Re-architecting a Fragmented National Member Platform
UX Strategy • Information Architecture • Design Systems • Mobile App Redesign • Accessibility • Agile Delivery
Leading the end-to-end UX and product design transformation of a multi-surface digital ecosystem serving 75,000+ members — consolidating platform architecture, implementing a scalable design system, and delivering a full mobile rebuild within a three-month window.
Role: UX & Product Design Lead | Team: CTO • 2 Developers • Client Stakeholders | Timeline: July 2024 - July 2025 (Design System & Platform Re-Architecture) | Mobile Rebuild: October 2024 - January 2025 | Platforms: Web Ecosystem • Mobile App (MAUI)
Legacy State: Fragmented Information Architecture
Legacy sitemap illustrating uncontrolled depth, duplicated taxonomy, and fragmented subdomain governance.
The legacy ecosystem comprised 12 loosely connected subdomains, unmanaged long-tail content structures, and auto-generated taxonomy patterns. Depth frequently exceeded meaningful navigation thresholds, resulting in duplication, SEO dilution, and user disorientation.
Context
A national member-based organisation operated across 12 loosely connected subdomains, a legacy mobile application, and multiple digital products including bookings, travel planning, classifieds, and member services.
Over time, the ecosystem had become fragmented and increasingly difficult to scale:
Inconsistent navigation and duplicated information
Broken links and disconnected databases
Limited accessibility compliance
No centralised design system
Reactive development workflows
A strategic decision had already been made to consolidate the ecosystem into five structured product pillars and rebuild the mobile application using a new framework.
I was appointed as the sole UX and Design Lead to drive the platform re-architecture and mobile redesign.
Work on the design system commenced in July 2024 as a foundational initiative to stabilise the broader ecosystem. The mobile rebuild began in October 2024 and launched in January 2025, while web consolidation work continued beyond launch.
My Role
Sole UX & Product Design Lead
Collaborating with two developers and a CTO within an Agile delivery environment.
I led:
Ecosystem-wide Information Architecture (IA) mapping
UX audit continuation and prioritisation
Accessibility alignment (WCAG 2.1 AA targets)
Design system creation and tokenisation
Component library development in Figma
Cross-platform UX alignment
Mobile app UX/UI redesign
Subscription onboarding and conversion flow design
The Challenge
This was not a visual refresh.
The core challenge was delivering structural clarity and scalable UX foundations while:
Consolidating 12 fragmented subdomains
Supporting an active database migration
Rebuilding the mobile app from scratch
Operating under a compressed three-month launch window
Working within a small, under-resourced product team
The ecosystem needed improved usability, stronger design governance, and a commercially viable subscription-ready experience.
What I did
1.Information Architecture & Platform Consolidation
I began with ecosystem-level IA mapping, auditing cross-domain navigation, taxonomy, and user journeys to identify duplication and breakdowns.
This informed:
Simplified navigation systems
Clearer content hierarchy
Cross-platform UX alignment
Subdomain consolidation logic
Improved discoverability and task completion flows
The result was a clearer structural foundation capable of supporting future growth and productisation.
Design system foundations board displaying typography hierarchy, spacing scale, and reusable UI component structure for scalable product delivery.
2.Design System Implementation
I began with ecosystem-level IA mapping, auditing cross-domain navigation, taxonomy, and user journeys to identify duplication and breakdowns.
This informed:
Simplified navigation systems
Clearer content hierarchy
Cross-platform UX alignment
Subdomain consolidation logic
Improved discoverability and task completion flows
The result was a clearer structural foundation capable of supporting future growth and productisation.
3. Mobile App Rebuild & Subscription Pivot
In parallel with ecosystem consolidation, I led the complete redesign and supported the rebuild of the legacy mobile travel app using MAUI.
Within a three-month delivery window:
Reimagined onboarding and navigation flows
Simplified filtering, search, and map integration
Redesigned saved locations and trip planning workflows
Designed for constrained travel environments (signal variability, glare, remote use)
Integrated free-trial and subscription onboarding flows
Prototypes were delivered in rapid cycles, often working in parallel with development. Priorities evolved through daily stand-ups and weekly reviews, enabling continuous forward momentum without formal beta testing.
Outcomes
While quantitative metrics remain confidential, observable improvements included:
Clearer UX logic across web and mobile touchpoint
Reduced design ambiguity and improved design-to-development handoff
Improved accessibility alignment (WCAG 2.1 AA targets)
Early adoption of shared UI patterns across product and marketing
Successful launch of a subscription-ready mobile product within a three-month delivery window.
At the time of launch, the design system foundations were established and actively shaping delivery, with web consolidation continuing beyond the mobile release.
The ecosystem began operating with clearer structural foundations and reduced delivery friction.
*Due to confidentiality, selected visuals and artefacts have been simplified or reconstructed for portfolio purposes.
Reflection
This project required balancing structural re-architecture with immediate product delivery under significant time and resource constraints.
Leading both ecosystem consolidation and a mobile rebuild in parallel reinforced the importance of introducing scalable foundations early — even when full system maturity isn’t immediately achievable.
It remains a defining example of delivering clarity within complexity while maintaining forward momentum.