Mad Men Media
Bringing multiple radio stations into one usable listening experience
Designing a shared SaaS platform that keeps listening simple while supporting growth
UX, Interface , Product design, Design system
Listening worked, but only if you already knew where everything was.
From a user perspective, switching stations meant switching behaviours, layouts, and expectations. Controls moved. Navigation changed. Even loyal listeners had to pause and re-orient themselves, which is the last thing you want in an audio product designed to fit around daily life.
From a team perspective, there was no shared UX logic or design system. Every new station increased complexity, slowed delivery, and raised the risk of inconsistency. Growth was happening, but the platform underneath it wasn’t built to support it.
before
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after
How people actually listen to radio today, and what that meant for the design.
Listening behaviour is short, frequent, and often distracted. People dip in and out, switch stations, and listen while doing other things. The interface needs to stay out of the way while remaining dependable and familiar.
On the internal side, repetition mattered more than bespoke moments. Clear rules, reusable patterns, and consistency were essential. The system needed to work just as well for engineers maintaining it as it did for listeners using it.
Consistency matters most when people just want to listen.
Designing alongside product and engineering, not in a separate lane.
This work was done in close collaboration with product and engineering teams. Decisions were made early, tested quickly, and grounded in how the platform needed to function long-term.
Mapped listening behaviour across mobile, desktop, and large screens
Designed a shared UX and interface system that could support multiple brands
Built a dark-led visual language to support clarity and contrast
Created reusable components for navigation, player, schedules, and presenter views
Tested layouts to ensure the system held up as stations were added
A consistent listening experience across stations and devices, with a platform that can grow without friction.
A familiar listening experience that scales without friction.
Listeners can now move between stations without stopping to think. The experience feels familiar and dependable, even as brands change. Listening time improved because the interface no longer competes for attention.
For the internal team, new stations can be added using the same system with minimal design effort. Two additional stations have already been folded into the platform without redesigning the core experience.
deliverables
Creating one system that works across brands without flattening them
We designed a shared UX and interface system that behaved the same way across all stations, regardless of brand. Navigation, player controls, schedules, and presenter pages followed the same logic everywhere, so users never had to relearn the product.
A dark-led interface allowed each station’s brand colours to stand out clearly without overwhelming the experience. This supported real-world use and gave visual distinction without noise.
The audio player remained visible and accessible at all times, particularly on desktop, ensuring listening was never interrupted by browsing or navigation.
Hey! I'm Eloïse
I work across brand, website and product design for service led businesses and tech teams that are already up and running.
I’ve worked with businesses at many stages. As things grow, the experience often needs tightening so it keeps working for users and teams alike.
I focus on clarity, structure and usability, and I work collaboratively with clients and developers to make design decisions that hold up over time.
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