Case study – Enterprise UX & technical direction
IBM Big Data & Analytics
A full redesign of IBM’s Big Data & Analytics web platform – restructuring the information architecture of a complex enterprise product to drive measurable conversion growth.
The challenge
Enterprise complexity, hiding in plain sight
IBM’s Big Data & Analytics platform was a powerful product suite – but its web presence made it nearly impossible for users to understand what was available, how it connected, or where to go next. The information architecture reflected internal org structure rather than how users actually thought about their problems. Valuable content was buried, pathways were unclear, and conversion was suffering as a result.
As Technical Director at IBM Design Studio, I was brought in to lead a developer team through a full redesign – with the mandate to improve usability, clarify the product story, and move the conversion needle.
My approach
Restructure first, redesign second
Audit the existing IA against real user entry points and task flows – not IBM’s internal product taxonomy.
Simplify navigation to reflect how buyers and practitioners approached big data problems, not how IBM organized its teams.
Build clear conversion pathways – every page needed a logical next step, whether that was a demo, a download, or a deeper product page.
I led the developer team hands-on, handling the majority of technical coding directly when it couldn’t be delegated – ensuring design intent translated precisely into the final product. The redesign covered information architecture, interaction design, page templates, and front-end implementation.
The process
From audit to launch
Discovery & audit
Mapped existing IA, identified drop-off points, and interviewed stakeholders on conversion goals.
IA restructure
Rebuilt the navigation and page hierarchy around user mental models and buying journeys.
Design & build
Led developer team through full front-end implementation, coding directly where needed.
Measure & validate
Tracked against strategic KPIs – all targets met or exceeded post-launch.
Results
Every KPI met or exceeded
Increase in conversions post-launch
Strategic targets met or exceeded
Enterprise platform serving global audiences
The redesign delivered across every strategic metric. Clearer information architecture, better conversion pathways, and a more intuitive user experience translated directly into measurable business outcomes – proving that UX clarity and enterprise complexity aren’t mutually exclusive.
What I learned
UX at IBM scale
Leading a technical team inside a design studio at one of the world’s largest technology companies sharpened my ability to navigate competing stakeholder priorities while keeping the user experience as the north star. The most important lesson: at enterprise scale, information architecture is UX. Getting the structure right unlocks everything else.
This role also deepened my belief that hands-on technical involvement makes better design outcomes – understanding what’s buildable in the moment leads to faster, more precise execution.
