Brief 2.0
Brief is a law firm-facing CRM that provides visibility into claimant caseload, communications, and documentation. It’s a critical tool for our legal partners to track case progress, interact with case data, and have visibility into the contractual obligations.
Type
Case Study
Timeframe
1 Month
Toolkit
Figma, Thoughtspot Analytics, Microsoft Clarity, Zoom, Slack
Year
2024-2025
Problem
Brief’s original design, modeled after an email-style layout, created significant usability and scalability challenges. Narrow columns restricted functionality, while an oversized filter section and horizontal tabs limited flexibility and wasted valuable screen space. On top of these structural issues, the absence of cohesive branding weakened Brief’s connection to the larger Torticity product ecosystem, reducing both its impact and perceived value.
Solution
Brief was redesigned to address usability and scalability challenges. The new layout prioritized core user workflows, reduced clutter by de-emphasizing low-value filters, and improved navigation through clearer case tab organization. At the same time, the visual design was updated to create a cohesive look that aligns with branding, strengthening the product’s identity within the ecosystem and supporting long-term growth.
Business & Product Goals
Redesign Brief for long-term scalability
Increase usability and satisfaction for law firm users
Elevate product branding to strengthen the company's IP as we position for sale
Research & Insights
Using a mix of qualitative and quantitative methods, I identified the real usage patterns and pain points:
Qualitative (Survey & Word of Mouth)
Most active Brief user, “I like that it’s different from other CRMs. I can click through my cases really quickly without having to go back.”
Survey answers: 71% satisfaction with Brief as a whole
Heatmaps (Microsoft Clarity)
Most interaction: Search bar → first list item → navigation tabs inside case view
Least interaction: Most filters. Only 2–4 filters showed any significant use.
Session Recordings (Microsoft Clarity)
Reviewed ~30 sessions to analyze common user flows:
Log in → search for claimant → review tabs → log out
Log in → filter to unread messages → reply → exit
Click Tracking (Thoughtspot Analytics)
Validated top-used filters
Matter type
Case Status
7-day highlights
Unread messages
These insights confirmed that the interface was cluttered with low-value elements, like the left-side filters and lacked focus on primary user tasks.
Competitive Research
I explored popular e-commerce products to observe common filter patterns for their products.
Target, Walmart, Adidas, Etsy
Drawers were a common pattern I saw with large amounts of filters.
A big pro to a filter drawer is it provides a dedicated space to adjust filters without distraction.
Layout Ideation
Final Design
Before & After
Search and Filter Placement
New Branding
Results & Impact
+18.13% increase in daily active users
Positive law firm user feedback, including:
“This is so nice!”
“This is much easier to use—and it’s pretty.”
Engineering team reported smoother implementation due to clearer structure and prioritized features
