From 0-1: Launching Axpo’s MACH+
Designing a bespoke Energy Trading platform used to manage power distribution in Switzerland.
Industry
Energy Trading
My role
Lead UX Designer
Date
2024
Tools
I led the design of MACH+, Axpo’s next-generation energy trading platform, taking it from concept to launch within 18 months. By introducing a modular widget system and merging manual and algorithmic trading, we delivered a platform that improved trading speed by ~35%, reduced errors by ~40%, and positioned Axpo with a scalable, SaaS-ready product.
Scenario
Axpo, a leading Swiss energy provider, needed to replace its discontinued trading platform and build a bespoke system tailored to their needs. The new product, MACH+, aimed to consolidate manual and algorithmic trading into one platform, improve efficiency, and position Axpo with a scalable product they could potentially sell as a SaaS offering.
As Lead UX Designer, I joined alongside an engineering squad from Scott Logic, collaborating with Axpo’s project team. Our mission was to take the product from 0–1: from concept through MVP to full release.
Stakeholders / collaborators: Axpo’s UX Designer, Product Owners, Engineers, Test Engineers, and Technical Architects.
Discover
We explored pain points in the existing platform (Volue):
Traders had to use two different platforms for manual and algorithmic trading.
Visibility of data was poor, with users constantly switching between tabs and losing context.
The platform was inflexible: traders couldn’t tailor views or access multiple markets simultaneously.
MACH+ also needed to integrate seamlessly within Trader Cockpit, Axpo’s internal trading ecosystem of connected applications.
To understand users:
We built on existing user research and insights from Axpo’s Product Owner (a former trader).
We conducted interviews and workshops with traders.
We benchmarked competitor platforms to identify opportunities for differentiation.
Insights:
Each trader had unique preferences for layouts and data.
Flexibility, speed, and visibility were non-negotiable needs.
Dark mode was essential to reduce eye strain during long trading sessions.
Define
We set hypotheses that guided our work:
Flexibility: Traders must be able to customise layouts and choose their own data views.
Efficiency: The platform must be fast and responsive to support quick decision-making in volatile markets.
Accessibility: The UI should reduce eye strain and support customisation of fonts and views.
Regulatory compliance: The system must prevent self-trading or market manipulation.
Constraints included an aggressive 18–24 month timeline, strict industry regulations, and the complexity of integrating with Trader Cockpit. Success was defined as:
Launching before the old platform was decommissioned.
Proving usability through SUS scores and trader feedback.
Reducing trade errors and improving trader efficiency.
Develop
We explored multiple design directions before landing on a modular widget system:
Each market or feature (manual trades, algo trades, order books, positions) existed as its own widget.
Widgets could be opened, closed, resized, and rearranged to suit individual preferences.
Manual and algorithmic trading were merged into a single, unified interface.
Methods:
Wireframes and prototypes in Figma.
Iterative workshops with traders and stakeholders in Zurich every 12 weeks.
Prototypes tested with both the Product Owner (as a proxy user) and traders directly when available.
Challenges:
The complexity of trading mechanics required us to deeply learn the domain to design effectively.
Widgets needed custom interactions to handle the level of flexibility demanded by traders.
Accessibility remained a focus, balancing dense data presentation with usability.
Deliver
The final solution was a dark-mode, widget-based application:
Traders could build their own workspaces with full flexibility over layout and views.
Data from different markets could be viewed side-by-side.
Manual and algorithmic trading were combined into one workflow.
WCAG AA contrast standards and font scaling were applied for long-term usability.
All design decisions were documented, and a new set of design system components was created to ensure scalability and reusability.
Close collaboration with engineers ensured feasibility, and all designs were handed over via Figma Dev Mode with detailed documentation. Weekly design-engineering sessions maintained alignment.
Results
MACH+ successfully launched on schedule, replacing the decommissioned platform and delivering measurable improvements.
Direct feedback:
“This feels like a platform designed around how we actually work.” – Trader
“The flexibility to build my own workspace has made me faster and more confident.” – Trader
“The team delivered not just a replacement, but a future-ready solution.” – Senior Stakeholder
~35%
~35% faster trading workflows due to consolidated manual + algorithmic trading.
~40%
~40% reduction in errors through preview flows and safeguards against self-trading.
