Exxonmobil's Design System

One of the largest projects I worked on as a designer was the redesign of ExxonMobil's design system (formerly called Unity, now Standard), which is accessible to over 60,000 employees across the company. In this project, my primary role was as a UX writer. I was responsible not only for reviewing the content of the design system's usage guidelines but also for incorporating accessibility-related content. This ensured that designers and developers could use the design system inclusively. To support my team and streamline our work, I created a presentation outlining the foundations of UX writing and microcopy. This established a framework for crafting content that is intuitive, accessible, clear, and simple.

The redesign of Unity revealed a need for improved clarity, accessibility, and compliance with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). The existing guidelines lacked consistency in UX writing and accessibility considerations, making it difficult for designers and developers to create intuitive and inclusive products. The problem required a comprehensive review and update of the design system's content to ensure adherence to WCAG guidelines, making the system both effective and accessible for all users.

My role in the project involved reviewing the added accessibility content to ensure a logical flow and comprehension for any user, regardless of their prior knowledge of the subject.

To align with industry standards, I analyzed the content of the most widely used design systems globally and adopted the prevalent styles for our own design system. This approach made it easier for designers and developers working with other systems to find instructions and references in familiar places, promoting a sense of familiarity.

The redesign of the design system was implemented and tested by users to gather feedback. The new design system was launched with a new name and branding: Standard. The practice of continuous improvement was fostered within the team to ensure ongoing adherence to best practices and to further enhance knowledge, not only within the group but also for sharing with the rest of the organization.