Case Study 2: Babel Collections
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🧩 Challenge
Babel Street's flagship Collections product was outdated and overly complex. Analysts struggled with unintuitive workflows, requiring heavy training and ongoing support. In mission-critical intelligence environments, inefficiency wasn't just frustrating, it had significant, time-sensitive implications. There was an entire learning platform created just to on-board our users.
🗺️ Approach
This was a multi-year project that unfolded in iterations, as we grew as a startup.
Conducted discovery interviews and shadow sessions with analysts to uncover hidden friction points.
Synthesized feedback into key workflows, rather than simply implementing user “wish lists.”
Led a ground-up redesign of the Collections experience, focusing on speed, clarity, and decision-making confidence.
Collaborated cross-functionally to prototype and validate designs through iterative testing.
💡 Solution
The new design simplified complex search and curation tasks into streamlined flows with intuitive navigation, clear hierarchies, and contextual guidance. We reduced the cognitive load for analysts by restructuring information architecture and enhancing visual clarity.
🎯 Impact
Analysts could perform critical tasks faster and with greater accuracy.
Reduced need for support and training—empowering teams to work independently.
Positive field reports highlighted real-world effectiveness, with leadership sharing feedback that the tool's improvements had directly contributed to saving lives.
Positioned Babel Street as a market leader with a modern, mission-ready product.