The Challenge
I joined Callisto as the team scaled from 15 to over 50 designers. Most hires came from traditional publishing backgrounds, and every designer was solving the same layout and process problems in isolation.
My work focused on embedding scalable systems that raised the team's UX maturity and reduced design friction during this period of rapid growth.
My Process
1. Bridging Data & Design
When I joined, the company was positioned as a data-driven publishing company, set to upend the book market. But in practice, the data team identified market opportunities, and then the content and design teams worked from static handoff documents. I helped close that gap, integrating data-informed iteration and independent research directly into the design process.
2. Building Layout Systems
The org had a single shared template as an 'onboarding' solution, but no design patterns, and only oversight from the design director as process oversight. I initiated and led the creation of six layout systems, mapped to our core categories (psychology, parenting, health, etc.), and delivered them via InDesign templates with a component library in Adobe CC Libraries.
3. A/B Testing & Accessibility
I initiated a cover redesign project using advertising performance data, creating alternate cover versions for underperforming titles and coordinating test schedules with the ad team. I also integrated accessibility standards into our visual systems, including color contrast and typography, and created a custom icon library to support recipe category tagging.
Key Outcomes
- Template adoption org-wide
- Design effort per title dropped significantly (quantified via Toggl data)
- Cover testing led to measurable performance gains in multiple categories
- UX standards and accessibility practices became part of onboarding
Project Images
Lessons Learned
This was product design without a digital product. I didn't just build templates—I redesigned how the org worked.
The systems I put in place outlived the team that built them, demonstrating the lasting impact of thoughtful organizational design and scalable UX systems.