Overview
Executive leadership wanted recurring revenue and more customer value out of what had always been a one-time purchase: the DNA kit. Traits was the answer. A premium add-on reading Sensory, Physical, and Nutrition traits from a customer’s own DNA, it helps people understand more about their body, answers questions like “where did I get my blonde hair”, and lets them compare themselves with family and friends to see how alike they really are.
I led design across web, iOS, and Android, from a shelved health product to a beta in three months. The call that mattered most came after that beta: research and competitive analysis showed the experience read like a textbook and looked like everything else on the market. So we pivoted it from scientific to emotional, and I directed the custom photography that brought the human back into it.
Getting There
Traits started as a project to figure out how to create a health product. Over time, goals changed and the product needed a pivot. We put a beta in front of real customers in twelve weeks and launched fully in a little over six months, in time for the holidays. I collaborated closely with my product and engineering director peers to launch the first new stand-alone product for Ancestry within the last 5 years. The Traits product re-launch went through multiple business goals and changes in direction from executive leadership, including accelerated timelines and launches.
Throughout the product history I lead the overall vision and product strategy, creating first-in-market DNA features. I also lead a shift in the visual design of our products to move the company towards a more emotional experience, leveraging my background as a photographer. This product helped to set a new direction for the companies products, and created re-usable patterns for designers.
15+
teams coordinated across the org to ship it
Beta in twelve weeks, full launch in a little over six months, in time for the holidays.
Overview
Highlights
Key moments and responsibilities
Overview
Results & Metrics
+326%
increase in weekly visits across all DNA products
75% customer satisfaction, a 40% take rate, and Amazon's Choice for DNA Test at 4.5 stars.
Design Details
Ancestry DNA Traits was launched as a brand-new product through an iterative process across the web, iOS, and Android. I lead/directed the entire design process, including directing the custom photography.
This is a high-level overview. In interviews and presentations I go deeper on strategy, process, and my direct contribution — get in touch if you'd like to see it.
