Maxon App Redesign — Streamlining Licensing & Navigation at Scale
Led end-to-end UX/UI overhaul for Maxon’s flagship desktop app, improving navigation clarity and license management for a global user base.
Process
Goals
Improve product and license discoverability
Reduce time and effort to manage licenses
Ensure the app aligns with updated design system standards
Create a scalable structure for future product additions
Research & Insights
Conducted heuristic review and competitive benchmarking (Adobe CC, Autodesk, etc.)
Mapped existing flows, identifying redundant navigation paths and unclear license terminology
Analyzed support tickets to pinpoint common user pain points, especially around license states and status errors
Design Approach
Information Architecture: Flattened hierarchy, grouping features by core tasks (Manage, Install, Learn)
License Model: Developed visual states for Active, Expired, Trial, and Pending with clear call-to-actions
Navigation: Moved from nested menus to a persistent sidebar for faster access
Onboarding: Reduced steps from 5 to 3 for first-time users, aligning messaging with marketing tone
Design System: Applied Maxon DS components, adding missing patterns for modals and alerts
Challenge
Power users and newcomers struggled with finding products, managing licenses, and understanding license states. Navigation was inconsistent, leading to higher support load and slower task completion.
My Role
Senior UX/UI Designer — led end-to-end redesign (IA, navigation, license model, DS alignment). Team: 2 designers, 1 PM, 3 developers.
35%
25%
Increase in user retention
84%
APP Information Architect
Maxon APP UX Strategy Mapping
Channels
Exploration Of The New Design / Research Findings
General consensus liked the overall new prototype
“Better than the old (current) Maxon App
Expect the product page to be the landing screen for the Maxon App, not Discover or community
Prefers an interface when I don’t need to scroll through the app so much - they want a simple, hassle-free experience
Product categorisation is tested by users and we have made few versions of changes
Update product user flow
Most users said the flow is logical, and provides clearer information about the updates
Likes that every product is on the same page
Would like to see updated flow on the product
Community & Discovery
Tutorial- users mostly rely on the resources and platforms they are already comfortable and familiar with, such as YouTube or websites as their primary source
Only interested in content related to the products they use
News- they read Maxon news via Instagram and emails - platforms they already use.
*Advanced-level users have different behaviors than less advanced-level users regarding tutorial, news and community.
Bad Homburg, Germany
2023
E-commerce
$1.578 billion (2024)
500+
Results
–35% average time to manage licenses
+80% perceived intuitiveness in post-launch surveys
Reduced licensing-related support tickets (internal tracking)
Highlights
Rebuilt information architecture for clarity and scalability
Designed new license status model with clear visual states
Simplified onboarding and download flows
Unified UI components with design system integration
Collaborated with devs to ensure smooth rollout across platforms
Learnings
Cross-team workshops early in the process reduced later rework
Small UI copy changes had a significant impact on the comprehension of license states
Building DS components in parallel with feature design sped up handoff and dev QA
Conclusion
The modernization of the subscription management platform successfully addressed the core usability issues and improved the overall user experience. By focusing on simplifying the interface and optimizing workflows, we were able to create a more efficient and enjoyable platform for users. The significant improvements in user engagement, satisfaction, and subscription rates underscore the importance of user-centric design in achieving business success.