Overview

MD1 is a secure web-based platform used by financial advisors to manage client profiles, investment portfolios, and compliance documentation. Originally built over a decade ago, the application remains critical to daily operations — too essential to redesign all at once, yet long overdue for a modern experience.

As Lead Designer, I was responsible for designing all new and updated modules. Each redesign was an opportunity to modernize while maintaining compatibility with the existing system — functionally, visually, and mentally.

Challenge

There was no appetite for a full redesign. The platform had grown organically over time, with layers of legacy logic, custom workflows, and deeply familiar (if dated) patterns. Advisors were efficient in their current routines, and disruptions came with risk.

The real challenge was to introduce modern design thinking without triggering resistance — improving workflows while preserving core mental models. And while the platform wasn’t required to be mobile-first, it was being rebuilt in Angular with Bootstrap, which opened the door to make it responsive and more scalable moving forward.

My Role

• Designed all new pages and modules from the ground up

• Introduced improved UX patterns within Bootstrap’s design system

• Simplified labels, improved form structure and flow

• Balanced advisor feedback with product requirements

• Championed responsive, future-resilient design — even in a desktop-heavy tool

Design Highlights

Message Centre

Improved the experience for composing and managing secure internal messages. I added logic-based CC options, visual hierarchy for thread clarity, and optimized the workflow for repetitive communications without making it feel like traditional email.

Know Your Client (KYC) Module

Redesigned the entire KYC workflow to make it easier to update and verify critical client data. I restructured sections for clarity, grouped fields more intuitively, and introduced inline guidance to reduce input errors — all while working within strict compliance constraints.

Create Bulletin

The Bulletin tool allows internal teams to send targeted alerts. I improved its usability by clarifying labels, simplifying content targeting, and creating room for bilingual input without cluttering the interface.

Responsive by Default

Even though the tool wasn’t expected to be used on mobile, I ensured all modules were responsive. Not only did this improve accessibility for future use cases, it also made the system more robust across screen sizes and modern devices.

Modern Without Disruption

The biggest win wasn’t any single screen — it was resisting the urge to reskin the past. I treated each module as a chance to rethink interaction patterns, introduce consistency, and nudge the system toward a better future.