Creating a Unified Design System
Creating a Unified Design System
I created a unified design system to support the Client Portal’s growth, bringing consistency, scalability, and efficiency to a complex B2B product. By standardizing components, defining usage patterns, and aligning closely with engineering, I reduced redundant work and enabled faster, more consistent execution across teams.
As the platform evolved, inconsistencies in design and implementation slowed development and increased the risk of usability issues. Without a shared system, designers and developers were recreating components manually—leading to fragmentation, visual drift, and inefficiencies. I introduced a scalable design system that streamlined workflows, improved product cohesion, and future-proofed the platform for continued iteration.
I created a unified design system to support the Client Portal’s growth, bringing consistency, scalability, and efficiency to a complex B2B product. By standardizing components, defining usage patterns, and aligning closely with engineering, I reduced redundant work and enabled faster, more consistent execution across teams.
As the platform evolved, inconsistencies in design and implementation slowed development and increased the risk of usability issues. Without a shared system, designers and developers were recreating components manually—leading to fragmentation, visual drift, and inefficiencies. I introduced a scalable design system that streamlined workflows, improved product cohesion, and future-proofed the platform for continued iteration.
I created a unified design system to support the Client Portal’s growth, bringing consistency, scalability, and efficiency to a complex B2B product. By standardizing components, defining usage patterns, and aligning closely with engineering, I reduced redundant work and enabled faster, more consistent execution across teams.
As the platform evolved, inconsistencies in design and implementation slowed development and increased the risk of usability issues. Without a shared system, designers and developers were recreating components manually—leading to fragmentation, visual drift, and inefficiencies. I introduced a scalable design system that streamlined workflows, improved product cohesion, and future-proofed the platform for continued iteration.
Goals & Objectives
Goals & Objectives
Goals & Objectives
Goals & Objectives
Unify the Experience Across the Portal
The Client Portal was rapidly expanding, but design inconsistencies and fragmentation began to surface without a shared system. I established a unified visual and functional language that ensured consistent patterns, components, and behavior across the platform—building user trust and reducing confusion.
Unify the Experience Across the Portal
The Client Portal was rapidly expanding, but design inconsistencies and fragmentation began to surface without a shared system. I established a unified visual and functional language that ensured consistent patterns, components, and behavior across the platform—building user trust and reducing confusion.
Unify the Experience Across the Portal
The Client Portal was rapidly expanding, but design inconsistencies and fragmentation began to surface without a shared system. I established a unified visual and functional language that ensured consistent patterns, components, and behavior across the platform—building user trust and reducing confusion.
Streamline Design-to-Development Collaboration
Too much time was spent recreating components or resolving unclear specs. I built clear, developer-friendly documentation and worked closely with engineering to reduce rework, speed up implementation, and support faster delivery.
Streamline Design-to-Development Collaboration
Too much time was spent recreating components or resolving unclear specs. I built clear, developer-friendly documentation and worked closely with engineering to reduce rework, speed up implementation, and support faster delivery.
Streamline Design-to-Development Collaboration
Too much time was spent recreating components or resolving unclear specs. I built clear, developer-friendly documentation and worked closely with engineering to reduce rework, speed up implementation, and support faster delivery.
Accelerate Product Velocity
I introduced reusable, modular components that significantly reduced design and dev time. This helped teams build new features more quickly while maintaining visual consistency and technical reliability, freeing up time for higher-value product work.
Accelerate Product Velocity
I introduced reusable, modular components that significantly reduced design and dev time. This helped teams build new features more quickly while maintaining visual consistency and technical reliability, freeing up time for higher-value product work.
Accelerate Product Velocity
I introduced reusable, modular components that significantly reduced design and dev time. This helped teams build new features more quickly while maintaining visual consistency and technical reliability, freeing up time for higher-value product work.
Enable Long-Term Scalability
As the portal evolved, I ensured the system could evolve with it. Components were built for flexibility, and governance processes aligned the system with new patterns, accessibility standards, and platform needs. This helped the system grow alongside the product—without becoming brittle or outdated.
Enable Long-Term Scalability
As the portal evolved, I ensured the system could evolve with it. Components were built for flexibility, and governance processes aligned the system with new patterns, accessibility standards, and platform needs. This helped the system grow alongside the product—without becoming brittle or outdated.
