain, and role specifications.

Multi-Product Card System

Designed unified card interface supporting 6 product types with consistent interaction patterns:

• Learning Objects with progress tracking
• Video/eLearning content with completion states
• Hands-on Labs with technical requirements
• Learning Paths with course sequences
• Certification Exams with scoring systems
• Classroom Training with location/scheduling details

User Dashboard Experience

Created personalized learning hub featuring progress indicators, primary resume actions, secondary functions (withdraw, get help), and scheduling information showing address, dates, and countdown timers for upcoming classes.

Impact & Results

Quantified Improvements

• Task Completion: 25% → 75% completion without help (200% improvement)
• Time on Task: 45 seconds → 27 seconds (40% reduction)
• User Satisfaction: 2.3 → 3.75 SEQ score (63% improvement)
• Web Traffic: 100k → 400k monthly users (300% increase)
• Business Growth: 220% → 300% YoY certification growth

Qualitative Outcomes

• Established UX as core business function with dedicated team of 11 professionals across research, design, writing, and accessibility
• Created scalable design system supporting 5 integrated business verticals instead of single offering
• Implemented systematic user research process with 4 rounds of testing showing continuous improvement
• Built requirements management system enabling rapid expansion into new product categories

Key Learnings

Research-Driven Iteration Works at Scale

The most significant insight was how systematic user research could drive both immediate improvements and long-term strategic decisions. Each testing round revealed specific issues—from filter confusion to card overwhelm to content differentiation—that directly informed the next iteration. This created a virtuous cycle where user feedback shaped product direction while demonstrating UX value to stakeholders.

Team Building Requires Proven Impact First

Growing from 1 to 11 UX professionals required establishing credibility through measurable results before making the business case for expansion. The 63% usability improvement and 300% traffic growth provided the evidence needed to justify significant investment in UX capabilities. This taught me that sustainable UX organizations are built on demonstrated value, not just design advocacy.

Platform Complexity Demands Systematic Thinking

Supporting 6 different product types with consistent user experience required moving beyond individual feature design to systems thinking. The requirements matrix and content prioritization frameworks became essential tools for maintaining coherence across rapidly expanding product offerings. This experience reinforced how information architecture and content strategy are foundational to scalable UX practice.