← All workREPLICAHead of Design · Aug 2020 – Aug 2024

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The most-requested feature, delivered.

I led the product strategy that consolidated fragmented data access into a unified self-serve platform. It eliminated customer success bottlenecks, enabled data-driven product decisions through usage analytics, and became the foundation for scalable data product development.

Complex workflow UX

Role: Led cross-functional product strategy
Partners: Engineering, customer success, product analytics
Users: Government analysts and urban planners
Company: Replica

The Data Library: one entry point for every dataset.

Summary · 2 minutes

The short version.

10xusage over any other Replica feature within months of launch

Daysto launch a new dataset, instead of weeks or months

#1most-requested feature, with the highest satisfaction in company history

The problem

Data lived in silos across Places Study, Trends Dashboards, and a basic Data Downloads page with no universal access. Customer Success provided manual database access for advanced users. Users couldn’t discover available datasets on their own, and the product team had no visibility into which datasets drove real value.

The approach

1One entry point for every datasetSearch, filter, and download without switching between apps or teams.
2Library firstDatasets launch in the library first, so demand is tested before full application integration.
3Measure what gets usedUsage analytics decide which datasets warrant deeper integration.

What we did

01Unified data discoveryReplaced fragmented access across multiple tools.

02Rich metadata, flexible downloadsClear schemas and multiple export formats.

03Advanced filtering and searchFind exactly the data you need.

04Persistent queriesSave once, return anytime to pull fresh downloads.

The full story

6 chapters.

01The challenge

Valuable data, scattered across tools.

Replica’s valuable datasets were scattered across fragmented tools, creating significant barriers to user adoption and business growth.

Users couldn’t discover available datasets independently, Customer Success was overwhelmed with repetitive requests, and the product team had no visibility into which datasets drove real value.

Fragmented data access before the Data Library.

Data Library profiles: who needs what level of data access.

02Strategy

Turn data access into a competitive advantage.

The Data Library wasn’t just a feature request, it was the foundation for scalable data product strategy.

Immediate winRemove bottlenecksEliminate customer success bottlenecks and enable self-serve workflows.

StrategicProduct intelligenceAnalytics on dataset usage drive development priorities.

StrategicDevelopment velocityDays to launch new datasets vs. weeks or months of full integration.

StrategicPlatform scalabilityA foundation for data product expansion without operations burden.

03The solution

One entry point for every dataset.

Unified data discovery replaced fragmented access across multiple tools, enabling self-serve workflows that previously required customer success intervention.

04Downloads and queries

Flexible downloads, saved queries.

Rich metadata and multiple export formats removed the technical barriers that had limited data access to users with direct database access. Query persistence turned one-time pulls into repeatable workflows.

05Development strategy

Library-first development.

User researchInterviews with government analysts and urban planners on data access pain points across tools.

EngineeringScalable API architecture supporting rapid dataset additions.

Customer SuccessCoordinated the transition and measured support burden reduction.

Product analyticsUsage tracking to inform future development priorities.

Rapid validation: test user demand before full application integration
Development efficiency: days to production vs weeks or months for full feature integration
Data-driven decisions: usage analytics inform which datasets warrant deeper integration

06Results delivered

The most-used feature on the platform.

10xusage over any other Replica feature within months

Daysvs weeks or months for new dataset delivery

Dramatic reduction in customer data requests, freeing customer success for strategic work
Self-serve adoption removed dependency barriers for new users
Most-requested feature delivered with the highest user satisfaction in company history

Looking back

What it led to.

What’s next

The Data Library became the foundation for platform-wide data access and scalable data products.

Complex workflow UX.

Platform redesign · Rollout Replica Studio From fragmented research tools to one platform. $18MARR the platform contributed to by 2025

Workflow design · Three surfaces Rejected Quotes, Every Phase A rejected quote is often a request for a better one. 53rounds of iteration across requirements, prototype and Figma

Analytics workflow · Redesign Replica Places Study Complex mobility data, made approachable. 3xgrowth in active users within 12 months

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