Enable Long-Term Scalability
As the portal evolved, I ensured the system could evolve with it. Components were built for flexibility, and governance processes aligned the system with new patterns, accessibility standards, and platform needs. This helped the system grow alongside the product—without becoming brittle or outdated.
Process
Process
Process
Discovery & Alignment
As we began building the Client Portal from the ground up, I worked with product and engineering teams to align on design goals, user needs, and implementation constraints. From the start, I advocated for a unified system to avoid duplication, ensure consistency, and enable scalable growth as the portal evolved.
Discovery & Alignment
As we began building the Client Portal from the ground up, I worked with product and engineering teams to align on design goals, user needs, and implementation constraints. From the start, I advocated for a unified system to avoid duplication, ensure consistency, and enable scalable growth as the portal evolved.
Discovery & Alignment
As we began building the Client Portal from the ground up, I worked with product and engineering teams to align on design goals, user needs, and implementation constraints. From the start, I advocated for a unified system to avoid duplication, ensure consistency, and enable scalable growth as the portal evolved.
System Definition & Documentation
While designing the portal experience, I simultaneously defined foundational design principles—covering layout, spacing, color, type, and component behavior. I documented these standards in a central system, creating a shared reference that guided both new designs and development implementation.
System Definition & Documentation
While designing the portal experience, I simultaneously defined foundational design principles—covering layout, spacing, color, type, and component behavior. I documented these standards in a central system, creating a shared reference that guided both new designs and development implementation.
System Definition & Documentation
While designing the portal experience, I simultaneously defined foundational design principles—covering layout, spacing, color, type, and component behavior. I documented these standards in a central system, creating a shared reference that guided both new designs and development implementation.
Component Development
I developed a reusable UI library, building components alongside real product features. Each component included detailed specs, states, and usage notes to support flexible use while maintaining a consistent user experience.
Component Development
I developed a reusable UI library, building components alongside real product features. Each component included detailed specs, states, and usage notes to support flexible use while maintaining a consistent user experience.
Component Development
I developed a reusable UI library, building components alongside real product features. Each component included detailed specs, states, and usage notes to support flexible use while maintaining a consistent user experience.
Integrated Implementation
Because the design system was developed parallel to the Client Portal, I ensured new features were built using standardized patterns from day one. I collaborated closely with developers to validate functionality, resolve edge cases, and align behavior between designs and live code.
Integrated Implementation
Because the design system was developed parallel to the Client Portal, I ensured new features were built using standardized patterns from day one. I collaborated closely with developers to validate functionality, resolve edge cases, and align behavior between designs and live code.
Integrated Implementation
Because the design system was developed parallel to the Client Portal, I ensured new features were built using standardized patterns from day one. I collaborated closely with developers to validate functionality, resolve edge cases, and align behavior between designs and live code.
Testing & Iteration
I reviewed how system components performed across screens and workflows as the portal took shape. Based on feedback from developers, stakeholders, and QA, I refined interaction patterns, improved documentation clarity, and adjusted styles.
Testing & Iteration
I reviewed how system components performed across screens and workflows as the portal took shape. Based on feedback from developers, stakeholders, and QA, I refined interaction patterns, improved documentation clarity, and adjusted styles.
Testing & Iteration
I reviewed how system components performed across screens and workflows as the portal took shape. Based on feedback from developers, stakeholders, and QA, I refined interaction patterns, improved documentation clarity, and adjusted styles.
Impact & Results
Impact & Results
Impact & Results
Impact & Results
Strengthened Product Consistency
I created a unified UI library and a detailed style guide that standardized typography, color, spacing, and component behavior. This eliminated visual inconsistencies and ensured a cohesive experience across the portal, reducing user confusion and reinforcing trust.
Strengthened Product Consistency
I created a unified UI library and a detailed style guide that standardized typography, color, spacing, and component behavior. This eliminated visual inconsistencies and ensured a cohesive experience across the portal, reducing user confusion and reinforcing trust.
Strengthened Product Consistency
I created a unified UI library and a detailed style guide that standardized typography, color, spacing, and component behavior. This eliminated visual inconsistencies and ensured a cohesive experience across the portal, reducing user confusion and reinforcing trust.
Accelerated Design & Development
Reusable components with interactive documentation allowed developers to preview behavior in real time and quickly access implementation specs. This reduced back-and-forth, minimized rework, and sped up the release of new features.
