I started at Govini in October 2021 as a Junior User Interface Designer. This was in the middle of a huge internal pivot; they had just decided to retire their old product and start fresh. The original scope of my role was as a UI Designer; however, as I grew into my role, so did my job responsibilities. I began to wear many different hats, which included user experience design & research, product management, design system creation & management, and more. My primary focus was designing and creating intuitive, user-centered interfaces that were visually appealing and easy to navigate.

Our team of two designers spent 10 months designing 21 features total.

As a UX/UI Designer, I conducted user research to gain insights into user needs, behaviors, and preferences. I used these insights to inform the design of wireframes, prototypes, and final designs. I collaborated with cross-functional teams, including product managers, engineers, and other designers, to ensure that user needs were met and that designs were feasible and scalable. I also conducted usability testing, using user feedback to refine and improve features.

I was also solely responsible for building a design system for the new product from the ground up. My process for creating the design system included the following:

Defining design principles and goals: My first steps involved identifying the key design elements and defining the goals and objectives I wanted to achieve with the system. This included consistency and scalability so we could build out each feature quickly while maintaining a consistent user experience.

Develop the core elements: I began by developing the core elements of the design system. This included creating a visual language, typography, color palette, and iconography.

Follow atomic design principles: Once the core elements were complete, I built out more basic components following atomic design principles.

Create documentation and guidelines: As I developed the core elements of the design system, I created documentation and guidelines to ensure consistency and clarity. This included creating style guides, pattern libraries, and clear design guidelines that designers and developers could use.

Test and iterate: Once I created the initial design system, I tested and iterated on it to ensure it was effective and met user needs. This involves conducting user testing and gathering stakeholder feedback to identify improvement areas.

Implement and maintain: As more features were built, I established processes and procedures for maintaining the design system, including updating and evolving it over time.

Due to staffing constraints, I also did a good amount of product management during my time at Govini. I was responsible for defining and prioritizing product requirements for the features I designed and working with stakeholders to understand business needs. I also helped manage the product roadmap, prioritize feature development, and define product metrics & KPIs.