← All workREPLICAHead of Design · Aug 2020 – Aug 2024

Analytics workflow · Redesign · 2020 – 2024

Complex mobility data, made approachable.

The Places Study feature transforms raw mobility data into clear, actionable insights for urban planners, policymakers, and researchers. It provides a granular view of daily life for residents, visitors, and commercial vehicles nationwide, through a redesigned interface that makes complexity approachable.

Complex workflow UX

Role: Led end-to-end product design
Partners: CEO, product managers, engineering, customer success
Users: Urban planners, policymakers, researchers
Company: Replica

Places Study: maps, charts and the dataset view working together.

Summary · 2 minutes

The short version.

3xgrowth in active users within 12 months

Weeklyprototype iterations with internal teams and pilot users

The problem

The original Study feature was a quickly built MVP created by developers during the pandemic. It worked, but the experience was clunky, inconsistent, and lacked design vision. Users could see the potential but struggled to navigate the data or connect maps, tables, and filters in a meaningful way.

The approach

1Unify maps and tablesLow-fidelity sketches explored ways of unifying maps and tables, streamlining filtering and improving hierarchy.
2Iterate weeklyClickable Figma prototypes tested with internal teams and pilot users, with weekly iterations.
3Build it as a systemPatterns introduced in Places Study were built to be reused across other features.

What we did

01Direct dataset accessOne-click download of disaggregated data for deeper analysis.

02Scalable filteringFilters that work across both map and table views, handling multiple attributes.

03Integrated geospatial analysisMaps, charts and filters that respond to each other.

04Cohesive information architectureMaps, charts, and filters work together in a connected layout.

The full story

6 chapters.

01Research and insights

Three barriers.

Through interviews, surveys, and support feedback, three key barriers emerged.

Data access was too abstractEven advanced users struggled to reach raw datasets.

Filtering lacked flexibilityUsers wanted both tabular and geospatial controls that could scale.

The experience felt fragmentedMaps, charts, and filters did not feel connected.

Pain points mapped onto the original Study interface.

Study profiles: who needs raw data and who needs guided visuals.

02Early concepts

Sketching and system flows.

Low-fidelity sketches explored ways of unifying maps and tables, streamlining filtering workflows, and improving information hierarchy. System-level flow diagrams mapped every user step from defining datasets to visualizing results.

03Prototyping and iteration

Weekly loops with pilot users.

Clickable prototypes were built in Figma and tested with internal teams and pilot users. Feedback loops were fast and collaborative, with weekly iterations informed by qualitative insights and technical feasibility checks.

A clickable Figma prototype used with pilot users.

04Systematizing the UI

Patterns built to be reused.

A scalable design system was created for Replica, ensuring patterns introduced in Places Study could be reused across other features.

Map layer and interaction patterns from the Study design system.

05Key improvements

Maps, charts and filters that work together.

Direct dataset accessOne-click download of disaggregated data for deeper analysis.

Scalable filteringFilters that worked seamlessly across both map and table views, handling multiple attributes.

Integrated geospatial analysisCharts and maps filter each other in the same panel.

Cohesive information architectureMaps, charts, and filters work together in a connected layout.

06Impact

What made this work.

3x growth in active users within 12 months
Contributed to Replica surpassing revenue targets and moving toward profitability
Became a go-to tool for urban planning, transportation, housing, and public safety initiatives

The success of Places Study came from balancing system-level design thinking with practical iteration. The result was a tool powerful enough for advanced analysts yet approachable for newer users, making complex datasets easier to explore, analyze, and act on.

Looking back

What I learned.

LESSON 1Balance system thinking with iterationThe success of Places Study came from balancing system-level design thinking with practical iteration: powerful enough for advanced analysts, approachable for newer users.

What’s next

A go-to tool for urban planning, transportation, housing, and public safety initiatives.

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

0 to 1 · Data access Replica Data Library The most-requested feature, delivered. 10xusage over any other Replica feature within months of launch

See every case in this capability →