Cvent Visual Showcase
Aligning client expectations with platform capabilities through visual enablement.
A design-led initiative that helped sales teams and clients clearly understand what was achievable within the Cvent platform—reducing design-related escalations by ~30% and improving confidence in decision-making.
CONTEXT
B2B Event & Sales Platform
ROLE
Lead Designer
TEAM
1 Lead, 2 UX Designers, 3 Graphic Designers
TIMELINE
June - November 2018
PROBLEM
Clients often entered projects with expectations that didn’t align with what the platform could realistically deliver.
Some overestimated flexibility, while others underestimated how polished their registration experiences could be—leading to escalations, rework, and longer approval cycles.
SOLUTION
Senior designers across the team aligned on the need for a shared visual reference, and I volunteered to lead the initiative.
Instead of repeatedly explaining constraints during delivery, we created a Visual Showcase that clearly demonstrated what was possible—using only what the platform could support.
VALUE DELIVERED
~30% reduction in design-related escalations
~20–25% improvement in client satisfaction
Clearer, more confident sales conversations
~15–20% uplift in sales conversion discussions
SETTING EXPECTATIONS EARLY
I focused on alignment before creativity entered the conversation.
I designed the landing experience to act as a shared reference for clients, sales, and delivery teams. Instead of abstract claims, it grounded conversations in real, implementable examples.
REDUCING CONFUSION THROUGH CLEAR CATEGORIZATION
I simplified decision-making by structuring choice.
To reduce ambiguity, I worked with the team to divide templates into Simple and Advanced categories.
Simple themes used only default widgets, while Advanced themes clearly indicated the use of custom HTML/CSS/JS.
This helped clients self-select appropriate options early and made sales conversations more transparent.
DESIGNING FOR PLATFORM-WIDE CONSISTENCY
I ensured the solution scaled beyond a single product.
I extended the Visual Showcase across all major Cvent services so clients and sales teams could see consistent design quality and capability across the entire platform—not just event websites.
KEY STAKEHOLDERS
These perspectives shaped the constraints and decisions behind the work.
Event Marketing Manager
Wants a modern, premium-looking event website, often referencing external inspiration without full awareness of platform limitations.
Enterprise Sales Lead
Needs a credible way to demonstrate platform capabilities early, without overpromising or relying on abstract explanations.
SHOWING WHAT’S REALISTIC
I translated familiar web patterns into designs that actually worked.
I reviewed modern web templates and patterns and worked with junior designers to reinterpret them within Cvent’s editor constraints. My role was to ensure every showcased design was fully implementable, reusable, and credible.
COMMUNICATING RANGE WITHOUT OVERPROMISING
I used contrast carefully to demonstrate flexibility without implying infinite customization.
Only templates that added clear value or contrast were included, keeping the showcase focused and honest.
EXTENDING QUALITY TO FUNCTIONAL FLOWS
I treated surveys as part of the experience, not an afterthought.
Applying the same visual standards to surveys helped clients understand the full attendee experience—not just the marketing layer.
DESIGNING FOR SCALE
I enabled the system to grow without losing quality.
Applying the same visual standards to surveys helped clients understand the full attendee experience—not just the marketing layer.
OUTCOME
The Visual Showcase became a core enablement asset across teams.
Clients made decisions earlier, sales teams relied less on explanation, and delivery teams faced fewer last-minute changes. Design began influencing outcomes before problems surfaced.
REFLECTIONS
This project reinforced that showing is often more effective than explaining.
If extended further, I would explore tighter integration between inspiration and implementation—allowing clients to start directly from showcased templates.