IBM
The International Business Machines Corporation (doing business as IBM), nicknamed Big Blue, is an American multinational technology corporation headquartered in Armonk, New York and is present in over 175 countries. It specializes in computer hardware, middleware, and software, and provides hosting and consulting services in areas ranging from mainframe computers to nanotechnology. IBM is the largest industrial research organization in the world, with 19 research facilities across a dozen countries, and held the record for most annual U.S. patents generated by a business for 29 consecutive years from 1993 to 2021.
Context.
In the fast-paced world of technology, big companies strive to deliver cutting-edge solutions that not only meet but exceed user expectations. In 2021, I got the opportunity to work for IBM Consulting as a Senior Product Design Consultant who wore multiple hats: Organizer, Mentor, and my favorite, Figma Wizard 🧙🏽.
Why IBM?
Most designers dream of one day joining tech giants like Google, Apple or Microsoft at some point in their careers. In my case it was IBM. There were three main goals I wanted to accomplish at ‘Big Blue’: Problem solve at a larger scale (for the millions), work alongside/build relationships with other designers (build community!), and challenge myself to a new environment to grow as a designer. simply grow as a designer. I was hungry to be part of an organization that had real impact.
Consulting.
As a consultant, the role is very simple to explain: ensure the clients’ needs are met while solidifying partnerships in order to grow the businesses. The idea is “When they win, we win.”
That means meeting the client wherever they might be. In my time in the organization, I worked in four projects across three clients at different stages of the product process. “Entering the chat” and adapting to the circumstances was my super power.
The problem we were solving
My first project at IBM was with a big national company. The clients had an aggressive timeline and wanted to ramp up their design muscle in order to push deliverables to an earlier date and ship the product faster. Our challenge was to streamline the product's design to ensure consistency, while also empowering the client's staff with the necessary skills to efficiently manage and maintain the updated design files.
Meeting the team & Identifying Pain Points.
Upon joining the team, I swiftly realized that the majority of team members were relatively inexperienced with the tool being utilized to construct the new designs. This lack of familiarity with the tool posed a significant challenge, as it hindered the team's ability to efficiently leverage its full capabilities and work effectively within its framework. As a result, there was a noticeable learning curve and a potential slowdown in the design process, impacting our ability to meet project timelines and deliverables.. This led to a series of pain points.
Fragmented
Design Components
The scattered distribution of design assets across multiple projects resulted in inconsistencies within the user interface and experience, posing a significant challenge for cohesive and seamless interaction.
Overly Complicated
The existing designs lacked alignment with a cohesive design system or overarching framework, prompting the need to revisit the original design. Our task involved simplifying functionality to highlight logical flows and ensure coherence within the user experience.
Team Collaboration
The undersized design team faced difficulties due to a fragmented collaboration process, impeding productivity and efficiency throughout project execution. Absence of a streamlined workflow exacerbated communication barriers and slowed down decision-making.
Hypothesis
By implementing a comprehensive design system, simplifying complex designs, and fostering a culture of collaboration, we can streamline our UX design processes and enhance team efficiency, ultimately leading to meeting delivery deadlines consistently.
Building the Correct Building Blocks
Working collaboratively with my team, we crafted a strategic approach that capitalized on each team member's existing expertise while facilitating the acquisition of new skills through straightforward methods, which we termed as "building blocks." These building blocks comprised three fundamental principles that guided our design process and fostered continuous learning and improvement.
Simplicity as a Starting Point
We instilled simplicity as the foundational starting point for all our design endeavors. Embracing simplicity not only ensured clarity and ease of use for end-users but also simplified the learning process for team members. By starting with simple, intuitive designs, we provided a solid foundation for team members to grasp key concepts and gradually build upon their skills and knowledge. This approach facilitated a smoother transition for team members to adopt new techniques and best practices while minimizing overwhelm and cognitive load.
I always try to remember the concept of a stop sign when explaining this principal, essentially seeing a red hexagon for the majority of the western hemisphere, means “Stop” and my job was to make them see that it is easier to communicate ideas by using established design conventions that will ultimately save them (and their users) a lot of time in understanding ideas. A very practically visual example of this is a flow chart. It is easier for a designer to communicate with a product manager through a flow chart the expected behavior of a feature vs. building overly complicated screens that just prove to be distractions at early stages.
Atomic Design Theory
We embraced the atomic design theory, which emphasizes breaking down complex design elements into their simplest forms – akin to atoms in a molecule. By starting with these foundational building blocks, we could systematically construct more complex and cohesive design systems. This approach not only encouraged a modular and scalable design framework but also provided a clear and structured path for team members to understand and apply design principles effectively.
