Vocal

Media

Vocal

Media

Vocal

Media

Overview

From publishing platform to thriving creator ecosystem.

Vocal set out to become the most creator-friendly publishing platform on the internet. As Principal Product Designer at Thinkmill, I led the design of new monetisation tools, social engagement features, and Vocal’s first native mobile app, while helping establish the design system and foundations required to support millions of users.

Our work helped Vocal evolve from a promising startup into a structured, community-driven platform built for creators to write, earn, and connect at scale.

Brand

Vocal Media

Agency

Thinkmill

Role

Principal Product Designer

Overview

From publishing platform to thriving creator ecosystem.

Vocal set out to become the most creator-friendly publishing platform on the internet. As Principal Product Designer at Thinkmill, I led the design of new monetisation tools, social engagement features, and Vocal’s first native mobile app, while helping establish the design system and foundations required to support millions of users.

Our work helped Vocal evolve from a promising startup into a structured, community-driven platform built for creators to write, earn, and connect at scale.

Brand

Vocal Media

Agency

Thinkmill

Role

Principal Product Designer

Overview

From publishing platform to thriving creator ecosystem.

Vocal set out to become the most creator-friendly publishing platform on the internet. As Principal Product Designer at Thinkmill, I led the design of new monetisation tools, social engagement features, and Vocal’s first native mobile app, while helping establish the design system and foundations required to support millions of users.

Our work helped Vocal evolve from a promising startup into a structured, community-driven platform built for creators to write, earn, and connect at scale.

Brand

Vocal Media

Agency

Thinkmill

Role

Principal Product Designer

Challenge

Scaling growth without losing trust, quality, or community.

As Vocal’s audience grew, so did expectations. The platform needed to support a fast-growing creator economy, encourage meaningful interaction, and deliver a consistent experience across web and mobile without compromising performance, safety, or brand cohesion.

We set out to transform

Passive publishing

Community-driven platform

Product-led platforms

Sustainable monetisation

A desktop-first experience

responsive & native mobile app

Challenge

Scaling growth without losing trust, quality, or community.

As Vocal’s audience grew, so did expectations. The platform needed to support a fast-growing creator economy, encourage meaningful interaction, and deliver a consistent experience across web and mobile without compromising performance, safety, or brand cohesion.

We set out to transform

Passive publishing

Community-driven platform

Product-led platforms

Sustainable monetisation

A desktop-first experience

responsive & native mobile app

Challenge

Scaling growth without losing trust, quality, or community.

As Vocal’s audience grew, so did expectations. The platform needed to support a fast-growing creator economy, encourage meaningful interaction, and deliver a consistent experience across web and mobile without compromising performance, safety, or brand cohesion.

We set out to transform

Passive publishing

Community-driven platform

Product-led platforms

Sustainable monetisation

A desktop-first experience

responsive & native mobile app

Onboarding

Process

Discovery and research
We ran in-depth interviews and usability testing with creators and readers, uncovering a strong desire for better ways to earn, connect, and feel recognised.

Feature design and validation
New features including pledges, comments, reactions, and mobile were prototyped, tested, and refined in tight feedback loops with Vocal’s team and community.

Design system
We built a WCAG-compliant design system from the ground up, creating scalable, accessible components shared across web and native platforms.

Cross-functional collaboration
Working in agile sprints with engineering, we stayed closely aligned to Vocal’s roadmap, shipping quickly without sacrificing quality or coherence.

Deliverables

01

Monetisation features

02

Full commenting system

03

Moderation tools

04

Story reactions

05

Accessible design system

06

UI design for iOS & Android

07

iOS and Android app

08

Improved onboarding

09

Enhance story discovery

Process

Discovery and research
We ran in-depth interviews and usability testing with creators and readers, uncovering a strong desire for better ways to earn, connect, and feel recognised.

Feature design and validation
New features including pledges, comments, reactions, and mobile were prototyped, tested, and refined in tight feedback loops with Vocal’s team and community.

Design system
We built a WCAG-compliant design system from the ground up, creating scalable, accessible components shared across web and native platforms.

Cross-functional collaboration
Working in agile sprints with engineering, we stayed closely aligned to Vocal’s roadmap, shipping quickly without sacrificing quality or coherence.

