IBM / iX

Co-Pilot v.2

Design Lead
Design System
Researcher

Roles

Design Thinking
IBM Garage
Facilitator

Thinking

Challenge

The advancement of "Co-Pilot" into its next phase posed several challenges, notably enhancing collaboration with the newly established United UX team and aligning our UI with United's visual standards. A pivotal element was developing a specialized "Ops Portal", enabling managers to effectively direct incoming queries to available agents. My role extended to managing junior designers from both IBM and United, fostering a cohesive team environment while conducting weekly playbacks and design reviews with stakeholders and developers. These sessions were crucial for demonstrating design progress and maintaining design consistency across each platform being built.

Solution

In response to United's request to align our project's visual identity with their brand standards, we encountered initial resistance due to discrepancies between their mobile-oriented guidelines and our existing design framework. To navigate these challenges and maintain project momentum, I advocated for a hybrid solution: continuing to use the Angular framework and Google's Material Design for structural integrity, while incorporating United's brand style guides for colors and typography to meet their visual standards.

This strategic integration not only kept us within project timelines and budget but also preserved design consistency across the newly created ecosystem. Our approach facilitated a seamless aesthetic transition that matched United's branding, delivering a robust and cohesive product that met all performance standards and project deadlines effectively.