Introduction
Founded in 2017, Cleo AI has redefined the financial tech landscape with its innovative chatbot-driven app. In August 2021, I joined the company as their first Design Manager, shortly after their Series B raise. Reporting directly to the VP of Product, I took on the responsibility of leading and scaling the product design team.
At the time, Cleo was a dynamic, rapidly growing company with around 70 employees spread across the US and EMEA. My team consisted of five full-time product designers, all of whom reported to me. Cleo is not a bank, but a cutting-edge financial tool that leverages bank connections, data enrichment, and strategic partnerships to deliver unique financial services.
Team
In 2021-22, I spearheaded the expansion of our product design function, tripling the team from 5 to 12 designers. This involved defining clear career progression paths, coaching performance, and mentoring designers to elevate their skills.
Some key accomplishments include:
- Establishing a new portfolio checklist that streamlined the talent team’s hiring process.
- Hiring and onboarding over 8 product designers within six months.
- Developing a comprehensive progression framework for product design levels, encompassing both leadership and craft tracks.
- Creating detailed career development plans for all 11 reports, setting benchmarks and defining essential product design skills.
- Empowering senior designers to take on leadership roles by coaching them to establish their own reporting lines.
- Mentoring the team in advanced design skills, including micro-interactions (in After Effects), 3D Design (Blender and Three.js), and Vector Animations (Lottie.js).
- Partnering with UXR and UXW leads to organize an experience chapter event in London, engaging over 20 staff members over a two days event of workshops and team-building.
Sprints
Our efforts in design sprints led to significant improvements in key metrics for the Cleo mobile app:
↗ 42 %
Uplift in overall subscribers, Q4 2021 — Cleo mobile app
↓ 33 %
Reduction in subscriber churn in Q4 2021 — Cleo mobile app
I facilitated design sprints across cross-functional teams, fostering innovation and enabling rapid onboarding of new teams by mapping back-end architecture and system designs. Key achievements include:
- Launching the Cleo Card and leading a comprehensive brand refresh across iOS, Android, social media, and web platforms.
- Developing frameworks for central hypotheses, prioritization, and impact tactics that became integral to our product development process.
Pillars
Collaborating with the C-suite, I played a pivotal role in defining the customer-centered product pillars that shaped our broader product organization. I was deeply involved in creating our Series C pitch materials, refining product strategy, and honing our messaging.
Furthermore, I implemented a new content strategy that integrated data science into our chat pillar. This initiative not only enhanced our content feeds but also provided valuable mentoring to team members on applying machine learning techniques.
Quality Assurance
To support our growing creative output, I established Cleo LABs (our design system team) and Cleo Studio (an in-house agency model). These initiatives were crucial in maintaining high-quality design standards as we scaled.
Additionally, I led a comprehensive UX and accessibility audit of our app, ensuring a seamless user experiences end to end. I also supported the development of dynamic user and event actions in our admin panel, enabling more effective functional testing across our cross-functional teams.
Conclusion
My tenure at Cleo AI has been marked by transformative growth, both for the design team and the company as a whole. By building a robust product design function, driving innovation through strategic sprints, and establishing key product pillars, I contributed to Cleo’s success in delivering a user-centric, innovative financial app. My focus on quality assurance and team development set a strong foundation for Cleo’s future, ensuring our design practices not only met but exceeded industry standards.