Redesigning Signals — Making Research Integrity More Accessible
Overview
In the world of scientific research, credibility is everything. Signals was built as a platform that tracks retractions, citation patterns, and authorship integrity across global academic publications. The goal: to help researchers, publishers, and institutions identify high-risk studies and maintain transparency within the scientific community.
When the team behind Signals reached out to Product Rocket, their platform already had a strong purpose — but the user experience was struggling to match it. Dense data layouts, small typography, and lack of visual hierarchy made it hard for users to extract insights efficiently.
Our mission was clear: transform Signals into a tool that not only informs but empowers users — a credible, clean, and human-centered product where research integrity feels both accessible and actionable.
The Challenge
Academic data is complex by nature. But on Signals, this complexity had translated into visual overload.
Through our initial UX audit, we identified several core pain points:
- High visual clutter: Too many colors, repetitive tags, and tightly packed text created fatigue and reduced focus.
- Lack of hierarchy: Every piece of data looked equally important. Users couldn’t distinguish what to read first — retraction notices, author info, or citation graphs.
- Small, dense text blocks: Font sizes were too small for comfortable reading, especially in long lists of studies.
- No filtering or sorting options: Users had to scroll endlessly to find specific studies or authors.
- Redundant retraction labels: The repeated use of “RETRACTED” in both titles and tags increased visual noise rather than reinforcing trust.
- Inefficient navigation: All study data was shown in one continuous page, with no clear boundaries between types of information.
While the platform held immense research value, its UX unintentionally created barriers for the very users it aimed to help — scientists, librarians, and data integrity specialists. Our redesign needed to address both clarity and credibility — two qualities essential for any product dealing with sensitive scientific data.
Our Approach
We began the project with a three-phase process that defines most of Product Rocket’s redesign strategy: Audit, Structure, and Refine.
Audit: Understanding the data and user friction
Our first step was to map the journey of a typical Signals user — someone searching for a paper, cross-checking retractions, or validating citations. We documented every interaction point and visual element, identifying where attention was lost or confusion emerged.
We also reviewed real research reports and metadata to understand what truly mattered to users: retraction reasons, self-citation patterns, institutional credibility, and citation history. These insights became our design anchors.
Structure: Building clarity and hierarchy
The next phase focused on visual hierarchy and page rhythm. We restructured the page into layers of information, rather than a single endless list. Key insights and risk signals were brought to the top, while extended data (like author networks or citation graphs) became expandable sections.
Our guiding principle was: show what matters first, reveal the rest progressively.
Refine: Creating visual depth and breathing space
Once structure and hierarchy were in place, we shifted to aesthetics and usability. We introduced a subtle background, increased white space, and optimized content width to enhance focus and reading comfort.
Each design change had one goal — to make complex data feel approachable.
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Design Solutions
Subtle Page Background
We introduced a soft, neutral background to add visual depth and separate main content from the edges of the interface. This subtle shift made key data panels stand out naturally, reducing cognitive load and improving the overall hierarchy.
It’s a small change with a large effect: instead of feeling like a wall of text, the page now reads like a structured, breathable research dashboard.
Tabbed Navigation
Previously, all information about a study — overview, citations, retraction reasons, and author data — appeared on one page. The result was endless scrolling and confusion about what section a user was in.
We reorganized this into four clear tabs: Overview, Citing, Cited by, Author Information.
This modular structure allows users to access the specific information they need without distraction, while keeping related data logically grouped. It also set the foundation for future scalability — new tabs can easily be added as the product evolves.
Expandable Sections for Details
Research data often requires depth, but not every user needs it at first glance. We used expandable sections to balance thoroughness with readability.
Users can now expand areas like “Retraction Notice,” “Institutional Background,” or “Citation Breakdown” only when needed. This keeps the interface tidy and reduces unnecessary scrolling, while maintaining full transparency for those who want to dive deeper.
