Clarity at Scale
REDESIGNING GRANT SEARCH FOR COMPLEX, MULTI-PERSONA DATA
Context
At Candid, two legacy products were consolidated into a unified platform, bringing together a massive dataset of grant information used by both nonprofits and foundations.
The challenge: enable users to quickly evaluate opportunities without overwhelming them or disrupting their search flow.
Problem
Users relied on search as their primary mode of discovery, but evaluating results required navigating away from the results page—creating friction, slowing decision-making, and increasing drop-off.
At the same time:
Data was dense and varied by persona
Performance constraints limited how much could be surfaced
The experience needed to scale across a unified system
The core question became:
How might we help users make informed decisions without leaving search?
Hypothesis
If we guided users through a short, goal-oriented quiz during exploration, they would:
Feel more confident in their selections
Reach relevant content faster
Be more likely to register for a course
Role and approach
Sole Product Designer
Led design direction end-to-end
Partnered closely with Product and Engineering
Defined information hierarchy and interaction patterns
Worked within an existing design system to ensure scalability and feasibility
Key product decisions
1. Prioritize clarity over completeness
Rather than surfacing all available data, I focused on the minimum information needed to make a decision.
Reduced cognitive load by limiting initial exposure
Structured content to support quick scanning
Deferred deeper detail to the full experience
This balanced usability with the platform’s data richness.
2. Keep users anchored in search
I introduced a preview pane that allowed users to explore key grant details without leaving results.
Maintained context and momentum
Reduced unnecessary navigation
Enabled faster comparison across options
This shifted search from a “click-through” model to a decision-support experience.
3. Reuse and extend existing system components
To ensure speed and feasibility, I leveraged an existing data visualization component and adapted it for the preview experience.
Reduced engineering lift
Maintained system consistency
Enabled faster iteration and delivery
Design decisions were made with system scalability and implementation in mind.
4. Balance data density with performance
Working closely with PM and Engineering, we made tradeoffs between:
amount of information displayed
load speed and responsiveness
Prioritized fast, usable access over exhaustive detail.
Design Approach
Rapid prototyping and iteration with PM
Two rounds of user testing (20 participants)
Continuous refinement of hierarchy and content prioritization
Close collaboration with engineering to stay within system constraints
The focus throughout was:
help users decide quickly, not just explore endlessly
Outcomes
75% faster data retrieval
4/5 user satisfaction score
Delivered from concept to launch in 6 weeks
Launched as a paid upgrade feature, contributing to subscription growth
Behavioral Impact
Users were able to evaluate opportunities directly within search
Reduced friction in early decision-making
Increased confidence before committing to deeper exploration
Learnings
Designing for complex data isn’t about showing more—it’s about helping users know what matters, faster.
This work reinforced:
The value of progressive disclosure in data-heavy environments
How small shifts in interaction (like staying in context) can drive meaningful behavior change
The importance of designing within constraints to ship impactful solutions quickly