Reimagining Morningstar Indexes' Digital Presence
Morningstar Indexes, a cornerstone data provider for top financial institutions, empowers the creation of investable products, ETFs, and sustainable benchmarks. However, their digital presence failed to effectively communicate their vast data resources, deep expertise, and industry thought leadership. This disconnect presented a significant opportunity to elevate their brand and better serve their target audience.
My Role: Design Leader & Strategist
As the Design Leader, I spearheaded the entire UX process, from initial research and discovery to final design execution. My responsibilities encompassed:
Strategic Vision: Defining the UX strategy and information architecture, aligning with business goals and user needs.
User-Centered Research: Leading stakeholder interviews, conducting competitive analyses of industry leaders (e.g., MCSI, FTSE Russel & S&P Dow Jones), and analyzing Morningstar Indexes' existing digital experience to identify pain points and opportunities.
Information Architecture & UX Design: Developing the sitemap, user flows, wireframes, and prototypes for the redesigned website, focusing on intuitive navigation and clear information hierarchy.
Data Visualization Strategy: Collaborating with the team to create a robust data visualization strategy that effectively showcased Morningstar Indexes' extensive data resources, making complex information easily digestible for users.
Team Leadership & Mentorship: Managing and mentoring a team of visual designers, fostering a collaborative environment and ensuring design consistency throughout the project.
Design System Enablement: Guiding the visual design team in creating a modern and flexible CMS-based interface approach, empowering Morningstar Indexes' internal design team to develop and maintain a scalable design system.
Challenge:
Morningstar Indexes faced the challenge of translating their complex data and expertise into a clear and compelling digital experience. Their existing website lacked a strong brand narrative, struggled to showcase their thought leadership, and presented product information in a way that was difficult to navigate and understand.
Solution:
Our team developed a UX strategy centered around three core pillars:
Amplified Brand Story: Crafting a compelling narrative that clearly articulated Morningstar Indexes' value proposition, expertise, and unique position in the financial industry.
Dynamic Thought Leadership Platform: Creating a dedicated platform to showcase the insights and expertise of Morningstar Indexes' analysts, featuring timely content and fostering engagement with industry trends.
Streamlined Product Experience: Redesigning the product pages with a simplified interface, improved information architecture, and enhanced data visualization, empowering users to easily access and understand the data they need.
Results:
Early feedback from Morningstar Indexes and their clients has been overwhelmingly positive, with praise for the improved clarity of the brand message, the accessibility of the thought leadership content, and the streamlined product experience. The new design system has also empowered their internal design team to efficiently manage and update the website, ensuring long-term scalability.
Key Takeaways:
This project showcased my ability to lead complex UX initiatives, effectively communicate with stakeholders, and empower teams to deliver impactful digital solutions. I'm particularly proud of the thought-leadership platform allowing the analysis to be the focus on their value to prospective clients, as well as the new product organization and data visualization strategy.
