Initial Brief: Designing a Cohesive Cross-Platform Experience for a Hedge Fund's Digital Ecosystem
I was contracted as a UX Design System Specialist to author a usage guideline for a hedge fund's existing design system. The hedge fund had a diverse portfolio of specialized web applications, each developed independently. My task was to create clear, accessible documentation that would ensure a unified brand identity and consistent user experience across this complex digital ecosystem.
Objectives & Contributions
Maintain Consistency: Provide clear, actionable guidelines to ensure consistency across the client's web applications.
Enhance Efficiency: Improve development efficiency by offering reusable components and best practices.
Support Scalability: Future-proof the design system documentation to support the client's growth.
Facilitate Collaboration: Create comprehensive, accessible guidelines to support cross-disciplinary collaboration.
Key Contributions: Developed the structure and content of the design system usage guide, established design principles and best practices, and ensured alignment through well-crafted documentation.Research & Industry Inspiration
To ensure the guideline was aligned with industry standards, I drew inspiration from the design system guidelines of companies like Google, IBM, Adobe, Microsoft, and Salesforce. These references shaped the structure and content of the documentation.
The Design Process:
Working with the Existing Design System:
I assessed the existing design system, identifying areas where clear documentation and guidelines were needed to ensure consistency and usability across the client’s digital ecosystem.
Crafting the Usage Guideline:
I developed a detailed usage guideline that included clear instructions, best practices, and examples for each component. The guideline was designed to be straightforward yet thorough, helping teams maintain design consistency.
Supporting Cross-Team Alignment:
The documentation was crafted to support alignment across design, development, and product teams, ensuring everyone had a shared understanding of how to apply the design system.
Refining and Enhancing:
Throughout the project, I focused on refining the guidelines to address common challenges and ensure that the documentation would be a valuable resource for all teams involved in the client’s digital ecosystem.
Document Structure
The documentation was designed to be user-friendly and easy to navigate, ensuring that any team member could quickly find the information they needed to maintain design consistency. Each component page included sections for an overview, anatomy, usage examples, and best practices, with additional customized sections provided for more complex components.
Overview:
High-level summaries with contextual images.
Anatomy:
Atomic breakdowns of each component.
Usage Guidelines:
In-depth guidance for effective component use.
Best Practices:
Contextual use cases, do's and don'ts, and scenario-based guidelines.
Custom Sections for Complex Components:
For components with multiple variations or that were frequently misused, I added sections to clarify differences and ensure proper application.
Outcomes
Implementing the design system and usage guidelines will establish a consistent brand identity and user experience across all web applications. The clear guidelines and reusable components are set to improve development efficiency, enabling the client to scale and seamlessly integrate new features and applications. Additionally, the comprehensive documentation will enhance cross-team collaboration, ensuring all members remain aligned in maintaining design consistency.
This project highlighted the importance of detailed documentation in maintaining consistency across a complex digital ecosystem. By focusing on clarity, usability, and alignment, I was able to contribute to a design system that not only supported the client’s immediate needs but also provided a foundation for future growth. The experience underscored my belief that a well-crafted usage guideline is essential for any organization looking to scale its digital presence while maintaining a cohesive user experience.
