IBM / CIO

SDMA

UX Design Lead
Visual Designer
Carbon Liaison

Thinking

Design Systems
Design Thinking
Agile Advocate

Roles

Challenge

Overhaul a 20-year-old legacy platform to streamline IBM software access for both internal users and client partners. A key challenge for Software Downloads & Media Access (SDMA) was updating the visual design to align with IBM's modern aesthetics using a version of the Carbon design system our developers could quickly implement, enhance the usability and feel on par with current branding standards. The project also focused on improving UX for management and visibility of containerized products, critical for IBMers and clients handling extensive software portfolios. This transformation was essential for boosting operational efficiency and supporting IBM's strategic software deployment.

Solution

In response to user research highlighting the need for streamlined access, I led a collaborative effort with developers, business analysts, and stakeholders to design a unified portal experience for SDMA. My tasks included creating new UI components, and documenting UX functionality for development teams to intemperate and understand. Our open door and collaborative mindset allowed for us to quickly test what worked well and what needed more iterations in order to find the best solutions for IBMers & clients alike. This portal allowed users to log in once and seamlessly switch between sites to access their containerized software products within the same application. This initiative not only centralized access points, enhancing user efficiency, but also significantly simplified the user experience by eliminating the complexities of multiple logins and disjointed navigation.