Moderna

Moderna

A global digital presence for a biotech leader redefining healthcare.

A global digital presence for a biotech leader redefining healthcare.

About

About

Moderna, a biotech company that exploded in popularity and investment interest through the pandemic, suddenly needed a global professional presence. Taking their simple wordpress site and lack of brand awareness, we explored a multitude of branded avenues to stand out against their pharmaceutical competitors. They had the sudden need to create sites within each of the countries that they were dispersing their mRNA COVID vaccine in. Crafting a composable design system to create a consistent brand identity across regional and national differences, incorporating language and locational nuance, the team and I were able to use atomic design methodology combined with a headless CMS (contentful) to empower everything from the versions of utility tools (checking the temperature of the vaccine vials) to the corporate investor information and product pipeline (for other upcoming mRNA vaccines).

Moderna, a biotech company that exploded in popularity and investment interest through the pandemic, suddenly needed a global professional presence. Taking their simple wordpress site and lack of brand awareness, we explored a multitude of branded avenues to stand out against their pharmaceutical competitors. They had the sudden need to create sites within each of the countries that they were dispersing their mRNA COVID vaccine in. Crafting a composable design system to create a consistent brand identity across regional and national differences, incorporating language and locational nuance, the team and I were able to use atomic design methodology combined with a headless CMS (contentful) to empower everything from the versions of utility tools (checking the temperature of the vaccine vials) to the corporate investor information and product pipeline (for other upcoming mRNA vaccines).

Role

Role

Product Design Principle

Product Design Principle

Platform

Platform

Web

Web

Client

Client

Moderna

Moderna

Type

Type

Digital Experience

Digital Experience

,

,

Biotech and Pharma

Biotech and Pharma

Year

Year

2021

2021

Focus

Focus

Scalable design system, rapid rollout of global vaccine content, healthcare storytelling

Scalable design system, rapid rollout of global vaccine content, healthcare storytelling

Challenge

Challenge

Moderna needed to evolve from a little-known biotech firm into a globally trusted healthcare brand. With demand for mRNA vaccines skyrocketing and country-specific requirements emerging rapidly, we had to build a digital presence that could scale fast—across languages, regulations, and audiences—without sacrificing clarity, trust, or brand integrity.

Moderna needed to evolve from a little-known biotech firm into a globally trusted healthcare brand. With demand for mRNA vaccines skyrocketing and country-specific requirements emerging rapidly, we had to build a digital presence that could scale fast—across languages, regulations, and audiences—without sacrificing clarity, trust, or brand integrity.

My Role

My Role

Led high-fidelity prototyping and hands-on UI execution

Collaborated with SMEs, strategy, and devs on global digital launches

Built and maintained a scalable component system in Figma

Contributed to brand expansion through digital interaction patterns

Supported multiple concurrent tracks of work under tight timelines

Led high-fidelity prototyping and hands-on UI execution

Collaborated with SMEs, strategy, and devs on global digital launches

Built and maintained a scalable component system in Figma

Contributed to brand expansion through digital interaction patterns

Supported multiple concurrent tracks of work under tight timelines

Focus

Focus

Across initiatives—mRNA education, vaccine logistics tools, MedHub for research documents, and Moderna’s corporate site—I partnered with stakeholders to define feature priorities and batch workstreams. We scoped out MVPs quickly and made strategic bets to serve a rapidly expanding global audience.

Across initiatives—mRNA education, vaccine logistics tools, MedHub for research documents, and Moderna’s corporate site—I partnered with stakeholders to define feature priorities and batch workstreams. We scoped out MVPs quickly and made strategic bets to serve a rapidly expanding global audience.

Insights

Insights

With limited access to real users, we leaned on a trusted in-house SME (a practicing physician) and client stakeholders. They helped us prioritize key information for healthcare professionals, investors, and the general public, with a mobile-first mindset—knowing many doctors would view this between patients, on the go.

With limited access to real users, we leaned on a trusted in-house SME (a practicing physician) and client stakeholders. They helped us prioritize key information for healthcare professionals, investors, and the general public, with a mobile-first mindset—knowing many doctors would view this between patients, on the go.

Hands On

Hands On

I built high-fidelity, motion-rich prototypes to communicate advanced concepts, transitions, and UI logic—essential for a company undergoing a brand evolution. These helped Moderna envision how their identity could scale beyond print and into a dynamic, trusted digital presence.

I built high-fidelity, motion-rich prototypes to communicate advanced concepts, transitions, and UI logic—essential for a company undergoing a brand evolution. These helped Moderna envision how their identity could scale beyond print and into a dynamic, trusted digital presence.

Systems

Systems

We built a composable, scalable design system using atomic methodology to support global rollouts. This included a modular UI library housed in Figma, paired with a headless CMS (Contentful) for flexible regional deployment. Typography, color, and motion were all defined early and expanded as needed.

We built a composable, scalable design system using atomic methodology to support global rollouts. This included a modular UI library housed in Figma, paired with a headless CMS (Contentful) for flexible regional deployment. Typography, color, and motion were all defined early and expanded as needed.

Outcome

Outcome

Enabled global rollout of country-specific vaccine sites

Launched mRNA education microsite, later featured on Jimmy Kimmel Live!

Supported Moderna’s transition into a recognizable global brand

Delivered a scalable system that empowered regional teams and CMS authors


Enabled global rollout of country-specific vaccine sites

Launched mRNA education microsite, later featured on Jimmy Kimmel Live!

Supported Moderna’s transition into a recognizable global brand

Delivered a scalable system that empowered regional teams and CMS authors


Highlights

Highlights

Built motion-animated prototypes to drive brand evolution

Designed within complex regulatory, accessibility, and translation needs

Created tools for public health and HCP audiences with mobile-first logic

Supported Moderna’s shift from pharma newcomer to global biotech leader

Built motion-animated prototypes to drive brand evolution

Designed within complex regulatory, accessibility, and translation needs

Created tools for public health and HCP audiences with mobile-first logic

Supported Moderna’s shift from pharma newcomer to global biotech leader

What I learned

Scaling a design system fast is possible with clarity and collaboration

Brand evolution must balance bold ambition with public trust

SMEs are invaluable proxies when time doesn’t allow for user testing

Healthcare tools benefit immensely from simplicity and delight


Tools

Figma

Principle

After Effects

Slack

Miro

Credits

Brian Cass

Design Lead

Aaron Aylward

Senior Designer

Leo Leone

Associate Design Director

Leona DeSouza

UX Design

Credits

Brian Cass

Design Lead

Aaron Aylward

Senior Designer

Leo Leone

Associate Design Director

Leona DeSouza

UX Design

Tools

Figma

Principle

After Effects

Slack

Miro

What i Learned

Scaling a design system fast is possible with clarity and collaboration

Brand evolution must balance bold ambition with public trust

SMEs are invaluable proxies when time doesn’t allow for user testing

Healthcare tools benefit immensely from simplicity and delight