By ensuring that the smallest piece of a system is linked to our design library, we can promise flexibility / cascading cascading changes across the platform. Figma allows us to move faster if we spend a bit more time in making sure that the “first stone” is placed correctly, in order to support the components built on top of it. The amazing
Done is Better Than Perfect
Central to our strategy was the principle of prioritizing progress over perfection. Encouraging team members to embrace this mindset allowed us to iterate rapidly, experiment with different solutions, and ultimately move forward with tangible outcomes. By fostering a culture of continuous improvement rather than striving for unattainable perfection, we empowered team members to take risks, learn from failures, and iterate towards better design solutions.
Support Strategies
To complement the foundational principles of our building blocks, we implemented a comprehensive support system that included a variety of resources aimed at enhancing team members' skills and knowledge in UX design. These resources were designed to provide practical guidance, foster collaboration, and streamline our design processes:
Video Walkthroughs
We developed a series of video lessons covering various aspects of UX design, including best practices, design methodologies, and tool proficiency. These lessons offered step-by-step tutorials, case studies, and real-world examples to help team members deepen their understanding and refine their design skills at their own pace.
Figma Focused Sessions
Recognizing the importance of proficiency with design tools, particularly Figma, we conducted seminars focused on how to effectively use and organize Figma files. These sessions provided hands-on demonstrations, tips, and techniques for maximizing productivity and collaboration within the Figma environment.
Workshops, Templates & Managing Libraries
Interactive workshops were conducted to facilitate skill development and knowledge sharing among team members. These workshops covered topics such as user research methodologies, prototyping techniques, and design thinking principles. Through collaborative activities and group discussions, team members had the opportunity to learn from each other's experiences and perspectives.
We curated a collection of design templates tailored to common design tasks and project requirements. These templates served as starting points for team members, helping them jumpstart their design process and maintain consistency across projects while adhering to established design standards. We established protocols and best practices for managing design libraries to ensure accessibility, version control, and consistency of design assets. Team members were trained on how to effectively organize, maintain, and update design libraries, enabling seamless collaboration and reusability of design components across projects.
By supplementing our building blocks with these resources, we provided a comprehensive support system that empowered team members to enhance their skills, collaborate more effectively, and produce high-quality UX designs. These initiatives not only facilitated individual growth but also contributed to the overall success and cohesion of our design team.
The Results.
There is no greater feeling for an athlete than to see all of the hard work put into training pay off with a victory. For me, this year-long process has been the equivalent of that. Long nights, countless meetings and even more iterations that all led to this moment. After multiple user reviews and in-app user metrics tracking, we were able to determine that our work wasn’t in vain. We had succeeded.
“The app is cute, the writers are funny! this is a great idea and fun while being productive and worthwhile at the same time. Yay lepigchauns!”
— Amber A., 27
Key Takeaways
Coming into a new org who’s business model is consulting, you understand fairly quickly that every project will be different but for this first one I had two main lessons.
Lead by Example
I came to appreciate the profound impact of leading by example. Demonstrating expertise in my field and exhibiting strong leadership qualities garnered respect and trust from my colleagues and clients alike. By consistently delivering high-quality work and actively contributing to team objectives,
I found that people were more inclined to listen to my insights and follow my lead. This reinforced the notion that effective leadership is not merely about issuing directives but rather about inspiring and motivating others through actions and behavior.
Can't Please Everyone
I encountered firsthand the reality that despite our best efforts, it's impossible to please everyone. Despite implementing sound strategies and fostering a culture of innovation, there were instances where certain team members resisted change. Whether due to ingrained habits, fear of the unknown, or reluctance to adapt, some individuals may be resistant to embracing new methodologies or technologies. In such cases, I learned the importance of recognizing when efforts to facilitate change are met with resistance.
Responsible organizations understand that progress requires a willingness to evolve and may need to make difficult decisions to remove obstacles hindering forward momentum. This underscores the significance of cultivating a culture that prioritizes adaptability, continuous learning, and a shared commitment to organizational goals.
Reflections.
Excitement over a product’s growth can stimulate an organization. Not just the people that designed and built it, but the whole organization. It shows confidence and trust in innovation. It’s betting on trying new things in order to gain new clients. In seeing the importance of user research, we made a conscious decision to implement it in all of our products. It really makes you feel like a wizard.
