Mend a fractured Design System
Product Design Manager, Design Systems: February 2018 to February 2020
Led a small and mighty team to meet the needs of a demanding user base of Designers and Engineers.
The Broken System
Imagine a bustling city of designers, 200 strong, each building their own towers of code and design. But instead of a cohesive skyline, we had a chaotic jumble. The question loomed large: how could we create a shared language, a flexible design system that would unify these efforts? We hypothesized that by providing strong foundations, clear guidelines, and adaptable patterns, we could empower teams to build with consistency. Our goal was ambitious: a 5% increase in adoption of our UI kit and Component Library.
The Journey of Transformation
We embarked on a journey fueled by design thinking. First, a design sprint to define the chaos and map out solutions. We made a bold choice, abandoning the rigid structure of Atomic Design for a more fluid approach—foundations married with adaptable design patterns. I led a team of eight dedicated designers, a small force against a giant task. We faced hurdles: leadership misalignment, shifting priorities, and the constant risk of burnout. Yet, we persisted, mobilizing our team with organization and strategy to meet the demands of a growing user base.
The Triumph
The results spoke for themselves. Our hypothesis was shattered—in the best way possible. Instead of a 5% increase, we saw a staggering 61% adoption rate! The new system, built on flexibility and practical guidance, proved to be a hit. Clear examples of do's and don'ts, comprehensive instructions on foundations, and a focus on assembling atomics instead of relying on large components led to fewer bugs and happier users. We had transformed chaos into coherence, all while navigating the challenges of leadership disagreements, shifting priorities, and high team turnover.
