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Product Designer
Tech Leadership
Design Ops
Mentorship
UX/UI Design
Component Libraries
Documentation
Workshops
The company, with a global demand and a variety of projects, faced issues such as inconsistencies between prototypes and final products, time wasted on simple tasks, communication breakdowns between teams, and delivery delays. With only two designers and no aligned processes between them and the front-end team, it was necessary to redesign internal workflows, especially with the planned company expansion on the horizon. This presented the opportunity for me to co-lead the creation of a Design System with over 30 components and their variables, for both desktop and mobile versions. I also expanded the team by leading the recruitment and training of new designers, which was crucial for the growth and success of the DS.
I presented the benefits of the Design System to the other teams, explaining its requirements and aligning expectations. With everyone engaged, I involved the team in analyzing the key projects of that year to identify the most recurring components. Based on this, I created a checklist of components that would serve as the foundation for our MVP.
The designer and I had already started working on an internal component library. This experience was a valuable learning opportunity. We learned that all teams need to be involved and that certain steps, such as the inventory of styles and components, need to be reviewed in advance.
Together with the HR and administration teams, I developed a gamification program to expand and train the design team, which grew from 2 to 8 members. The 3-month program for each new designer included mandatory daily sessions between mentor and mentee, optional meetings for questions, a weekly study plan to develop both technical and interpersonal skills, and gradual challenges with test tasks. Additionally, the mentees received anonymous feedback from their squad on a monthly basis.
My Roles: Senior Designer (2020–2022): Presented, planned, and initiated the Design System implementation. Mentor (2022–2024): Expanded the team and trained new designers. Tech Lead and Design Ops (2022–2024): Created templates, educated teams, and iterated on the Design System.
Designer Lead
Led the team in creating and evolving the Design System, aligning strategy with company goals.
Designer Ops, Tech Lead and Mentor
Managed team and Design System scalability, focusing on processes and documentation while promoting adoption across the company.
Senior Designers
Atuou em decisões complexas e revisou o trabalho dos designers plenos e juniores.
Mid-Level and Junior Designers
Built components, refined them under supervision, and identified system improvements.
I collaborated in defining replicable styles for the entire Design System, such as buttons, icons, typography, colors, spacing, shadows, form fields, and more, ensuring consistency across the system.
I involved the team in creating elements from the most basic to the most complex. This hierarchy ensured the reuse and ease of maintenance of the Design System.
I co-led the creation of 35 components with 5 variations for each, in both desktop and mobile versions, totaling 350 components.
Component
Component
Component
Component
Component
Component
Component
Component
Component
Component
Component
Component
Component
Component
Component
Component
Component
Component
Together with the Front-end and QA teams, I created a HandOff process with the following steps: project cover, style guide (including logo, typography, colors, shadows, spacing, buttons, and forms), visual assets (icons, illustrations, images, and backgrounds), and components (organized atomically with detailed specifications). The file also included approved and rejected layouts for reference.
I facilitated the team’s training, marking the end of an important phase that strengthened the team and consolidated processes. I taught the principles of components, their application in projects, and the handoff to the front-end, with the participation of the Design, Front-End, and QA teams. I provided supporting materials, and the team’s feedback showed enthusiasm and confidence in the new practices.
The extensive component library enabled the team to create over 20 templates, including landing pages, blogs, full websites, and other products. These templates could be selected by the client to be used as presented or adapted according to the project’s needs.
The creation of the Design System was only possible without compromising client deliveries thanks to the growth of the team. Through mentorship, the design team expanded from 2 to 8 members in record time.
The volume of tasks completed monthly grew from 40 to 160 deliveries, a surge driven by the implementation of the new systems (Design System and HandOff), which optimized workflows and improved communication between teams.
The expansion of the client base to over 100 per quarter was closely monitored, with regular evaluations of satisfaction regarding deliveries. Aligned with the continuous growth of the client base, the company received consistent positive feedback.
With less time spent on simple tasks, the team began focusing on innovations to improve the DS. Each designer completed at least 5 innovation tasks per month. These innovations became one of the criteria for monthly bonuses, with rewards for the contributions.
The implementation of the new system included monthly reviews per project. When necessary, those responsible were provided guidance to align practices with the established standards, ensuring consistency and improvements.
Projects were monitored monthly, showing a progressive reduction in adjustment tasks, from at least 8 to 3 tasks per month for the entire team. This result was achieved thanks to the alignment between teams, Figma, HubSpot.
Started in 2020 and continually evolving, this Design System remains a living organism, adapting to market best practices and feedback from users, clients, and the team. An internal space for error reporting and suggestions ensures regular updates. New components, variations, and templates are developed and refined to meet emerging demands. Explore the prototype or access the evolving component library on the website.
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© 2024 | Juliana Senra
