Ancestry

The challenge

Ancestry needed a brand-new DNA Traits product and a Family Search experience that could attract a younger demographic — people who'd never thought of genomics as something fun, personal, or gift-worthy.

The science was rich but intimidating. The job was to turn complex genetic data into a product that felt approachable and genuinely delightful to discover.

The approach

I designed Ancestry DNA Traits end to end — translating dense genetic results into a friendly, exploratory experience that invited people to keep discovering more about themselves.

In parallel, I redesigned Family Search around a more modern, approachable interaction model, lowering the barrier for a younger audience to start building and exploring their family story.

• Ancestry DNA Traits designed from 0 to 1
• Family Search reimagined for a younger demographic
• Complex genetic data made approachable and explorable

The outcome

The more inviting experience helped drive Ancestry DNA to the #1 spot on Amazon and tripled holiday-week web traffic — turning a science-heavy product into a mainstream gift people wanted to share.

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In detail

Ancestry.com, a pioneer in genealogical research, recognized the potential of integrating DNA technology with their existing core products - Genealogy and Family Search. We were tasked with executing on the vision and the development of Traits, Mosaic, Around the World products to appeal to a younger demographic and introducing a new generation to an old-timers hobby.

Ancestry's ambition was to bridge the gap between traditional genealogical research and biological lineage exploration. They wanted to create an integrated product that leveraged DNA test results to offer users insights into their heritage, personal traits, global connections, and more. Our challenge was to integrate a legacy system in a user-friendly and engaging way.