Multi-Role Ecosystem
Arcatar is a web platform that empowers creators, communities, and organizations to own their content, community, and commerce within fully branded, private-label spaces. As one of two designers on a fast-moving startup team, I worked closely with product managers and developers to define the user experience across four unique roles — Owner, Creator, Subscriber, and Member.
My main focus was establishing the information architecture that supported these roles and ensuring users always understood where they were and what level of control they had. Designing for multiple roles meant balancing flexibility with clarity, creating a system that felt cohesive no matter the user’s permissions or purpose.
SKILLS
User Research / Information Architecture / Wireframing & Prototyping / Visual Design / Cross-Functional Collaboration
TOOLS
Figma / FigJam / Miro
YEAR
2024
CLIENT
Arcatar
The Challenge
Research & Insights
Designing for four user roles meant we couldn’t rely on instinct alone, we needed to study how established multi-role platforms managed complexity. I conducted a competitive analysis of Discord, Patreon, Substack, and Twitch. The goal was to understand how each product communicated access, permissions, and value across different user types.
Competitive analysis of established multi-role platforms
Recognized Patterns
Platforms like Discord succeed by defining roles at the system level and ensuring that permissions are consistent across the experience. This reinforced the importance of creating a clear and scalable structure for how each role functions within Arcatar.
Discord’s visual role cues and Patreon’s tier badges demonstrated how powerful subtle reinforcement can be. Users always know “who” they are in the moment.
Two Core Iniatives
1
IA Matrix
A role-by-feature map that defined what each user could view, create, and manage, creating a clear structure for both design and development.
2
Role Clarity System
A visual framework that made roles easy to recognize through consistent color, hierarchy, and navigation cues.
As the platform evolved, it became clear we needed a single source of truth for how each user role interacted with the product. Features, permissions, and settings were being developed in parallel, and without a clear structure, overlaps and inconsistencies began to appear. To solve this, I created an Information Architecture (IA) Matrix that mapped what each user could view, create, and manage. It became the foundation for both design and development, aligning the team on role functionality and ensuring every decision tied back to the platform’s hierarchy of access.
Simplified Role Features - IA Matrix
Key Insights
In early prototypes, Creators and Owners shared many of the same tools, but their goals were very different. Mapping each feature by role clarified where shared components needed tailored experiences or distinct visual hierarchy.
Once the IA was defined, it became obvious that the navigation for an Owner managing an entire platform shouldn’t mirror that of a Creator publishing content. The matrix gave us a blueprint for how to structure layouts, menus, and dashboards per role while maintaining consistent design patterns.
The IA matrix became a cheat sheet that product managers, developers, and designers all referenced. It eliminated ambiguity about who could access what and helped prevent scope creep when new features were introduced.
Role Clarity System
Even with a defined information architecture, early testing revealed a recurring friction point. Users with multiple roles often lost track of which context they were in. To address this, I designed a Role Clarity System, a visual and structural framework that made role awareness intuitive throughout the interface.
Role clarity system overview
How the System Works
Chips label each user’s active role across the product, including Owner, Creator, Subscriber, and Member. They use consistent color accents and placement for quick recognition.
Each role is paired with a distinct color applied to both the avatar stroke and the role chip, creating a subtle but constant visual cue that reinforces context.
Navigation updates based on the active role, showing only relevant features and actions. For Owners, a neutral interface maintains consistency across branded platforms and prevents visual disorientation.
Users can view and switch between roles directly from the expanded sidebar navigation. Keeping this control accessible but structured reinforces clarity and makes switching feel deliberate rather than casual.
Flow showing how users can switch roles from the side drawer navigation.
Through color, hierarchy, and consistent language, the Role Clarity System made orientation effortless. What began as a source of confusion evolved into a defining aspect of Arcatar’s usability, creating a quiet but powerful framework that allowed users to move between roles with confidence and context.
Key Outcomes
User Understanding
Users could identify their active role within seconds, reducing errors and confusion across contexts.
Team Alignment
The IA Matrix and Role Clarity System aligned design, product, and development around a shared structure.
Faster Onboarding
Consistent visuals and simplified navigation helped new users understand roles sooner and navigate confidently.
Visual Consistency
A neutral Owner interface created visual separation from branded platforms, reinforcing clarity in administrative spaces.
Retrospective
Designing for multiple user roles taught me the importance of structure in simplifying complexity. It showed me how thoughtful architecture and visual language can create both user confidence and team alignment. Above all, it reinforced that clarity is a form of empathy that helps people feel in control.