Design System
Goal
Create a design system to ensure uniformity across the product and simplify the implementation of the design for development teams.
Problem Statement
The Waitrose Digital presence suffered from an outdated and inconsistent interface, creating challenges for both users and development teams. Users encountered accessibility issues and a lack of brand consistency, while development teams worked in isolated design silos that adversely affected the overall customer experience.
As the Lead UX Consultant within the Waitrose Service Design stream, I operated under the guidance of the Creative Director to create a Design System.
What does success look like
Digital Design System incorporating latest trends for a consistent use across multiple channels and user touch-points
Digital design system integrated into the new Waitrose App, catering to a user base of up to 12 million
Designed and incorporated new Personas to gain a deeper understanding of the users
Understanding the Audience
To effectively connected with the audience, we began by understanding the target audience. We developed user personas that represented different user groups and their needs, goals, and pain points.
Market and Competitive Analysis
Researched the market to identify competitors and their offerings, striving to understand what set our product apart.
User Interviews and Surveys
Conducted interviews, surveys, and feedback sessions with potential and existing users to gather insights into their preferences, behaviors, and pain points.
Process
Design System
The team successfully integrated the Design System into their day-to-day work through the following steps:
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Conducting regular team workshops.
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Actively considering and implementing team members' suggestions and ideas.
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Empowering designers to engage in research and contribute to top-notch solutions.
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Collaborating collectively to find solutions.
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Maintaining a constantly evolving, accessible working document.
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Assigning each member a specific area, such as forms, components, header, offline states, fostering a sense of collective contribution toward a common goal.
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Integrating the system into individual agile teams, ensuring seamless adoption.
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Instilling confidence in team members to lead workshops with stakeholders and garner support for the proposed changes.
Collaboration with Developers
Work closely with developers to ensure that the design is implemented correctly. Provide support and clarification as needed during the development process.
Quality Assurance
Conduct quality assurance (QA) testing to ensure that the final product aligns with the design and functions as intended.
Development and Implementation
Continuously gather data, conduct user research, and make improvements to the Design System to ensure it is up to date and will continually enhance the user experience.
Iterate and Improve
Documentation
Maintain comprehensive records of design choices, research discoveries, and user testing outcomes.
Collaboration
Efficiently engage with cross-functional teams, encompassing developers, product managers, and stakeholders, to establish a common understanding of the design objectives.
