A secure, multi-role platform MVP for end-of-life planning, building, and managing memorial websites.
Picture this: The product is best understood as a multi-role platform similar to The Knot, but for end-of-life planning and memorial websites.
This and Beyond
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My role
Sole Product Designer (0→1)
Timeline
6 Weeks
Scope
Marketing Website
Planner & Mourner Dashboards Planner & Mourner Editor Memorial Microsite
Design System
Constraints
No existing product, evolving requirements, MVP definition in parallel with design
Platforms
Web, Mobile, Public site
Launch
Soon
Overview
This & Beyond is an end-of-life planning platform designed to help people plan ahead while they’re alive - and support loved ones when the time comes. The product needed to serve two distinct user modes (Planner and Mourner), support emotionally sensitive workflows, and scale from personal planning to a public memorial experience.
The founder often described the vision as “The Knot for after-life planning”—a familiar mental model that guided many design decisions around structure, tone, and usability.
in progress
This case study is currently being updated. Some sections and visuals are in progress but still show the overall design process and outcomes.
Why this project was complex
Design a complex, multi-role platform without overwhelming users
Support long-form, emotionally heavy inputs (life stories, messages, instructions)
Ensure a smooth transition from Planner → Mourner without loss of context
Create an MVP that felt complete enough to build in Bubble, without over-engineering
My approach
I focused on clarity over novelty and structure over surface polish - prioritizing:
Clear mental models
Progressive disclosure
Reusable systems
Strong handoff for no-code development
The core of the work centered on dashboards and editors, where most complexity lived.
Focused Area: Dashboards & Editors
I focused most of my effort on the internal dashboards and editors, where users needed clarity, guidance, and confidence while working through emotionally heavy tasks.
Full user workflow
Starting with the marking site and sign up and ending with a full Memorial website, this is how the users navigate through.
Planner: signs up
Planner: uploads important documents, leaves notes and instructions for after-life-planning, & adds favorite photos, life stories - as much or as little as they are comfortable with.
Mourner: After the planner's passing, a link is automatically sent to their assigned loved ones. The mourners now picks up where the planer left off and publishes the Memorial website.
Visitors: Visitors can view the Memorial website, find service information, and select gifts for the family.
Public users: Search through public Memorials and Obituaries and read blog articles on important after-life planning topics.
Additional screens
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Testing and accessibility
I conducted early usability testing with older adults, including users who regularly read obituaries and memorials online. This helped validate the overall structure while surfacing clarity issues around terminology (e.g., memorial vs. obituary) and expectations for content order.
Design decisions prioritized accessibility and cognitive ease: clear language, large tap targets, high contrast, predictable navigation, and progressive disclosure to avoid overwhelming users during emotionally sensitive tasks. Feedback directly informed refinements to dashboard hierarchy, progress indicators, and the memorial viewing experience.
Design System & Handoff
A lean design system was created to support MVP development:
Core components (buttons, inputs, cards, navigation)
Defined states (hover, disabled, empty, error)
Layout and width guidelines for marketing pages, dashboards, and microsites
Interaction notes tailored for Bubble implementation
All designs were delivered with developer-ready organization and documentation.
What This Project Demonstrates
Designing for emotionally complex, real-world scenarios
Structuring multi-role SaaS platforms
Translating ambiguity into clear, scalable systems
Balancing MVP constraints with long-term product vision
Designing with developers in mind from day one
Next Steps
This case study is actively being refined as the product moves forward. Future iterations will include additional validation, expanded metrics, and deeper UI polish as the platform launches and evolves.
