Pharmaceutical research stands at the intersection of complexity and precision, where every tool and decision can impact the discovery of life-changing drugs. Merck faced a bold challenge: creating a cloud platform that could unify research tools, data, and workflows while empowering scientists to work smarter and faster.

The vision wasn’t just about technology. It was about crafting a user experience that would enable researchers to focus on innovation rather than navigating cumbersome systems.

A global leading pharmacy didn’t just need a design partner; they needed a strategic collaborator. Our mission was to translate their vision into a functional and intuitive platform that could serve as a foundation for groundbreaking research. This called for a multi-dimensional approach, combining strategic insight with creative execution.

We set out to:
- Define the vision: Establish a UX design strategy that aligned with cilent's goals and the realities of pharmaceutical research.
- Map the experience: Build a Service Design blueprint and Experience Map to clarify workflows and user interactions.- Lay the foundation: Co-author a design system to ensure consistency and scalability.
- Bring ideas to life: Create UI wireframes for dashboards, templates, and research management flows, turning abstract concepts into actionable solutions.

Every step was guided by deep collaboration. By working closely with cross-regional teams—including product managers, researchers, and engineers—we ensured the platform wasn’t just innovative but grounded in real user needs.

This project reinforced the power of collaboration. Close partnerships with product owners, analysts, and subject matter experts didn’t just help us understand the product—it helped us shape it.

We also learned that the real breakthroughs come from listening to users. Researchers shared their daily challenges and long-standing frustrations, and those conversations led to some of the most impactful features in the platform.

The process was a reminder that designing for complexity doesn’t mean adding complexity. It means finding clarity and simplicity within intricate systems.

The MVP equipped researchers with cutting-edge tools, seamlessly integrated into an ACN-managed AWS environment. For the first time, researchers had a platform that simplified data aggregation, management, and analysis, enabling them to focus on what truly mattered: driving innovation in drug discovery.

This success laid the foundation for INTIENT, a full-scale platform that’s now redefining how pharmaceutical research operates.