Qwoted Platform Redesign: Driving Engagement through Scalable UX

Qwoted Platform Redesign: Driving Engagement through Scalable UX

Role

Head of Design

Head of Design

Head of Design

Team

Head of Design, 6 Developers

Tools

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

My Role in Transforming Qwoted

My Role in Transforming Qwoted

As Head of Design at Qwoted, I led the end-to-end redesign of the platform’s core experience, transforming a fragmented product into a cohesive, user-centered ecosystem. I shipped the company’s first design system (V1), enabling scalable, consistent UI/UX across the board. Collaborating closely with Product, Engineering, and Customer Success, I ensured every design decision aligned with business goals.


When I joined, the platform had strong potential but suffered from inconsistent patterns, unclear flows, and usability challenges. My mission was to bring clarity, cohesion, and delight to the experience — and I delivered, fast.

The Redesign: Key Areas of Impact

The Redesign: Key Areas of Impact

Here is a look into the most impactful redesigns that I led throughout my time at Qwoted

Onboarding Flow

Onboarding Flow

The original onboarding experience was one-size-fits-all and confusing. I redesigned it from the ground up — tailoring it to each user type, improving clarity, and dramatically reducing drop-off.

Before

What Wasn't Working:

Overwhelming interface with no clear direction

Same flow for journalists and sources, despite differing goals

Users unsure what to expect or what value they'd unlock

High drop-off before completing profile setup

Customer Service reps manually updating user's profiles due to confusion during onboarding

✨ After

What I Did:

Introduced a role-based onboarding path (Journalist vs. Source)

Simplified the UI using progressive disclosure to more efficiently guide users

Added contextual tips to clarify platform value as users progressed

Clear visual hierarchy, progress indicators, and a warm, brand-aligned tone

Customer Service reps manually updating user's profiles due to confusion during onboarding

Result:
Reduced onboarding drop-off by 20%, increased profile completion, and decreased manual profile corrections

Result:
Reduced onboarding drop-off by 20%, increased profile completion, and decreased manual profile corrections

Result:
Reduced onboarding drop-off by 20%, increased profile completion, and decreased manual profile corrections

Source Request Forms

As the first UX hire, I was tasked with taking TransferBuddy from concept (0) to a fully functional product (1). To efficiently manage the complexity of building a new app from scratch, I adopted a feature-based design approach, focusing on designing, testing, and launching the app feature by feature.

Before

What Wasn't Working:

Too many options that users weren't selecting (i.e. Products, Speakers)

Not enough customization

Weren't leveraging AI to for smart suggestions, etc.

Static, not much functionality besides just posting

Overall lacking on user requests for other features

During the Redesign: Creating Form Variants & User Testing

How the Redesign Worked

In order to truly understand what users wanted in the new form, I spoke to real-users who used the form on daily basis. From there, I created 3 different variants of the form. I then circled back to those users and asked them to walk through each variant and provide their thoughts/feelings about each one.

✨ After

Adding practical functionality

The form was missing lots of basic functionality that users would expect to see when publishing long-form content. I added in a Save as Draft function along with a Review Before Publishing function for better form control.

Leveraging AI

One of my favorite ideas that I added to the form was the "Invite Recommended Experts". The platform would pull relevant Experts based on the content in the Source Request and nudge users to Invite them to Pitch on the Request. Users loved this idea!

What I Did:

Consolidated options to only two of the most common selections

Added in more functionality for users

Utilized AI to provide recommended Experts

Clear process of what comes after submitting the Source Request

More dynamic form that shows progress over time as user fills it out

Aaron L.

Aaron L.

Sara Smith

WSJ

The new form felt more like I was writing a pitch — not just filling something out.

pixfort products are awesome and very powerful! There are unlimited possibilities to create great looking websites in minutes.

