AdTech + Behavioral analytics
Designing a scalable AdTech ecosystem for 100M+ users
Product Design, Interaction Design, Prototyping
OVERVIEW
An enterprise-grade AdTech ecosystem designed at scale, where behavioral analytics, psychology, and data science converge to inform high-impact product decisions for 100M+ users.
Client
One of India’s largest OTT video platforms.
Project
Proprietary AdTech and Analytics Suite — replacing third-party BI tools.
Scope
Audience Management, Campaign Builder, Creative Approval, Analytics Dashboard, Forecasting (data lake)
Timeline
4 years (core build + maintenance).
My role
Lead Product Designer (UX/UI, Research, Testing, Systems Design, Stakeholder Alignment, Handover).
Team
~80 people across PMs, Engineers, Analysts, Scientists, and Designers.
THE CHALLENGE
Problem: Slow reporting & multiple unreliable BI tools.
There was a multitude of different tools, each handling parts of the analytics process, leading to a fragmented ecosystem reliant on disconnected data silos. Some data sets were synchronized less than once every 24 hours — unacceptable in this fast-paced industry. Decision-making was slow, collaboration fragmented, and teams struggled to trust the data.
Goal: Build one integrated platform to unify advertising, audience insights, and performance tracking — simple for daily users, yet powerful for data experts.
Previously, ad operations were handled manually through media houses, but the new self-serve platform empowered clients to launch and manage campaigns independently, transforming the workflow. At the same time, a robust Data Lake was created to unify all legacy data and enable advanced, organization-wide reporting — a major step forward for the industry.
Constraints:
- Evolving product scope (grew from 1 MVP to 4 full web apps).
- Remote collaboration during COVID.
- Constantly shifting priorities due to evolving stakeholder expectations.
- Dependency on multiple external vendors and data teams, requiring complex alignment.
DISCOVERY & RESEARCH
Stakeholder Mapping
- Identified 5 core stakeholder groups: Management, Product Owners, Marketing, Engineering and Media Houses (Clients).
- Conducted live co-design sessions to prioritize needs and reduce communication gaps.
User Research
- Early UX workshops to define key user segments.
- Later phases: interviews and contextual inquiries with campaign managers and analysts.
- Built detailed user personas and story maps to understand workflow pain points.
Market & Competitor Analysis
- Benchmarked tools like Google Ad Manager, Adobe Analytics, and Xandr.
- Identified opportunities in forecasting and creative approval — unique strengths for the Client.
DESIGN & STRATEGY
—> Due to NDA restrictions, only the structure of one application: Audience Manager — is shown as an example.
Modular SaaS Architecture
- Developed a modular design framework allowing teams to scale and extend without UI debt.
- Created core tokens, layout grids, and reusable components.
Live Design Sessions
- Hosted real-time design reviews using Figma and tablet sketches.
- Iterated directly with stakeholders to speed up alignment.
Design System
- Built a multi-brand design system usable across internal and vendor teams.
- Included templates, accessibility standards, and style documentation.
- Delivered full design fidelity and dev handoff specs.
PROTOTYPING & TESTING
- Rapid prototyping: from low-fidelity sketches to polished interactive prototypes.
- Tested with internal users (marketing, ad ops, BI) via remote moderated sessions.
- Iterated on navigation, data hierarchy, and custom audience builder.
ITERATION & VISUAL DESIGN
- Introduced neutral visual base with brand-accented highlights.
- Addressed contrast and time-zone (India) visibility issues for global teams.
- Introduced AI-driven creative approval workflows and real-time forecasting visuals.
- Adoption of Dark Mode and a fresh, modern vibe throughout the application.
- Dark Mode was designed to convey a premium, exclusive feel — something refined and sophisticated, not typically available to the average user.
LAUNCH & OUTCOMES
Results
- Unified 4 web apps under one consistent design system.
- Improved usability and cross-team efficiency.
- Adopted across departments, serving 100M+ monthly users.
- Eliminated dependency on external BI tools.
Impact
- Established scalable SaaS architecture for internal products.
- Set new design standards for analytics visualization for the industry.
KEY LEARNINGS
- Live design collaboration drives faster, better decisions.
- Modular systems are essential for long-term scalability.
- UX research must extend beyond internal teams.
- Consistency and structure outperform visual complexity.
RESULTS
After four years of continuous collaboration, design evolution, and strategic refinement, the Client’s Analytics Suite became the centerpiece of the company’s AdTech transformation. What started as a single MVP grew into a robust ecosystem of interconnected tools — reshaping how marketing, analytics, and content teams worked together.
The final suite introduced a new standard for efficiency and autonomy. Teams that once relied on manual processes could now access real-time analytics, build custom audiences, manage campaigns, and approve creatives in a few clicks. The integration of AI-driven forecasting and automated approval systems drastically reduced operational bottlenecks and improved accuracy across workflows.
The project also delivered complete design documentation and system architecture guidelines, enabling seamless collaboration between internal and external developers. Every feature was validated through user feedback, ensuring a perfect balance between performance and usability.
Today, the Client processes data from over 100 million Monthly Active Users, fully owning its AdTech stack — a milestone that positioned the company as a leader in data-driven digital media innovation.
Contact
Dribbble — @maciejantkowiak
LinkedIn — maciejantkowiak
Email — antkowiakmaciej@gmail.com
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