Brand refinement and design system

Trace’s original brand had a clear mission but lacked the visual and structural maturity of a modern SaaS platform. Drawing on my experience with larger tech brands, I delivered a visual refresh that stayed true to the original identity but elevated it with clearer hierarchy, better use of type, and more consistent patterns.

I rolled this into a cross-functional design system that unified marketing and product experiences — making it easier for the Trace team to scale consistently across channels.

Website redesign and conversion uplift

We redesigned the Trace website from the ground up, aligning it with the updated brand and bringing more focus to clarity, professionalism, and conversion. The new design helped Trace stand out in a crowded sustainability space and played a key role in attracting larger clients and improving lead conversion.

The results were immediate. Traffic increased, engagement improved, and the team reported a clear uptick in credibility during sales conversations.

Product design and AI assistant

On the product side, I’ve been involved in shaping new features, refining navigation, and applying the design system across the platform. In 2024, this included supporting the rollout of Tracey, a conversational AI assistant designed to help users understand their carbon emissions and take action.

I helped create a visual and personality identity for Tracey that felt consistent with the brand, approachable for users, and appropriate for the sensitive nature of the content.

Mentorship and leadership development

During the engagement, I mentored a junior designer on the project. Early on, I found myself redoing a lot of the work, which created additional strain during a period where I was juggling multiple projects.

I took this as a chance to reflect on how I lead. I restructured how we collaborated, reassigned responsibilities based on trust and skill level, and created more space for autonomy and learning. It helped me grow into a more intentional design leader — one who can balance standards with support, and structure with flexibility.

Resilience through long-term partnership

Over the course of the engagement, Trace went through multiple internal changes — shifting staff, evolving priorities, and the natural ups and downs of a growing startup. Despite all that, we maintained a strong working relationship and continued to produce consistently high-quality work.

It was not always smooth. Early in the project, I received feedback that I had deprioritised Trace while juggling other work. I took that seriously, restructured my time, and rebuilt trust through better communication and more proactive engagement. That moment helped me mature as a consultant and clarified what long-term partnership looks like.