UX & UI TRANSFORMATION - NED DAVIS RESEARCH
INFORMATION ARCHITECTURE, A/B TESTING, UX & UI DESIGN
2024
INTRODUCTION
Making Research Actionable
Ned Davis Research (NDR), a leading provider of independent investment research, had a site that was text-heavy, hard to navigate, and buried key reports in submenus. For a platform meant to deliver timely market insights and data to investors, users struggled to find content, and discovery was limited.
I transformed NDR’s website from a dense, text-heavy repository into a dynamic, intuitive platform, enabling users to navigate effortlessly, surface key insights, and fully leverage interactive tools, increasing user satisfaction by 15%.
YEAR
2024
TIMELINE
10 WEEKS
ROLE
LEAD PRODUCT DESIGNER
CONTRIBUTORS
PRODUCT MANAGER
UI DESIGNER
PROJECT MANAGER
UNDERSTAND
Finding the Frictions
To design the right solution, we first needed to uncover the friction: where users struggled, features went unused, and discovery broke down.
Together with the product manager, we reviewed the product in depth, spoke to their most experienced client team and researchers. This process revealed several key pain points that became the foundation for rethinking the product experience.
Fragmented Navigation
Poorly structured menus made content hard to find, and didn’t account for different user types' needs.
Underutilized Digital Capabilities
The platform wasn’t making use of core features, leaving users unable to work with insights effectively.
Limited Discovery
After reading one piece, users often hit a dead end, with no clear way to surface related or recommended insights.
EARLY VALIDATION
Finding What Works Best
Once we knew where users were stuck, it was time to explore new ways forward: mixing and matching navigation and layout concepts to see what resonated. We tested simple, contrasting ideas with real users to understand not just what worked, but why it worked for their day-to-day needs.
#1
Navigation
With nearly 80 topics in the sub-menu, navigation had become overwhelming. We set up an A/B test with two alternative structures: a Personalized view (showing only topics relevant to each user) and a Most Popular view (surfacing the top 5 topics in each category).
The results were clear: participants strongly preferred the Personalized view, which reduced cognitive load, sped up navigation, and made the experience feel more intuitive.
#2
Research Content Layout
To address user feedback around underutilised digital capabilities and discoverability, I developed a series of experimental layouts for NDR’s research content.
We shared these with account managers, researchers and content writers to validate the best approach, focusing on business priorities, overlooked user scenarios, and feasibility concerns.
This project carried weight beyond usability — it also shaped the team’s argument on NDR’s core value proposition.
While I personally advocated for a more chart-focused, technical direction to surface the “cool feature,” the business ultimately chose the discovery-focused direction. Their reasoning: discoverability was the key to keeping users engaged, renewing subscriptions, and driving monetisation.
Rather than take this at face value, I asked for evidence. I spoke with client support and account management stakeholders, who confirmed that clients often struggled to find the right content, validating the business decision and underscoring the need to prioritise business impact over technical depth.
BRAND IDENTITY
Giving NDR Its Voice
The original NDR UI lacked a distinct identity, it was functional but flat, with little character to set it apart. What it did have was a strong orange brand color and a recognizable logo, which gave us a foundation to build on.
Over the course of four rounds of art direction, we explored a wide spectrum of styles: from flat and minimal, to more spatial and layered directions. This iterative process allowed us to test different visual expressions of the brand, both with the client team and internally.
Token-Driven Design System
We introduced a token-driven system for colors, typography, spacing, and elevation. This created consistency across the platform, gave devs a single source of truth, and made it easy to scale or re-theme quickly without redesigning everything.
SOLUTION
The Experience, Reimagined
The final direction strikes a balance between clarity and personality, it's modern, bold, and unmistakably NDR. It establishes a strong brand identity that not only elevates the digital experience but also gives NDR a confident edge in a competitive financial research market.
After digging up the pain points, sketching bold ideas, and giving NDR a fresh look, it was time for the fun part: bringing it all together into one seamless experience.
Personalized Dashboard
Combined tailored publications, investment recommendations, and quick access to recently and favorite reports. This gave users a clear, at-a-glance starting point, surfacing relevant insights without needing to dig through the platform.
Publication Pages Made Actionable
Transformed long, text-heavy reports into scannable insights with clear takeaways, position changes, and related content. This helped users grasp the story quickly, interpret charts with context, and explore connected research.
Dedicated Workspace
Introduced “My NDR” area where users could curate content lists, track new signals, and manage favourites in one place. This gave each user a sense of ownership and efficiency, turning a dense research library into a personalised workspace.
Responsive Mobile Design
Redesigned the platform to work seamlessly across devices, enabling users to check signals, browse publications, and manage lists on the go. This flexibility supported busy professionals who needed quick, reliable access outside the office.
IMPACT
The redesign delivered measurable results. Customer satisfaction rose by 15% in quarterly NPS surveys, reflecting the smoother, more intuitive experience. Internal stakeholders also praised the work, highlighting clearer navigation, a refreshed visual language, and stronger alignment between the platform and business goals.
Moving forward, we’d like to introduce more interactivity, such as personalised push notifications or data visualisation tools. We’d also explore ways to integrate real‑time commentary or analyst videos to enhance engagement