Information architecture

One of the first design challenges was defining a structure that gave executive users a clear sense of priority and direction.

Following design partner sessions, we identified two core areas for organizing the experience and structuring the data: Performance Overview and KPI Tracker. Each served a distinct purpose and included its own alerts.

To create a clearer structure, we separated these monitoring modes into tabs. This established a stronger hierarchy, reduced cognitive load, and made both sections easier to scale over time.

Different organizations used different KPIs, reporting structures, and priorities, so we introduced Settings to make the workspace configurable based on user needs.

In Settings, users could customize widgets, configure alerts, and shape the workspace around their priorities. They could also create multiple views tailored to different business contexts and KPI structures.

This shifted the experience from a static dashboard to a flexible executive workspace.

Performance overview

The main challenge in Holistic Performance was fitting a large amount of data into one place without making it feel overwhelming. The goal was to support step-by-step exploration while keeping the broader context visible. It was also important that drill-in would not send users to separate pages or modal windows.

Instead of replacing the chart or moving users into a different view, I designed an expandable widget that revealed two additional levels within the same component.

This created a clearer relationship between the levels. The top chart stayed as the main view, and each next level opened based on the one before it. As a result, the drill-in felt intuitive, responsive, and clear.

This widget went through a long refinement process. I worked closely with developers to polish the interaction, think through edge cases, and make sure the experience felt robust, predictable, and well resolved across different scenarios.

KPI Tracker

This tab depended on a selected Media Plan, which users chose in the Executive HQ settings. It was originally introduced as Budget Oversight, focused on tracking performance against planned budget targets. Later, as the Media Plan expanded to support additional metrics, the tab evolved with it and was renamed to KPI Tracker, becoming a broader tool for goal monitoring.

In contrast to Holistic Performance, which was designed for exploration, this view was built for quick status reading. Similar to Holistic Performance, I paired the main widget with Alerts placed directly below it, helping users spot the most important signals without having to investigate the data on their own.

This widget also supported drill-in, but the logic was different. Since users did not need to see all hierarchy levels at once, I used breadcrumbs to guide them deeper into the structure step by step and keep the focus on one area at a time.

Visual Background

Another challenge was balancing information density with visual appeal. Executive HQ needed to be highly informative but still engaging enough to stay open on a large screen in an office.

With limited design resources, we approached this creatively. We generated a landscape image symbolizing a holistic view and layered two animated cloud layers above it to add subtle motion and depth.

The clouds moved slowly from left to right and paused when the cursor hovered over the main content to avoid distraction. The effect was created by looping the horizontal movement of two PNG layers.

The concept was also scalable. The cloud layers could be replaced with seasonal visuals, such as snow during winter holidays, without changing the core layout.

Spotlights

Spotlights were introduced later in the project as a new layer of executive insights for both tabs. Since they were relevant across Holistic Performance and KPI Tracker, they needed to sit higher in the hierarchy and appear above the tabs.

Their role was to surface the most important insights immediately. Each Spotlight worked as an informative card on its own, while Explore led to a dedicated page where users could investigate the key drivers behind each insight in more detail.

One of the main design challenges was figuring out how to present Spotlights in a way that felt prominent without disrupting the overall experience. Because the area behind them included a visual background with floating clouds and illustration, I used a glass effect for the cards. This helped preserve the visual appeal of the page while keeping the Spotlights readable and distinct.

Since Spotlights were refreshed monthly, users needed a way to collapse them after review without losing access to them later. I made the section collapsible, and when it was hidden, a floating button appeared in the top-right corner of the screen to bring it back.

Outcome

Executive HQ turned fragmented analytics into a more focused executive monitoring experience. Instead of relying on multiple reports and sources, users could track performance trends, monitor goals, and spot issues in one configurable workspace tailored to their business structure.

The initiative also helped extend the product’s value beyond execution teams by making it more relevant for executive stakeholders. In doing so, it supported broader business goals around engagement, retention, and upsell.

From a design perspective, the project reinforced the importance of clear hierarchy in data-heavy environments. Separating monitoring modes, surfacing insights through Spotlights, and keeping drill-in interactions within context helped make the experience easier to scan without losing analytical depth.

It also reinforced a principle I keep returning to in complex products: executive users do not need every detail at once. They need a clear starting point, the right signals, and the ability to go deeper only when necessary.