Prominent Key Metrics
In scientific integrity tools, the most critical insights should be visible instantly. We created a metrics bar at the top of each article page, highlighting data such as: Risk Level (e.g., “High Risk”), Number of Self-Citations, Authors with ORCID IDs, Retraction Count, Citation Graph Preview.
By surfacing these metrics first, users can form a quick, evidence-based judgment about the reliability of a study before diving into the details.
Filtering and Sorting Options
We added grouping, filtering, and sorting capabilities to the studies list. Users can now group results by signal type, author, or journal — and sort by metrics like “Most Cited” or “Recently Retracted.”
These tools transform Signals from a static list into an interactive research companion, saving users hours of manual searching and enabling pattern discovery at scale.
Bigger, Smarter Search Bar
The search bar is the heart of discovery. In the original interface, it was small and visually secondary. We gave it a bold redesign — wider, centered, and visually balanced within the navigation bar.
This change did more than improve usability; it encouraged exploration. With clear placeholder text (“Search by DOI or ISSN-L…”) and faster visibility, more users began engaging with search as their first action rather than scrolling aimlessly.
Optimized Content Width for Readability
Wide text lines make reading difficult, especially when users are scanning large amounts of scientific text. We narrowed the content area to maintain an optimal 50–75 characters per line — the sweet spot for comprehension and comfort.
The result: better focus, fewer skipped lines, and a professional, publication-grade reading experience that feels closer to academic standards.
Results & Impact
Although Signals was still in beta during the redesign process, early feedback from test users showed a measurable improvement in comprehension and engagement.
Key outcomes included:
- 60% faster time to find relevant information, thanks to the new tabbed layout and filtering options.
- Higher perceived credibility, as reported in post-test surveys, due to the cleaner visual hierarchy and consistent typography.
- Reduced cognitive fatigue, especially among users viewing multiple retraction reports consecutively.
- Improved trust signals, since retracted articles were clearly marked without repetitive or overwhelming labels.
The combination of data transparency and visual restraint created a sense of authority — an interface that communicates both precision and empathy.
At Product Rocket, we believe design isn’t just about making products look better; it’s about making complex systems understandable.
The Signals redesign was a textbook example of this philosophy in action. Every decision — from spacing to search bar size — was made to serve two intertwined goals:
Cognitive clarity: help users grasp complex research data with minimal effort.
Ethical transparency: ensure the interface visually communicates credibility and caution where needed.
Our approach emphasized restraint over decoration. When dealing with data integrity, over-designing can undermine trust. Instead, we focused on typography contrast, spatial rhythm, and color psychology to create an environment that feels stable and rational.
Lessons Learned
Hierarchy builds trust
When users instantly understand what’s important, they subconsciously trust the data more.
Progressive disclosure matters
Showing only what’s relevant at first keeps users from feeling overwhelmed.
Accessibility is credibility
Clear font sizes, line lengths, and contrast ratios directly impact perceived reliability — especially in scientific tools.
Whitespace isn’t empty — it’s functional
It gives the brain time to breathe and the eyes space to rest.
Consistency scales better than complexity
The new layout now supports future additions like topic clustering or AI-based article scoring without requiring a redesign.
The Broader Impact
By merging usability with scientific purpose, Signals now stands as a model for how design can elevate research transparency — not by simplifying data, but by making it legible and humane.
Beyond its immediate usability improvements, the Signals redesign represents something larger — a shift in how we design for scientific communication.
Too often, research tools prioritize data density over human experience. Our collaboration with Signals proved that rigor and readability can coexist. When integrity is the product, design must act as its interface to trust.
The redesigned Signals platform is more than a cleaner interface; it’s a more credible one. From the moment a user lands on a study page, they can see — clearly, calmly, and confidently — what’s true, what’s questionable, and what needs scrutiny.
At Product Rocket, we take pride in crafting digital experiences that honor both users and the integrity of the data they interact with. Signals reminded us why that balance matters.