Designing With Data

At Annalect we were building data insights and visualization products for marketers who needed to make more informed decisions about their media strategies and creative executions.  

During my two years at Annalect, we spent a lot of time reacting to (and negotiating) the shifting landscape of consumer data. For example, we had initially thought that total data consolidation was the ultimate solution. But the reality of the consolidation process was expensive and raised consumer privacy concerns. Then the tech titans began controlling their data behind "walled gardens". So that's when we shifted from data consolidation to a concept of analytic utility that allowed us to do what we did best — data insights, analytics, reporting, and research.

In my role as Design Director at Annalect: 

• Managed a team of 4 UX designers and two 2 Brand designers

• Worked with Senior Leadership to shape the company vision

• Led company wide workshops on data visualization trends and best practices

• Established product design foundations with process and operations

• Redesigned our three major tools — data exploration, data visualization, and data storytelling

Org Design

We were a decentralized team. We embedded UX within cross-functional product teams. Our brand designers didn't work on the products but they worked on everything else: marketing, blogs, emails, conferences, events, decor, etc. We did not have a design system. We did however work from one shared visual design language system. 

For Marketers By Marketers

We were making data software products to support marketers who needed consumer insights delivered in a context that would help them connect with the audiences they were marketing to. The voice of our products was approachable, concise, and human. Our tone conveyed a helpful vibe. Our goal was to answer tough questions and explore problems.

Developing a Personality for Our Products

Q. If our products were people, who would they be?

Identifying character traits was an important step in defining the personality of our products. How were they to look? How was a user to feel when using them? How would we describe them? Working from a shared understanding of our persona traits enabled us to design with purpose and make informed decisions rather than riffing on personal opinions or tastes. The goal was to ensure our efforts were consistently delivering on what Annalect was trying to convey.