Product · UX Transformation

Strategic UX Transformation
for JackpotFill

Modernising a legacy WinForms system trusted by 90%+ of casinos — cutting jackpot processing time by 40% and elevating the platform to enterprise-grade, WCAG-accessible web standards.

My Role
UX Manager & Strategy Lead
Scope
End-to-End · Legacy to Web
Team
Product, Engineering, Compliance
Showcase
G2E Industry Conference

The Strategic Objectives Achieved

Led a global UX transformation of JackpotFill — modernising a legacy system used by 90%+ of casinos worldwide and cutting jackpot processing time by 40%. The platform was elevated from an outdated WinForms desktop application to a scalable, accessible, web-first product aligned to enterprise UX standards.

Full application view of the legacy JackpotFill WinForms interface: a cluttered desktop screen packed with data entry fields, small-font labels, nested dropdown menus, and no clear visual hierarchy — the starting state before the transformation
Legacy JackpotFill WinForms interface — the starting point of the transformation.

Situation & Challenges

The legacy jackpot processing app was an outdated WinForms system with cluttered screens and complex workflows. It was slow, error-prone, and difficult to use or train on — offering little guidance while struggling to meet evolving regulatory demands in high-stakes casino environments.

  • Navigating Regulatory Complexity

    Ensuring every workflow and interface met strict, evolving casino regulations while maintaining full usability and compliance across multiple jurisdictions.

  • Untangling Legacy Workflows

    Simplifying convoluted, multi-step processes inherited from the WinForms system — which were error-prone and difficult for operators to navigate reliably under pressure.

  • Balancing Usability with Security

    Designing intuitive, accessible interfaces that accelerated task completion without compromising on security or strict compliance requirements.

  • Driving Adoption Across Diverse Users

    Creating an experience that worked for a wide range of casino staff — from seasoned operators to new hires — minimising training time and resistance to change.

From Legacy to Modern

The transformation replaced a dense, confusing WinForms desktop application with a clean, task-focused, mobile-ready web platform built to scale across the enterprise.

Before — Legacy WinForms

Before: the legacy JackpotFill WinForms interface — a cluttered desktop screen with dense data entry fields, no visual hierarchy, and a cognitive overload layout used by casino operators

After — Modern Web Platform

After: the redesigned JackpotFill mobile interface — a clean, dark-themed UI with card-based task flows, clear step-by-step progression, accessible contrast ratios, and a focused single-task-per-screen layout

User Journey Workshop

I led an in-person discovery workshop in Las Vegas, conducting deep user research and journey mapping to identify pain points and regulatory challenges at their source. Working directly with product, engineering, and compliance teams ensured solutions were both innovative and fully compliant.

By simplifying complex workflows and reimagining user journeys, the research produced measurable improvements in operational efficiency, staff satisfaction, and error reduction.

Las Vegas discovery workshop: a large whiteboard covered in journey map stages and sticky notes from casino operations staff; UX team and stakeholders are gathered around annotating pain points along the jackpot processing workflow
Journey mapping workshop with casino operations staff, Las Vegas.
Affinity mapping synthesis session: dozens of post-it notes clustered into themed groups on a whiteboard, with labels covering regulatory friction, training difficulty, and error recovery — representing synthesised insights from user research interviews
Affinity mapping synthesis: insights clustered across regulatory, usability, and training themes.

How I Led the Transformation

Every design decision was grounded in research insight, regulatory constraint, and engineering feasibility. I owned end-to-end strategy and execution across all workstreams.

  • End-to-End UX Ownership

    Led the full transformation from legacy WinForms to modern web platform — owning all key design decisions, stakeholder alignment, and delivery milestones.

  • In-Depth Research & Journey Mapping

    Conducted on-site user research and facilitated workshops to identify workflow pain points and regulatory challenges at their source — informing every design decision made downstream.

  • Simplified, Task-Based Workflows

    Removed interface clutter and restructured flows around discrete tasks — dramatically reducing errors, cognitive load, and time-to-complete for all operator types.

  • Mobile-Ready, Responsive Design

    Built for responsive use across devices — enabling casino staff to access the system on the casino floor without being tethered to a fixed terminal.

  • Scalable Design System

    Architected a reusable component library ensuring consistent, intuitive UI across all product surfaces — ready to support white-label needs across future markets.

  • Built-In Accessibility (WCAG 2.1 AA)

    Accessibility was a first-class design requirement from day one — not retrofitted. Every component was tested for contrast, keyboard navigation, and screen reader compatibility.

  • Lean, Sprint-Based Iterations

    Worked in short, focused sprints with tight feedback loops between design, QA, and engineering — maintaining velocity and quality simultaneously.

  • Stakeholder Buy-In via Prototypes

    Showcased interactive high-fidelity prototypes to secure executive alignment — including a live product demonstration at the G2E industry conference.

  • Team Mentorship & Leadership

    Mentored and empowered a lean, high-performing UX team — cultivating business-aligned, user-centric thinking across every individual contributor on the project.

Final Design Screens

The redesigned platform delivered a clean, regulation-compliant experience across desktop, tablet, and mobile — replacing every legacy WinForms screen with task-optimised, accessible interfaces.

Redesigned JackpotFill dashboard on a tablet: a dark-themed UI showing a jackpot event detail card with winner information, payout amount, transaction ID, compliance status badge, and a prominent 'Confirm Jackpot' call-to-action button
Redesigned jackpot event screen — tablet view with full transaction detail.
Close-up of a JackpotFill design system component: a structured data entry card with clearly labelled input fields, real-time validation indicator, and accessible focus states — illustrating the reusable UI language
Reusable data entry card component from the JackpotFill design system.
Vertical scroll of multiple JackpotFill mobile screens showing the complete jackpot processing journey: initiation screen, winner details form, compliance check step, photo capture prompt, and final confirmation receipt — each screen clean, single-focus, and step-labelled
Complete mobile processing flow — from jackpot initiation to confirmed payout receipt.

Results & Impact

The redesigned JackpotFill platform delivered a modern, intuitive, and regulation-compliant experience trusted across the casino industry. By replacing the legacy WinForms system with a scalable web platform, the transformation significantly improved usability, processing speed, and accuracy in high-pressure casino environments. The success positioned the new platform as a blueprint for UX excellence across Aristocrat's broader ecosystem.

30–40%

Faster Workflows

Simplified UI and task-focused flows cut average jackpot processing time — reducing floor pressure during live casino events.

−50%

Training Time Reduced

Streamlined journeys and built-in guidance dramatically reduced onboarding time for new casino staff across all operator tiers.

↑ High

User Satisfaction & Adoption

Accessibility built into the core design drove higher satisfaction scores and confident adoption among a diverse, mixed-experience workforce.

Enterprise

Scalable Design System

A white-label–ready component library now supports future feature rollouts and positions the platform for global enterprise expansion.

PlayerMax — Patented Mobile Casino Platform

Following JackpotFill, I led the UX design of PlayerMax — a first-of-its-kind mobile gaming platform for casino floors that earned two patents and unlocked an entirely new revenue channel. Explore the full case study and prototype below.