Deliverables

01

Monetisation features

02

Full commenting system

03

Moderation tools

04

Story reactions

05

Accessible design system

06

UI design for iOS & Android

07

iOS and Android app

08

Improved onboarding

09

Enhance story discovery

Process

Discovery and research
We ran in-depth interviews and usability testing with creators and readers, uncovering a strong desire for better ways to earn, connect, and feel recognised.

Feature design and validation
New features including pledges, comments, reactions, and mobile were prototyped, tested, and refined in tight feedback loops with Vocal’s team and community.

Design system
We built a WCAG-compliant design system from the ground up, creating scalable, accessible components shared across web and native platforms.

Cross-functional collaboration
Working in agile sprints with engineering, we stayed closely aligned to Vocal’s roadmap, shipping quickly without sacrificing quality or coherence.

Deliverables

01

Monetisation features

02

Full commenting system

03

Moderation tools

04

Story reactions

05

Accessible design system

06

UI design for iOS & Android

07

iOS and Android app

08

Improved onboarding

09

Enhance story discovery

User testing & insights

We conducted moderated sessions with creators, readers, and moderators to ground decisions in real experience rather than assumptions.

What We Learned

Creators wanted more reliable income

Readers wanted deeper interaction

Community safety was essential

The platform felt overwhelming to new users

Mobile usage was accelerating

How we responded

Designed pledges for recurring support

Introduced comments, reactions, and follows

Built moderation tools and clear guidelines

Simplified onboarding and story discovery

Designed and launched Vocal’s first native app

User testing & insights

We conducted moderated sessions with creators, readers, and moderators to ground decisions in real experience rather than assumptions.

What We Learned

Creators wanted more reliable income

Readers wanted deeper interaction

Community safety was essential

The platform felt overwhelming to new users

Mobile usage was accelerating

How we responded

Designed pledges for recurring support

Introduced comments, reactions, and follows

Built moderation tools and clear guidelines

Simplified onboarding and story discovery

Designed and launched Vocal’s first native app

User testing & insights

We conducted moderated sessions with creators, readers, and moderators to ground decisions in real experience rather than assumptions.

What We Learned

Creators wanted more reliable income

Readers wanted deeper interaction

Community safety was essential

The platform felt overwhelming to new users

Mobile usage was accelerating

How we responded

Designed pledges for recurring support

Introduced comments, reactions, and follows

Built moderation tools and clear guidelines

Simplified onboarding and story discovery

Designed and launched Vocal’s first native app

THE HUMAN STORY

“I’d been writing online for years, but the first time I earned money and received comments from readers in the same week, it changed how I saw myself as a creator.”

— Vocal+ Creator

THE HUMAN STORY

“I’d been writing online for years, but the first time I earned money and received comments from readers in the same week, it changed how I saw myself as a creator.”

— Vocal+ Creator

THE HUMAN STORY

“I’d been writing online for years, but the first time I earned money and received comments from readers in the same week, it changed how I saw myself as a creator.”

— Vocal+ Creator

CREATOR EXPERIENCE

Vocal is more than a publishing tool. It is a place for creators to grow. We focused on making the experience feel supportive, trustworthy, and rewarding, whether someone was publishing their first story or building a long-term audience.

EXPERIENCE PRINCIPLES

01

Empower creators: Give people tools to earn, grow, and be seen

02

Foster community: Connect readers and writers through meaningful interaction

03

Design for growth: Build systems that scale, adapt, and remain accessible

04

Protect the space: Prioritise trust, moderation, and inclusivity

CREATOR EXPERIENCE

Vocal is more than a publishing tool. It is a place for creators to grow. We focused on making the experience feel supportive, trustworthy, and rewarding, whether someone was publishing their first story or building a long-term audience.

EXPERIENCE PRINCIPLES

01

Empower creators: Give people tools to earn, grow, and be seen

02

Foster community: Connect readers and writers through meaningful interaction

03

Design for growth: Build systems that scale, adapt, and remain accessible

04

Protect the space: Prioritise trust, moderation, and inclusivity

CREATOR EXPERIENCE

Vocal is more than a publishing tool. It is a place for creators to grow. We focused on making the experience feel supportive, trustworthy, and rewarding, whether someone was publishing their first story or building a long-term audience.