Kathryn Kopec

Lux Research

Assisted in Luxer’s AI tool development and updated the membership platform’s design.

Team

Kathryn Kopec

Ashton Miller

Tim Cadran

Role

UX & UI Design
Product Design

Tools

Figma

Adobe Suite

Figma

Adobe Suite

Timeline

2023-2024

Team

Kathryn Kopec

Ashton Miller

Tim Cadran

Role

UX & UI Design
Product Design

Tools

Figma

Adobe Suite

Timeline

2023-2024

The Brief

Lux Research is a trusted advisor to innovation leaders at the world's biggest brands

The goal was to revamp Lux Research's outdated membership platform to enhance user retention and introduce new product integrations leveraging AI technology.

Here are two of the projects I worked on at Lux:

01

Luxer Case Study

02

Membership Platform Redesign

Product Identity

Creating Luxer

When initially creating Luxer, an AI-powered virtual research assistant, one of the first challenges was figuring out how to connect a mascot/logo to the overall Lux branding. It wasn’t just about making something that looked good—it needed to serve a purpose.

Luxer’s icon had to act as a visual representation of the assistant itself, a human-like helper that users could easily associate with research and support

I started sketching out ideas, exploring different ways to bring this concept to life while keeping it aligned with the brand.

When initially creating Luxer, an AI-powered virtual research assistant, one of the first challenges was figuring out how to connect a mascot/logo to the overall Lux branding. It wasn’t just about making something that looked good—it needed to serve a purpose.

Luxer’s icon had to act as a visual representation of the assistant itself, a human-like helper that users could easily associate with research and support

I started sketching out ideas, exploring different ways to bring this concept to life while keeping it aligned with the brand.

Usability Testing

Engaging with Clients

While Luxer was still in beta, we conducted usability testing interviews with seven esteemed clients.

They all had different levels of engagement with the membership platform and held a range of professional titles, giving us a broad perspective on how Luxer fit into their workflow.

Pain Points

Finding Key Themes

After the interviews, I synthesized all the research to pull out key themes and issues. These insights became the foundation for the next round of improvements.

Additional Features

Users wanted better search suggestions, saved history, and curated emails.

User Interface

Users preferred an overlay for multitasking, fixed dialogue, and clear source labels.

Information & Content

Users need more precise responses and guidance on how to prompt VRA effectively.

Data Visualization & Export

Users requested export options and better data visualization to make insights clearer.

Final Implementation

Meet Luxer

Through research and iterations, Luxer evolved into a refined, purpose-driven assistant—seamlessly integrating into the Lux platform to help users find research insights.

Expert Recommendations

After the response loads, users are recommended in-house analysts to explore the topics further.

Toolbar Navigation

Users can collapse the toolbar to expand the response view and quickly access key buttons.

Pop-up Notifcation

Users are notified about the new product release with a CTA to try the tool.

Takeaways

What I Learned

Over the several months of this project and my first time working with clients first-hand and AI technology I learned a lot.

AI Enhances Efficiency

Essential for staying competitive, following trends, and boosting user efficiency.

Listen to Users

Firsthand feedback from long-time users helps eliminate design biases.

Keep It Simple

When dealing with large amounts of content, avoid overloading the user experience.

Strong CTAs Matter

Ending a user flow with a next step or call-to-action strengthens platform engagement.

Membership Platform Redesign

Pain Points

Identifying Challenges

The Lux membership platform serves as the primary interface for Lux clients to access research and services. However, its UI was outdated and unintuitive.

Outdated Design

The UI and design system were outdated, still using previous brand colors and fonts.

Poor Visualizations

Research data is cluttered, making key insights hard to grasp.

Page Structure

Lack of clear distinction hinders navigation and user clarity.

Missed Opportunities

Not leveraging AI or new products missed opportunities for greater user engagement.

Wireframes

Laying the Foundation

Creating wireframes was key to redesigning the platform to be responsive while ensuring it remains intuitive for long-time users.

Membership Platform

Employee Profiles

Detailed bios of Lux analysts, including their research focus and recent contributions.

Membership Platform

Innovator Assessments

In-depth evaluations of top tech innovators using Lux's proprietary scorecard.

Membership Platform

Tech Hubs

Rich insights on emerging technologies and innovations across various sectors.

Takeaways

What I Learned

Working with senior designers, developers, and engineers taught me invaluable skills and gave me opportunities I’m forever grateful for.

Adapting for Development

Working with the dev team taught me how to adjust designs to meet technical needs.

Understanding User Needs

Creating clear visualizations of complex data is essential for innovation leaders.

Rejection is Redirection

Many design iterations can be discouraging, but they lead you where you need to be.

Preserving Familiarity

Ensuring the redesign doesn’t confuse long-time users is crucial.

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