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Torx Design System

Redefining Complex Software Through Design Standards

Redefining Complex Software Through Design Standards

Redefining Complex Software Through Design Standards

Role:

Role:

Project Lead

Project Lead

Industry:

Industry:

Scientific Software

Scientific Software

Users want consistency, predictability, and familiarity when engaging with any digital solution.

As the Lead UX Specialist at Cresset, I led the creation of a unified Scientific UI Kit and Design System for Torx, a collaborative project between Cresset and Elixir. Torx is the first platform to fully integrate the four key stages of small molecule discovery; Design, Make, Test, Analyze — into a single cohesive software.


Previously, each module had been built independently, resulting in inconsistent UI patterns that complicated workflows for scientists and engineers. My mission was to standardise the interface across these modules, creating a seamless and efficient experience for users while supporting the platform's complex scientific needs.

Users want consistency, predictability, and familiarity when engaging with any digital solution.

As the Lead UX Specialist at Cresset, I led the creation of a unified Scientific UI Kit and Design System for Torx, a collaborative project between Cresset and Elixir. Torx is the first platform to fully integrate the four key stages of small molecule discovery; Design, Make, Test, Analyze — into a single cohesive software.


Previously, each module had been built independently, resulting in inconsistent UI patterns that complicated workflows for scientists and engineers. My mission was to standardise the interface across these modules, creating a seamless and efficient experience for users while supporting the platform's complex scientific needs.

This work is confidential. Get in touch for more details on the full case study

This work is confidential. Get in touch for more details on the full case study

This work is confidential. Get in touch for more details on the full case study

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Collaborative Success

Throughout this project, I worked closely with the entire product team, from product managers and graphic designers to developers and application scientists. This cross-functional collaboration ensured that the design system was not just visually appealing, but also technically sound and highly practical for real-world use in biomolecular discovery.

KEY Problems

The challenge was twofold:

  • Inconsistent UI: Torx's four modules (Design, Make, Test, Analyze) had unique, disconnected interfaces, slowing down users and adding unnecessary friction to the discovery process.

  • Need for Speed: Our Devs and Application Scientists needed an intuitive and reliable interface that could reduce the time spent on demos, evaluations, and everyday use in high-stakes environments.

The vision was clear: How might we build a system that wouldn’t just be a static artefact, but a living tool that would evolve with Torx, seamlessly integrating with ongoing development and scientific breakthroughs.

Solution

The First Scientific UI Kit for Small Molecule Discovery

The First Scientific UI Kit for Small Molecule Discovery

I worked closely with product managers, graphic designers, developers, and application scientists to create a design system that wasn’t just a static artefact but a living, dynamic tool. The goal was to ensure consistency, scalability, and speed across all modules while offering flexibility for future enhancements.

Core Features

Detailed Design Guidelines & Unified Interface

The UI Kit brought visual and functional consistency across Torx’s four core modules, transforming the user experience by making interactions intuitive and fluid, no matter which module users navigated.

Specialised Scientific Components

  • Introduced highly specialised components, such as chemistry, biology and genetic elements, ensuring that the system catered directly to the needs of molecular scientists.

  • Enhanced data visualisation tools, including customisable charts, mini charts, plots, complex tables and heatmaps.

Detailed Design Guidelines & Unified Interface

The UI Kit brought visual and functional consistency across Torx’s four core modules, transforming the user experience by making interactions intuitive and fluid, no matter which module users navigated.

Specialised Scientific Components

  • Introduced highly specialised components, such as chemistry, biology and genetic elements, ensuring that the system catered directly to the needs of molecular scientists.

  • Enhanced data visualisation tools, including customisable charts, mini charts, plots, complex tables and heatmaps.

Faster, More Realistic Prototyping

The system included interactive components for more realistic prototyping, allowing the engineering team to quickly develop demos that closely mimic the real software. This reduced the time spent on client demos and internal evaluations, making the platform more accessible and understandable for users.

Flexible Customisation & Thematic Control

Integrated seamless theme-switching and easy customisation of fonts, colours, and styles to ensure brand consistency without affecting core functionalities.

Faster, More Realistic Prototyping

The system included interactive components for more realistic prototyping, allowing the engineering team to quickly develop demos that closely mimic the real software. This reduced the time spent on client demos and internal evaluations, making the platform more accessible and understandable for users.

Flexible Customisation & Thematic Control

Integrated seamless theme-switching and easy customisation of fonts, colours, and styles to ensure brand consistency without affecting core functionalities.

Impact

By unifying the design across Torx's modules and creating an adaptive design system, we saw immediate benefits:

  • Reduced Development Time: The design system allowed the engineering team to work faster and more efficiently. With reusable components and a unified visual language, less time was spent on UI inconsistencies, allowing developers to focus on building innovative features.

  • Faster Demos and Evaluations: The intuitive design reduced the time needed to showcase Torx to potential clients. Application scientists could easily guide users through the platform, highlighting the tool’s full potential without getting bogged down in complex interfaces.

  • Enhanced User Experience: Scientists using Torx for small molecule discovery found the interface more cohesive and easier to navigate, leading to faster decision-making and better outcomes in their research.

Outcomes

  • 80+ hours saved per week through scalable design system that streamlined internal processes, reducing development time by 30% and ensuring that our team could rapidly deliver new features and improvements.

  • Revolutionised platform experience and collaboration for clients through the more cohesive and intuitive interface that transformed how users interact with the platform. This unified design not only boosted user engagement but also "revolutionised communication and prioritisation" for clients, improving workflows with external partners and accelerating key molecule delivery. - Associate Director, Medicinal Chemistry, Cambridge Biotech

  • Clients like Monte Rosa appreciated the platform's integration with in house databases and its adaptability to growing needs. The design system I built future-proofed the product, enabling effortless scaling to support expanding workflows.

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