Result:
Faster time-to-submit (less form fatigue), reduced confusion-related support tickets, higher-quality pitch submissions

Result:
Faster time-to-submit (less form fatigue), reduced confusion-related support tickets, higher-quality pitch submissions

Dashboard Transformation: From Utility to Community

The original dashboard was functional but uninspiring — a static collection of links with no incentive to return. I redesigned it into a personalized, real-time feed to surface relevant activity, drive engagement, and turn Qwoted into a daily-use tool.

Before

What Wasn't Working:

Static list of links with minimal relevance or interactivity

Irrelevant metrics that users didn't perceive as valuable

No prioritization, personalization, or curation

Didn’t reflect the energy or real-time nature of media

Users had no reason to return unless they were actively posting

✨ After

What I Did:

Designed to mimic a social media stream — familiar, scannable, and engaging

Included more relevant, useful metrics for users

Easy to find CTAs

Real time, personalized feed

For PR Professionals, we displayed targeted opportunities that matched with their expertise. For Media, we displayed relevant information about their Requests.

Easily accessible data sources

Unlike the previous dashboard, the Feed shows all the necessary information a user may need while navigating the app, all in one place.

Modular, scalable artifact system

Using the design system for consistency, I created a library of artifacts for PR, Expert, and Media users that were scalable in nature and could expand to fit every phase of Qwoted's growth.

Result:
Increase in repeat visits, more time spent in platform (increased session duration), higher engagement with Source Requests

Result:
Increase in repeat visits, more time spent in platform (increased session duration), higher engagement with Source Requests

Monica R.

Monica R.

Sara Smith

Forbes

Now I check it daily — it feels like LinkedIn for journalists.

pixfort products are awesome and very powerful! There are unlimited possibilities to create great looking websites in minutes.

Dashboard Transformation: From Utility to Community

The original dashboard was functional but uninspiring — a static collection of links with no incentive to return. I redesigned it into a personalized, real-time feed to surface relevant activity, drive engagement, and turn Qwoted into a daily-use tool.

Before

What Wasn't Working:

Form-like layout lacking visual rhythm or emotional impact

Tags, bio, and contact info stacked with no clear grouping

Weak hierarchy and minimal use of media or social proof

Difficult to scan for journalists looking for story angles or credibility markers

No incentives for the user to continue filling out their profile

✨ After

What I Did:

Shifted from form-based thinking to personal brand storytelling

Gave users the tools to pitch themselves visually with confidence

Structured content to match journalists’ mental model: fast scan, quick credibility check, and media relevance

Gru F.

Gru F.

Sara Smith

NerdWallet

It feels like a media kit meets a personal website — I actually want to share this!

pixfort products are awesome and very powerful! There are unlimited possibilities to create great looking websites in minutes.

Result:
Faster time-to-submit (less form fatigue), reduced confusion-related support tickets, higher-quality pitch submissions

Result:
Faster time-to-submit (less form fatigue), reduced confusion-related support tickets, higher-quality pitch submissions

You're in good company

Trusted by companies all over the world

You're in good company

Trusted by companies all over the world

You're in good company

Trusted by companies all over the world

Want to hear how I’d do this for your product?

I'd love to see if we're a match made in design heaven ✨

Want to hear how I’d do this for your product?

I'd love to see if we're a match made in design heaven ✨

Want to hear how I’d do this for your product?

I'd love to see if we're a match made in design heaven ✨

Explore more case studies

MVP

Building the MVP for a Maternal Mental Health Hub

Creating a robust MVP through Design Sprints

MVP

Building the MVP for a Maternal Mental Health Hub

Creating a robust MVP through Design Sprints

MVP

Building the MVP for a Maternal Mental Health Hub

Creating a robust MVP through Design Sprints

SaaS

Scaling an EdTech Startup from 0 to 30,000+ users

0-1 Design for an EdTech startup

SaaS

Scaling an EdTech Startup from 0 to 30,000+ users

0-1 Design for an EdTech startup

SaaS

Scaling an EdTech Startup from 0 to 30,000+ users

0-1 Design for an EdTech startup