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

Scroll below to view full Memorial planning dashboard page.

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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.

Challenge

  • 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

User flow: detailing how information is shared from Planner User to the Mourner User and then to the Public

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.

Planning Dashboard

The Planner Dashboard was designed to guide users through pre-planning without overwhelming them, prioritizing clarity, sequencing, and emotional pacing. Each action is framed as optional and progress-based, allowing users to move at their own comfort level while still understanding what’s been completed and what remains.

The Planner Dashboard was designed to guide users through pre-planning without overwhelming them, prioritizing clarity, sequencing, and emotional pacing. Each action is framed as optional and progress-based, allowing users to move at their own comfort level while still understanding what’s been completed and what remains.

Planning Survey

A main component of the Planner's journey is the Planning survey. The survey should feel light, but is responsible for gathering important information around logistics, end of life plans and wishes.

A main component of the Planner's journey is the Planning survey. The survey should feel light, but is responsible for gathering important information around logistics, end of life plans and wishes.

Planning Survey

The Mourner Dashboard supports users stepping into an in-progress experience, often inheriting work completed by a loved one. The design focuses on continuity and reassurance—clearly surfacing existing content, progress status, and next steps so users immediately understand where they are picking up.

The Mourner Dashboard supports users stepping into an in-progress experience, often inheriting work completed by a loved one. The design focuses on continuity and reassurance—clearly surfacing existing content, progress status, and next steps so users immediately understand where they are picking up.

Memorial Microsite Editor

The Mourner picks up with creating the Memorial website after their loved one passes away. The memorial website translates structured inputs into a public-facing experience. Rather than feeling like “building a website,” the microsite feels like a natural extension of the planning process. Content-first layouts, familiar navigation, and gentle hierarchy make the experience approachable for all ages.

The Mourner picks up with creating the Memorial website after their loved one passes away. The memorial website translates structured inputs into a public-facing experience. Rather than feeling like “building a website,” the microsite feels like a natural extension of the planning process. Content-first layouts, familiar navigation, and gentle hierarchy make the experience approachable for all ages.

Obituary/Life Story Editor

Long-form writing required a different interaction model. Instead of small, scroll-within-scroll text areas, content expands into a focused editor state, allowing users to read and write comfortably. The editor supports both a traditional obituary and optional personal stories, keeping structure without limiting expression.

Long-form writing required a different interaction model. Instead of small, scroll-within-scroll text areas, content expands into a focused editor state, allowing users to read and write comfortably. The editor supports both a traditional obituary and optional personal stories, keeping structure without limiting expression.

Media Editor

Photos and videos are managed in a dedicated editor that balances simplicity and scale. The system supports captions, progressive loading, and flexible growth without overwhelming the page. The intent was to make contribution feel easy—even for less technical users.

Photos and videos are managed in a dedicated editor that balances simplicity and scale. The system supports captions, progressive loading, and flexible growth without overwhelming the page. The intent was to make contribution feel easy—even for less technical users.

Progress State Example

Progress is communicated using clear, human language rather than percentages. States are intentionally lightweight: Not started, In progress, Complete - with optional manual completion where “done” is subjective (like photos). This avoids false precision while still providing orientation.

Progress is communicated using clear, human language rather than percentages. States are intentionally lightweight: Not started, In progress, Complete - with optional manual completion where “done” is subjective (like photos). This avoids false precision while still providing orientation.

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.

The platform had to support private planning, post-loss execution, and a public-facing site - all using the same underlying content.

Planner Dashboard (private planning)

Planner User: Personal end of life planning. Once they pass, data is shared with the Mourner User

Mourner Dashboard (post-lost execution)

Memorial Website (public-facing site)

Additional screens

Other project components included a marketing website, a public space to search and view memorials, and a public blog with articles on various afterlife planning topics.

See a few of these screens below.

Find a Memorial screen

Ideas & Advice - Public blog screen

Memorial website - Gifts screen

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.

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