If you ask an investment professional to list the apps they use daily for financial analysis, it’s likely limited to Excel, Adobe Acrobat, and a handful of financial data providers. These apps share a common trait: tools so ubiquitous they can get away with being unintuitive—how many apps can force users to learn Alt-HOI?
When I was at Blackstone, the technology we built in-house was measured by a significantly higher bar. We knew our users—our own colleagues—wouldn't tolerate clunky workflows. A product's look and feel warranted as much iteration and effort as the firm’s financial models.
As a third-party vendor building for the same user base, the expectations are higher and the feedback is less direct.
The core challenge, therefore, has evolved. While legacy software forced users to master clunky commands, the new frontier is about translating the immense power of AI into something that feels intuitive.
As product builders, we know the classic push-and-pull between form and function, and yet, harnessing the power of LLMs adds technical complexities that few other apps face.
We regularly face trade-offs that directly impact our users: do we let users select the model and risk confusion, or do we abstract it away and lose customizability? How do we design around powerful parameters like variable token windows without frustrating users in the middle of a workflow?
Indeed, there is no one-size-fits-all approach; each decision needs to be challenged and supported. Much like how an investment committee is critical for a GP, our Design Committee, staffed by subject matter experts like our founder Ed Brandman (former Partner and CIO at KKR) and several former investment professionals, is foundational to making the right calls.
It has been fascinating to watch the rapid standardization of AI interfaces. When OpenAI ditches their oval chat box for their competitor’s more rectangular standard, it tells you everyone is still figuring out the new normal in real-time. As builders, we’ve noted these common UI patterns and aligned where it makes sense; there's no point in reinventing the wheel and risking confusing users.
However, purely copying interfaces is a dangerous game.
A truly successful platform fosters a unique connection between users and its features, creating a distinct and engaging experience. This "magic” is what I, our frontend developers, and our Design Committee strive to achieve as we build the platform.
Consumer apps will A/B test for months and their users will never notice.
With PE professionals, you get one shot to get it right.
Between juggling deal timelines, managing PortCos, and attending AGMs—if your tool doesn't immediately make their job easier, you’ll never see meaningful adoption.
This reality has shaped how we deliver features. By prototyping relentlessly internally and allowing the design committee to be a gating force on releases, we can quickly build and pivot while knowing we will make an excellent first impression.
The journey from Excel to a true Experience is about more than providing access to cutting edge technology. It’s about setting a higher bar in an industry where tech has often been an afterthought.
Our goal is to close this gap with a platform that deviates from the norm, by being a platform that’s not only powerful, but easy and genuinely satisfying to use.
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