Introduction
Imagine you're a journalist on a tight deadline, searching for a reliable expert to interview. You land on Rolli, a platform designed to connect media professionals with experts, providing a space where experts can showcase their credibility and journalists can easily discover and connect with them. While the foundation was there, the experience felt limited - minimal search options, a straightforward directory, and a lack of engaging elements to keep users coming back. The potential was clear, and this presented an opportunity to elevate Rolli into a truly essential resource for journalists.
My goal? Transform Rolli from a static expert directory into an engaging, go-to platform that journalists love returning to.
ROLE:
Lead Designer
DELIVERABLES:
Wireframes, Hi-Fi Mockups for Web and Mobile, Prototypes, Design Sytem
TOOLS USED:
Figma, FigJam, Proto.io
The Problem
Rolli served two primary user groups:
✔ Journalists – Searching for vetted experts to interview quickly and efficiently.
✔ Experts – Trying to build credibility and gain visibility for media opportunities.
Before the redesign, Rolli faced challenges in keeping users engaged. Through user research, usability testing, and competitor analysis, we identified several core issues:
Limited Search & Filtering Options – The only filters available were radius and location, making it difficult for journalists to find relevant experts based on their expertise or media experience.
Generic, Uninspiring Experience – The platform felt like a basic database, lacking interactive elements that encourage engagement or return visits. There was no clear differentiation between verified and unverified experts.
No Mobile Accessibility – With no mobile version, journalists couldn’t use Rolli on the go, resulting in high drop-off rates.
Trust & Credibility Concerns – The outdated design and lack of a structured vetting process raised questions about the platform's credibility. The UI did not reflect a professional, trustworthy experience, making it harder for journalists to confidently rely on the experts they found.
Lack of Personalization – The system didn’t remember user preferences, forcing journalists to reapply filters every single time they searched.
The Turning Point: Rethinking Rolli’s Purpose
Analyzing the initial problems, we explored ways to elevate Rolli beyond a basic listing platform. One early hypothesis was that integrating Trending News and providing more personalized expert recommendations could enhance engagement for journalists. We wanted to test if presenting curated experts based on trending topics and offering recommendations tailored to users' previous searches would add more value.
We designed and tested wireframes exploring these ideas, focusing on:
Trending News integrated with the search experience.
A section showcasing Curated Experts relevant to trending topics.
A Recommended Experts section offering personalized suggestions based on users' previous interactions and searches.
What We Learned:
These insights inspired three key design shifts:
Journalists liked having access to industry insights, but preferred to access them separately when they have time to explore.
Experts valued features that enhanced their visibility and credibility.
Users loved the idea of recommended experts but wanted the recommendations to feel genuinely relevant and personalized.
Making Expert Search Powerful & Intuitive – Journalists needed a search experience that was fast and reliable, while experts needed a way to stand out. Advanced filtering options, AI-driven recommendations, and a streamlined search flow ensured both user groups benefited.
Creating a Dynamic, Engaging Experience – Based on early feedback, we explored the idea that journalists could benefit from real-time insights and industry discussions, while experts wanted opportunities to be discovered.
We introduced Trending News and a dedicated Events Calendar, making Rolli a platform users wanted to return to. – New features like Trending News and a dedicated Events Calendar to provide real-time industry insights and networking opportunities.
High-Fidelity Mockups
After testing initial concepts, we transitioned directly into high-fidelity mockups, ensuring every design decision was informed by user insights:
The search functionality remained the core engine of the platform, designed to be fast, intuitive, and flexible.
Trending News served as an engagement feature, designed for users to explore when they had time, keeping it separate from the primary search flow.
We introduced a Recommended Experts section, dynamically suggesting experts based on users' previous searches and interests, enhancing personalization.
The search experience was enhanced with advanced filtering, including options for location, language, and availability, ensuring the most relevant results for journalists.
Users highlighted the importance of knowing the preferred method of contact for experts, so we integrated this into the expert profiles.
We introduced a dedicated Events Calendar to enhance engagement and networking, enabling journalists to track and join industry discussions in real time, while experts could promote their participation in events to boost credibility and exposure. Events could be easily filtered by topic, location, and availability to ensure relevance and ease of discovery.
See Below: Final mockups showcasing these key features and interactions
Establishing a Scalable Design System:
A cohesive design system was essential for ensuring UI consistency and improving future scalability.
The Solution: How We Solved the Core Challenges
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Introduced advanced filtering options, ensuring users could find experts based on location, language, availability, and relevance.
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Created dedicated spaces for Trending News and Events, offering journalists dynamic insights and experts opportunities to promote their credibility.
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Developed a Recommended Experts section, dynamically suggesting experts based on users' recent searches and interactions.
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Redesigned the platform for mobile accessibility, reducing drop-off rates and ensuring a seamless experience on-the-go.
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Integrated clear verification and contact preferences, reinforcing trust between experts and journalists.
Challenges Along the Way
Balancing User Feedback with Vision: Some users were attached to older workflows, so we had to balance innovation and familiarity.
Balancing Simplicity & Functionality – Early versions of advanced search filters overcomplicated the UI. Solution? We streamlined it to keep it intuitive while still powerful.
Results
50% increase in expert connections
The number of daily active users increased by 45%, and retention rates improved significantly.
20% decrease in search drop-offs
More engagement due to interactive elements like Trending News & Expert Events.
40% faster expert search times
Thanks to improved filtering and AI-driven recommendations
Rolli went from being a basic expert directory to a dynamic, engaging platform that journalists could rely on. The addition of personalization, networking, and industry insights turned it into a destination, not just a tool.
Nick Toso - Founder & CEO Rolli
“I had the pleasure of working with Arina on Rolli, where she was instrumental in designing our application's front-end and website. From the outset, Arina impressed us all with her exceptional design skills, a keen eye for aesthetics, and a deep understanding of the best UX practices.
Arina's approach to design is both methodical and creative, ensuring that not only does the product look beautiful, but it also provides an intuitive and seamless user experience. Her work has significantly contributed to improving user engagement and satisfaction. Beyond her technical skills, Arina's collaborative spirit and ability to communicate complex design principles in an understandable way made her an invaluable asset to our team. Simply put, she is a pleasure to work with!
Anyone looking for a designer who can truly bridge the gap between user needs and aesthetic excellence would be lucky to have Arina on their team. She's not just a talented professional but a true team player who brings out the best in those around her. I wholeheartedly recommend Arina for any endeavors she chooses to pursue in the UX/UI design space and look forward to our continued work together.”