The Resume
The Resume
The Resume
CASE STUDY: MORGAN STANLEY
Simplifying Complex Financial Analysis
Designing an enterprise workflow that transformed sophisticated financial calculations into an experience users could understand, trust, and repeat.
PROJECT AT A GLANCE
ROLE
Senior UX/UI Designer • 2020
PLATFORM
Enterprise Web Application
USERS
Financial Analysts
PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES
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UX Strategy
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Workflow Design
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Information Architecture
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Dashboard Design
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Enterprise UX
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Component Library Development
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Developer Collaboration
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Rapid Iterative Design
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Interaction Design
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Visual Design
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THE CHALLENGE
Morgan Stanley needed an internal platform capable of processing highly complex financial calculations across hundreds of investment funds. While the computational logic behind the system was extensive, the users performing the work didn't need to understand every calculation—they needed confidence that the system was producing accurate results and a workflow that allowed them to complete repetitive tasks efficiently.
The challenge wasn't simplifying the mathematics. It was simplifying the experience surrounding it.
The application needed to support multiple stages of configuration, validate large volumes of imported data, surface calculation errors clearly, and generate extensive Excel reports, all while remaining approachable for expert users who depended on it every day.
WHAT MADE THIS PROJECT HARD?
Highly Specialized Domain
Understanding complex financial calculations required extensive collaboration before meaningful design work could even begin.
Multiple Product Phases
The workflow continued evolving through several releases, requiring the interface to accommodate significant new functionality without disrupting existing users.
Limited User Access
Most user feedback was gathered indirectly through the project manager, requiring rapid interpretation and iteration.
Enterprise Scale
The platform had to support repetitive daily workflows while remaining flexible enough for new financial products and analysis methods.
Massive Data Sets
Users reviewed large Excel outputs containing thousands of values, where finding a single incorrect cell could be extremely difficult.
Balancing UX & Engineering
The interface needed to communicate sophisticated backend processing without exposing unnecessary technical complexity to users.
MY APPROACH
Research Requirements
Build Core Workflow
Prototype
Review with PM
Collaborate with Devs
Phase Release
Gather Feedback
Expand Functionality
Repeat
UNDERSTANDING THE PROBLEM
One of the first things I realized was that users weren't struggling with the calculations themselves—they were struggling with the process surrounding those calculations.
Every run required selecting funds, configuring numerous parameters, validating imported data, reviewing exceptions, and interpreting large output tables. While each step made sense in isolation, the complete workflow could quickly become overwhelming.
I also had very limited direct access to end users. Instead, I worked closely with an exceptional project manager who served as both a subject-matter expert and a bridge between users and the design team. Through frequent reviews and rapid iterations, we continuously refined the workflow based on real user feedback while keeping the project moving at an aggressive pace.
STRATEGIC DECISION 1: HIDE THE COMPLEXITY
The Challenge
The calculations powering the platform were incredibly sophisticated, but exposing that complexity directly to users would have made the interface intimidating and difficult to navigate.
My Decision
I focused on breaking the workflow into logical stages that guided users through setup, validation, review, and output. Rather than exposing computational complexity, the interface emphasized clear decision points, progressive disclosure, and structured information that allowed users to focus only on what mattered at each step.
Why It Mattered
Users could concentrate on completing their work instead of interpreting the underlying system. By separating computational complexity from interaction complexity, the application became easier to learn, faster to use, and more approachable without sacrificing functionality.
STRATEGIC DECISION 2: DESIGN FOR CONTINUOUS EVOLUTION
The Challenge
The application wasn't a one-time delivery. Every release introduced new financial products, additional filters, expanded workflows, and new reporting capabilities that needed to integrate naturally with the existing experience.
My Decision
From the beginning, I designed flexible layouts and reusable interaction patterns that could accommodate future enhancements without forcing users to relearn the application. Existing components evolved as functionality expanded, while preserving familiar workflows wherever possible.
Why It Mattered
This modular approach allowed the product to grow over multiple releases while maintaining consistency. New functionality felt like a natural extension of the platform rather than a collection of disconnected features.
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The Challenge
During development, one implementation diverged significantly from the approved design. The issue wasn't functionality—the backend worked—but the user experience and visual consistency had been compromised, creating a disconnect between what stakeholders had approved and what was being built.
My Decision
Rather than escalating the disagreement, I approached the situation collaboratively. I brought together the project manager, design leadership, and the developer, comparing the implemented prototype directly against the approved mockups to create a shared understanding of the differences.
The discussion remained focused on the product rather than the individuals involved, allowing the team to resolve the issue constructively and move forward together.
Why It Mattered
The experience reinforced that successful collaboration isn't about "winning" disagreements—it's about maintaining trust while advocating for the user experience. By grounding the conversation in shared goals and approved designs, the team aligned on the necessary changes without damaging the working relationship. It also highlighted the importance of clear communication and mutual respect between design and development, especially in fast-moving enterprise environments.
WHAT I LEARNED
"Users don't need to understand every detail of a complex system - they need to understand enough to make confident decisions."
This project reinforced an idea that has shaped much of my work in enterprise UX: users don't need to understand every detail of a complex system—they need to understand enough to make confident decisions.
The calculations behind this platform were incredibly sophisticated, but the success of the product wasn't measured by whether users understood the mathematics. It was measured by whether they could move through the workflow confidently, identify issues quickly, and trust the results the system produced.
I also gained a deeper appreciation for the importance of collaboration across disciplines. Working closely with a knowledgeable project manager allowed me to bridge the gap between complex financial requirements and intuitive user experiences, while my interactions with development reinforced the importance of advocating for design without turning disagreements into personal conflicts. The strongest products are created when design, engineering, and product management share the same objective, even if they occasionally approach the problem from different perspectives.
Perhaps the biggest lesson was realizing that enterprise UX isn't about removing complexity—it's about placing complexity where it belongs. Users should spend their time making decisions, not deciphering interfaces. Good design doesn't eliminate sophisticated systems; it organizes them in ways that make expertise easier to apply.
OUTCOMES
Over multiple phases, the platform evolved into a robust enterprise application that enabled users to perform sophisticated financial analysis through a workflow that emphasized clarity rather than complexity.
The project also demonstrated the value of reusable components, iterative delivery, and close collaboration between design, product management, and engineering, lessons that influenced how I approached subsequent enterprise projects at Morgan Stanley.
LOOKING BACK...
Looking back, I'm pleased with both the design process and the final outcome of the project. By the time this initiative began, I had already completed several enterprise applications at Morgan Stanley, allowing me to draw from an established library of components and interaction patterns instead of solving every visual problem from scratch. That experience allowed me to focus my energy where it mattered most—understanding the workflow and reducing complexity for the people using the system.
If I were approaching the project today, I would invest even more in direct user involvement throughout the design process. While the project manager was an exceptional partner and provided valuable feedback that kept the project moving efficiently, there is no substitute for observing users firsthand as they complete their daily work. Additional usability testing would likely have uncovered even more opportunities to refine the workflow and strengthen user confidence.
I also look back on my collaboration with development as an important reminder that successful products are built through partnership, even when disagreements arise. There were moments where we saw the solution differently, but those conversations reinforced the importance of advocating for the user while remaining respectful of the expertise that each discipline brings to the table. The goal was never to prove someone wrong—it was to build the best product possible together.
Ultimately, this project confirmed something that has become a guiding principle throughout my career: the more technically complex a system becomes, the more responsibility designers have to make that complexity invisible to the people using it.