Enterprise Software
Platinum Pension Administration Platform
Enterprise redesign of a legacy pension administration SaaS platform (SIPP & SSAS).
Summary
I led the ground-up redesign of a legacy SIPP/SSAS pension administration platform and supported phased delivery through 2017-2020, with ongoing compliance-led iteration to keep pace with HMRC and regulatory change. The work focused on admin productivity, accuracy, and operational control: simplified navigation and IA, standardised grids and workflows, reduced errors through controlled inputs and consistent validation, and introduced operational visibility through queues, statuses, KPIs/MI, SLA visibility, exception handling, and auditability. I also established design system foundations and WCAG-aligned patterns so changes could scale across modules without UI drift.
Platinum redesigned experience. A modern, scalable interface for high-volume SIPP and SSAS administration.
OUTCOMES
Commercial Impact
Prototype-led demos and the modernised experience supported client confidence, adoption, and growth (including reported first-year profitability).
How measured:
Usability walkthrough timing (pre vs post), click-count comparisons on key journeys, and training/support signals during phased rollout.
Challenges
Key pain points included:
Before & After
Before
Before: Legacy table view with dense columns and cluttered controls
After
After: Redesigned grid with focused views and progressive disclosure
Before and after. From 60+ column tables to focused views with search, filtering, and progressive disclosure.
GOALS
Wireframes & Early Concepts
Exploring layout, flow, and hierarchy before design polish
Early-stage wireframes helped define structure, content hierarchy, and user flows before committing to high-fidelity design. They allowed for faster feedback cycles, stakeholder alignment, and iterative testing of critical interactions, saving time downstream in development.
Design System
UI Redesign & Visual Hierarchy
I completely overhauled the visual design, removing clutter and applying modern UI standards. I prioritised visual hierarchy, typography, and spacing to deliver a cleaner, more intuitive interface.
Metric/Outcome
Reduction in training time for new users
In user satisfaction scores
Streamlined
Simplified Navigation & Information Architecture
Replaced the fragmented navigation with a clear, left-aligned vertical structure supported by mega menus, breadcrumbs, and contextual tabs. This enabled users to locate key areas like Contributions, Transfers, and Benefit Crystallisation Events within 1-2 clicks instead of 5-6.
Metric/Outcome
Reduction in Average Time Spent navigating Menus.
Increase in successful task completion without external support.
Efficiency
Dynamic Data Loading
To improve page load times, I introduced "Show More" CTAs and integrated inline search, helping users manage large datasets without overwhelming the interface.
Enhanced Usability
Smart Interactions
Contrast-safe hierarchy and readable typography
Predictable form behaviours and error messaging
Keyboard-friendly interaction patterns with visible focus states
Component specifications to support accessible implementation by engineering, aligned to WCAG 2.1 AA goals
Design System Foundations
I established design system foundations to reduce UI drift and speed delivery across modules, including reusable components, states, spacing rules, and interaction standards.
Metric/Outcome
Reduction in UI-related development rework.
Faster development cycle for new features.
Prototyping & Testing
I created over 2000 high-fidelity prototypes that simulated genuine interactions. These prototypes were evaluated by pension administrators and refined based on their qualitative feedback.
Metric/Outcome
Increase in usability testing success rates.
Reduction in post-launch user complaints.
Resulted in a design that directly addressed real user pain points.
Increased user satisfaction and confidence in system usability.
Research & Discovery
Worked with pension administrators, BAs, product and delivery leads to uncover bottlenecks, inconsistencies, and unmet needs across key processes.
Observed live usage to capture real behaviour, workarounds, edge cases, and friction that doesn't surface in interviews.
Benchmarked UI patterns, navigation flows, form behaviours, and data layouts to identify repeated failure points.
Mapped end-to-end workflows to identify gaps, duplicated steps, and points where users got stuck or lost.
Reviewed comparable pension/fintech platforms to identify modern UI approaches to dashboards, reporting, and workflow management.
Regular walkthroughs and prototype reviews with real users, iterating designs based on qualitative feedback.
Reflection
In pension administration, UX is never 'done'. The platform must continuously adapt to compliance and HMRC-driven change. The long-term win was establishing scalable patterns (grids, workflows, navigation) and design system foundations so the product could evolve without UI drift or constant rework.
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