Condé Nast
AD PRO Directory
A directory product connecting users with vetted designers and architects, with a focus on discovery and lead generation.
Background and context
Architectural Digest — with over 100 years of heritage — is one of Condé Nast's most prestigious brands. They are a highly regarded voice within the interior design and architecture industry, for both residential and commercial sectors.
With thousands of high profile companies subscribed to the Pro version of Architectural Digest, an opportunity was spotted to provide a new resource, connecting homeowners and renovators with vetted architects, interior designers and landscape professionals through a curated, paid-listing directory.
Role and approach
As design lead for this project, I worked closely with the Product Manager and Senior AD Editors to define what the MVP version of this wholly new product should be.
There were many touch-points to consider, both internally and externally. Companies wanting to join the Directory would be vetted, so had to build out the following user experiences:
- Marketing website
- Business application form
- Application approval process
- Payment Flow
- The channel page on AD's website
- The business listing and search page
- The business profile page template
- Account management & settings
As the sole designer, I had my work cut-out to essentially design an enterprise product to launch the MVP within an ambitious 10 month period.
Where possible, I used existing components from Condé Nast's mature design system. However, there were many components and experiences I had to design from scratch - ensuring that the entire internal and external user experience, worked as a 'steel thread' from beginning to end.
I worked with a small dedicated team of US & India based developers to ensure design handover and QA was done in a timely manner.
Outcome
The AD Pro Directory launched on time, in January 2023. It also achieved its 100-member launch target ahead of schedule, and over 2,000 businesses have since joined the directory.
Despite increasing the annual listing fee from $1,500 to $2,000, demand continues to grow — establishing the AD PRO Directory as an impressive new revenue stream for the brand.
One of the key 'legacy' challenges we had to work with - was that we had to work across 2 distinctly different brands. The b2c brand, Architectural Digest (AD) had its own distinct branding. Whilst sitting alongside this was the b2b brand, AD Pro. Each brand had its own set of branding, and their own websites.
The AD PRO Directory was positioned in the dead centre of these 2 brands, by engaging directly with both b2c and b2b users. With no time to consider a complete rebrand for either brand, we somehow had to dovetail the b2b Marketing acquisition journey into the AD b2c Directory proposition.
Far from ideal - but as we find ourselves often saying in the design industry… “It is what it is!” 😉
This product required it's own platform to approve and manage business applications. As each business wanting to join the directory had to submit an application form, the AD Editor would have then go through the vetting and approvel process.
This platform would serve as a communication and 'application status' system, allowing for Editors to communicate back directly to applicants, requesting edits to text or images, together with handling the payment and renewal process.
A new 'Find a Pro' channel was added to the AD website. This would serve as the gateway for consumers to seek out professionals.
Editors could feature and promote companies on the main channel page, or users could simply use the searable directory to seek out a professional best suited to their needs.
Businesses apply by submitting a pre-set of basic company information together with a description of their business which is then vetted by AD Editors. Once approved, a live Profile page is published wthin the Directory.
