LexisNexis

Making legal software intuitive

Org: LexisNexis

Role: User Experience Designer

Location: Raleigh, NC

Duration: 1 year (2019-2020)

LexisNexis asked our team to modernize CaseMap, a 20-year-old Windows-only application for managing legal cases. The mission was clear: move to the cloud, flatten the steep learning curve, and unify the experience with the company’s flagship products.

👉 Impact: Launched in late 2021 with strong adoption, praised for its intuitive design and seamless collaboration during remote work.

Challenges

  • Learning curve — users needed up to 6 weeks of training.

  • Outdated, confusing UI — mixed menus, poor hierarchy.

  • Inconsistent ecosystem — didn’t match Nexis or Lexis+.

Goals & Process

Goals

  1. Make the product intuitive enough to learn in minutes.

  2. Streamline workflows with modern design patterns.

  3. Ensure visual and functional cohesion across the LexisNexis cloud suite.

Process

  1. Discovery

  • User & SME interviews (including a “Product Historian” with 20+ years on CaseMap).

  • Competitor analysis & heuristic evaluation.

  • Information architecture mapping.

  1. Concept development

  • Whiteboarding sessions to explore UI patterns.

  • Grayscale wireframes to focus on structure, not polish.

  1. Concept testing

  • Early studies with legal professionals.

  • Tested navigation, case-building tools, and data tables.

  1. Prototyping

  • Built a robust Adobe XD component library.

  • Scaled to 200+ screens with consistent patterns.

  1. Usability testing

  • 14 participants across experience levels.

  • Weekly “User Fridays” sessions with observation + feedback.

  • Used Tetra Insights for transcription and coding.

  1. Refinement & handoff

  • Iterated continuously with product and engineering.

  • Shared design specs in Adobe XD for smoother dev collaboration.

Results

  • Successful launch (2021): Strong adoption by existing customers and new cloud subscribers.

  • Key win: Simpler interface + remote collaboration tools supported legal teams working through the pandemic.

  • Business value: Strengthened LexisNexis’ subscription-based cloud portfolio.

Legal Case Management & Analysis Solution | CaseMap+ AI | LexisNexis

CaseMap+ AI is legal case management software used to help analyze and track legal cases. Learn more about this litigation software with LexisNexis today.

CaseMap+ AI is legal case management software used to help analyze and track legal cases. Learn more about this litigation software with LexisNexis today.

Learnings

What worked well

  • Close collaboration across design, product, and engineering.

  • Frequent, iterative user testing.

What could improve

  • Broadened testing pool beyond superusers.

  • Start with true low-fidelity wireframes.

  • Plan earlier for mobile/tablet use cases.

  • More detailed handoff notes to engineering.

Projects

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