Accelerated Design & Development
Reusable components with interactive documentation allowed developers to preview behavior in real time and quickly access implementation specs. This reduced back-and-forth, minimized rework, and sped up the release of new features.
Accelerated Design & Development
Reusable components with interactive documentation allowed developers to preview behavior in real time and quickly access implementation specs. This reduced back-and-forth, minimized rework, and sped up the release of new features.
Enabled Scalable Growth
The system was built as a living resource, designed to evolve with the platform. As new components and features were introduced, the system supported rapid iteration without sacrificing quality—future-proofing the portal and streamlining onboarding for new team members.
Enabled Scalable Growth
The system was built as a living resource, designed to evolve with the platform. As new components and features were introduced, the system supported rapid iteration without sacrificing quality—future-proofing the portal and streamlining onboarding for new team members.
Enabled Scalable Growth
The system was built as a living resource, designed to evolve with the platform. As new components and features were introduced, the system supported rapid iteration without sacrificing quality—future-proofing the portal and streamlining onboarding for new team members.
Reflections & Learnings
Reflections & Learnings
Reflections & Learnings
Designing the system in parallel with the Client Portal gave me a unique opportunity: I wasn’t just applying a system to a product—I was shaping both at the same time. As a solo designer, I had to anticipate future needs while delivering at speed, which sharpened my ability to think systematically and pragmatically.
One of my biggest takeaways was the impact of clear, actionable documentation—not just for design consistency, but for fostering trust and alignment across teams. Engineers were more confident in what they were building, and that reduced a lot of back-and-forth.
Looking ahead, I’d love to integrate design tokens from the start. While our tools didn’t support them natively at the time, I see how foundational they are to scaling a system across platforms and teams. That’s something I’ll prioritize in future systems work.
This project deepened my belief that design systems aren’t just about consistency but tools for collaboration, clarity, and accelerating great product work.
Designing the system in parallel with the Client Portal gave me a unique opportunity: I wasn’t just applying a system to a product—I was shaping both at the same time. As a solo designer, I had to anticipate future needs while delivering at speed, which sharpened my ability to think systematically and pragmatically.
One of my biggest takeaways was the impact of clear, actionable documentation—not just for design consistency, but for fostering trust and alignment across teams. Engineers were more confident in what they were building, and that reduced a lot of back-and-forth.
Looking ahead, I’d love to integrate design tokens from the start. While our tools didn’t support them natively at the time, I see how foundational they are to scaling a system across platforms and teams. That’s something I’ll prioritize in future systems work.
This project deepened my belief that design systems aren’t just about consistency but tools for collaboration, clarity, and accelerating great product work.
Designing the system in parallel with the Client Portal gave me a unique opportunity: I wasn’t just applying a system to a product—I was shaping both at the same time. As a solo designer, I had to anticipate future needs while delivering at speed, which sharpened my ability to think systematically and pragmatically.
One of my biggest takeaways was the impact of clear, actionable documentation—not just for design consistency, but for fostering trust and alignment across teams. Engineers were more confident in what they were building, and that reduced a lot of back-and-forth.
Looking ahead, I’d love to integrate design tokens from the start. While our tools didn’t support them natively at the time, I see how foundational they are to scaling a system across platforms and teams. That’s something I’ll prioritize in future systems work.
This project deepened my belief that design systems aren’t just about consistency but tools for collaboration, clarity, and accelerating great product work.
Looking to scale design across teams? Let’s connect and make it seamless together.
Looking to scale design across teams? Let’s connect and make it seamless together.
Looking to scale design across teams? Let’s connect and make it seamless together.
More Works More Works
More Works More Works
Redesigning Scheduling for Caregivers
Helping caregivers confidently manage when and how they work.
Redesigning Scheduling for Caregivers
Helping caregivers confidently manage when and how they work.
Redesigning Scheduling for Caregivers
Helping caregivers confidently manage when and how they work.
Redesigning Scheduling for Caregivers
Helping caregivers confidently manage when and how they work.
Creating a Client Portal for Efficiency
Developing a scalable system for consistency and efficiency.
Creating a Client Portal for Efficiency
Developing a scalable system for consistency and efficiency.
Creating a Client Portal for Efficiency
Developing a scalable system for consistency and efficiency.
Creating a Client Portal for Efficiency
Developing a scalable system for consistency and efficiency.