Streamlining Header Navigation to Align User Goals With a Cleaner Experience

A refreshed header design for Air Miles that prioritized clarity, scalability, and modern UX — built on validated research and shaped by strategic design thinking.

My Role

UX Designer

Team

UXD, UXR, UX Analytics

Timeline

3 Weeks

Platforms

Responsive Web (Desktop + Mobile)

What I Learned

This project reinforced the importance of zooming out — not just executing on a provided brief, but stepping back to assess how well each piece aligns with the bigger picture.

While I began with a clean execution of the proposed IA, I quickly realized the collector experience wasn’t cohesive across each section. By identifying inconsistencies in how navigation patterns were applied, I was able to design a more unified, scalable system that better reflected the project’s original goals.

I also learned how to respectfully challenge decisions with design rationale, leading to buy-in from both UX data and research teams. The process highlighted how thoughtful critique and curiosity can elevate a good solution into something much stronger.

Overview & Context

Project Overview

As part of a broader effort to modernize the Air Miles digital experience, I was tasked with redesigning the site’s global header — one of the most high-traffic, high-impact components across the entire platform.

This work was driven by a newly validated information architecture from our UX Data and Research teams. I translated those findings into a refreshed design, then iterated on the solution based on my own design thinking and usability principles.

The result? A simplified, responsive header that better supports user goals while staying true to the updated Air Miles brand.

Why This Work Was Necessary

The existing site header was overly complicated — a reflection of the Air Miles program itself, which had long been seen as difficult to navigate. Users often didn’t know where to go or how to get what they needed.

Our goal? To simplify. We set out to design a header that helped guide collectors toward what they actually wanted to accomplish during a given session — whether that was checking their balance, redeeming miles, or learning how to earn more.

At the same time, we had to:

Align with the newly launched Air Miles rebrand
Support a new site architecture from the UX Data & Research teams
Ensure usability across devices, with accessibility top of mind

My Role

Translated UX Data & Research findings into actionable design solutions
Reimagined the global navigation through user-centered design thinking
Presented iterations and rationale to stakeholders and internal teams
Ensured alignment with the newly launched Air Miles brand guidelines
Collaborated closely with developers to prep designs for implementation

Understanding The Problem

Information Overload, Scattered Access

The existing header was a reflection of the Air Miles program: complex, overwhelming, and full of competing priorities. Collectors had to sift through a maze of links and dropdowns, often without clear paths to what they actually wanted to do — whether that was checking their balance, redeeming miles, or browsing offers.

What Users Actually Needed

Through collaboration with the UX Data and Research teams, we uncovered key user goals:

Quick access to account info (e.g., balance, profile)
Clarity between Dream and Cash Miles
A smoother path to browse and redeem rewards
Simplified, task-oriented navigation rather than brand-centered structure

Executing the Initial Vision

Designing from UX Research

I started by creating a clean, modular design based entirely on the new information architecture provided by the UX Data and Research teams. Their structure was sound — backed by validated user behavior insights — and it gave me a strong foundation to begin with.

Spotting the Inconsistencies

Once the layout was in place, I took a step back and noticed a pattern: while the IA was logical, the visual weight of the navigation items was off.

Two of the three main nav categories were simple dropdowns, while only one featured a full mega menu — creating an imbalance in hierarchy and collector experience. This misalignment made the header feel visually lopsided and inconsistent with the stylistic goals of the rebrand.

Seeing Beyond the Brief

Taking Ownership of the Experience

Rather than stop at just executing the provided IA, I re-evaluated the structure with a design lens. I explored ways to bring equal presence and clarity to all three primary nav sections — giving each one a proper place in the experience and reflecting their true importance to collectors.

I pitched a refined structure that introduced cohesive mega menus across the board — simplifying choices while visually guiding users toward core goals like checking their balance, browsing offers, or redeeming rewards.

Final Designs

Simplified, Consistent, Collector-Focused

The redesigned header delivers a cleaner, more intuitive experience that reflects both user research and thoughtful design decisions. All three primary navigation categories now use consistent mega menu layouts — improving balance, scannability, and visual clarity.

Key Improvements:

Unified mega menu styling for all top-level links
Clearer information hierarchy within each dropdown
Strategic grouping of links based on collector intent
Enhanced readability through spacing, dividers, and label styling
Integrated rebrand visual elements for consistency across the site

Guiding Users, Not Just Listing Links

Rather than stop at just executing the provided IA, I re-evaluated the structure with a design lens. I explored ways to bring equal presence and clarity to all three primary nav sections — giving each one a proper place in the experience and reflecting their true importance to collectors.

I pitched a refined structure that introduced cohesive mega menus across the board — simplifying choices while visually guiding users toward core goals like checking their balance, browsing offers, or redeeming rewards.