Modernising Pairagraph: redesigning an expert debate platform
As a frequent user of Pairagraph, I identified opportunities to modernise their debate interface through heuristic evaluation. My unsolicited redesign addressed visual hierarchy and contemporary design patterns. The founder implemented the complete redesign, calling it a transformation that made the platform "built for the 21st century."
Problem
Pairagraph hosts expert debates on complex topics, but the interface wasn't serving the content. Dense text with minimal structure made debates difficult to scan, whilst early-web aesthetics undermined the platform's credibility. The experience was purely passive—no progress tracking, weak author presence, nothing to encourage readers to return as debates evolved. As an active user, I noticed these friction points repeatedly. Platforms like Medium and Substack had set new expectations for online discourse: clear author profiles, visual polish, and engagement features. Pairagraph lacked these contemporary patterns, risking irrelevance despite hosting genuinely valuable conversations between prominent thinkers.
Problem
Pairagraph hosts expert debates on complex topics, but the interface wasn't serving the content. Dense text with minimal structure made debates difficult to scan, whilst early-web aesthetics undermined the platform's credibility. The experience was purely passive—no progress tracking, weak author presence, nothing to encourage readers to return as debates evolved. As an active user, I noticed these friction points repeatedly. Platforms like Medium and Substack had set new expectations for online discourse: clear author profiles, visual polish, and engagement features. Pairagraph lacked these contemporary patterns, risking irrelevance despite hosting genuinely valuable conversations between prominent thinkers.
Problem
Pairagraph hosts expert debates on complex topics, but the interface wasn't serving the content. Dense text with minimal structure made debates difficult to scan, whilst early-web aesthetics undermined the platform's credibility. The experience was purely passive—no progress tracking, weak author presence, nothing to encourage readers to return as debates evolved. As an active user, I noticed these friction points repeatedly. Platforms like Medium and Substack had set new expectations for online discourse: clear author profiles, visual polish, and engagement features. Pairagraph lacked these contemporary patterns, risking irrelevance despite hosting genuinely valuable conversations between prominent thinkers.
Solution
I delivered a comprehensive redesign that modernised the entire debate interface through compelling imagery, enhanced author profiles, and innovative progress tracking features that clearly show debate advancement. The redesign also introduced user engagement features whilst refining the brand identity with a new logo and contemporary typography, transforming the platform from a static reading experience into an interactive digital town square.
Solution
I delivered a comprehensive redesign that modernised the entire debate interface through compelling imagery, enhanced author profiles, and innovative progress tracking features that clearly show debate advancement. The redesign also introduced user engagement features whilst refining the brand identity with a new logo and contemporary typography, transforming the platform from a static reading experience into an interactive digital town square.
Solution
I delivered a comprehensive redesign that modernised the entire debate interface through compelling imagery, enhanced author profiles, and innovative progress tracking features that clearly show debate advancement. The redesign also introduced user engagement features whilst refining the brand identity with a new logo and contemporary typography, transforming the platform from a static reading experience into an interactive digital town square.
Impact
"I don't know what to say other than WOW"
"The dialogue page finally looks like it was built for the 21st Century"
The founder was "blown away" by the redesign, leading to immediate implementation of the solution, demonstrating its business viability. The work strategically repositioned Pairagraph as a credible, modern alternative to Twitter's superficial discourse, enabling the platform to better serve its mission of hosting high-quality debates between experts in a contemporary digital format.
Quotes from founder
Impact
"I don't know what to say other than WOW"
"The dialogue page finally looks like it was built for the 21st Century"
The founder was "blown away" by the redesign, leading to immediate implementation of the solution, demonstrating its business viability. The work strategically repositioned Pairagraph as a credible, modern alternative to Twitter's superficial discourse, enabling the platform to better serve its mission of hosting high-quality debates between experts in a contemporary digital format.
Quotes from founder
Impact
"I don't know what to say other than WOW"
"The dialogue page finally looks like it was built for the 21st Century"
The founder was "blown away" by the redesign, leading to immediate implementation of the solution, demonstrating its business viability. The work strategically repositioned Pairagraph as a credible, modern alternative to Twitter's superficial discourse, enabling the platform to better serve its mission of hosting high-quality debates between experts in a contemporary digital format.
Quotes from founder
Card title
Connect to Content
Add layers or components to make infinite auto-playing slideshows.
Card title
Connect to Content
Add layers or components to make infinite auto-playing slideshows.
Card title
Connect to Content
Add layers or components to make infinite auto-playing slideshows.
Company
A platform for written dialogue between subject experts—politicians, CEOs, philosophers, technologists, and religious leaders—designed as an alternative to Twitter's noise and character limitations. The platform has hosted over 100 dialogues featuring prominent figures like Niall Ferguson, Francis Fukuyama, Howard Marks, and Balaji Srinivasan, attracting more than 500K readers. Conceived as an "idea lab" and digital town square, it aims to foster high-quality discourse by pairing experts in structured, thoughtful conversations that prioritise depth over speed.
Pairagraph
View company website
Company
A platform for written dialogue between subject experts—politicians, CEOs, philosophers, technologists, and religious leaders—designed as an alternative to Twitter's noise and character limitations. The platform has hosted over 100 dialogues featuring prominent figures like Niall Ferguson, Francis Fukuyama, Howard Marks, and Balaji Srinivasan, attracting more than 500K readers. Conceived as an "idea lab" and digital town square, it aims to foster high-quality discourse by pairing experts in structured, thoughtful conversations that prioritise depth over speed.
Pairagraph
View company website
Company
A platform for written dialogue between subject experts—politicians, CEOs, philosophers, technologists, and religious leaders—designed as an alternative to Twitter's noise and character limitations. The platform has hosted over 100 dialogues featuring prominent figures like Niall Ferguson, Francis Fukuyama, Howard Marks, and Balaji Srinivasan, attracting more than 500K readers. Conceived as an "idea lab" and digital town square, it aims to foster high-quality discourse by pairing experts in structured, thoughtful conversations that prioritise depth over speed.
Pairagraph
View company website
Redesigning an online debate website
I redesigned Pairagraph's outdated debate page into a modern, engaging interface for its readers. The founder immediately implemented almost all changes, stating the site looked "10x better," and users spontaneously wrote in to congratulate us on the new design.
Redesigning an online debate website
I redesigned Pairagraph's outdated debate page into a modern, engaging interface for its readers. The founder immediately implemented almost all changes, stating the site looked "10x better," and users spontaneously wrote in to congratulate us on the new design.