TD Bank (Securities Divison)
Building & Scaling a DS
Product Design
Enterprise Design
Design Systems
How might I create a robust, scalable design system that empowers both designers and developers—while supporting rapid application growth and evolving needs?
Problem At Hand
Joining TD Factory as the first design intern meant stepping into a fast-paced environment with real ownership over user experience and interface. Early on, I noticed gaps in visual consistency and a disconnect between Figma assets and developed components. There was a clear need: a centralized design system that could drive quality and speed for both design and engineering.
Project Overview
Role
Product Design Intern
My Team
VP of Design and Eng, Product Engineer and Bussiness Systems Analyst
Timeline
May - August 2023
How might I create a robust, scalable design system that empowers both designers and developers—while supporting rapid application growth and evolving needs?
Discovery
Discovery
The Problem? Inconsistent Patterns & Too Many Variants!
How might I create a robust, scalable design system that empowers both designers and developers—while supporting rapid application growth and evolving needs?
The Problem? Inconsistent Patterns & Too Many Variants!
How might I create a robust, scalable design system that empowers both designers and developers—while supporting rapid application growth and evolving needs?
Problem At Hand
How might I create a robust, scalable design system that empowers both designers and developers—while supporting rapid application growth and evolving needs?
Problem At Hand
Highlights
☁️ Designing for Enterprise Scale
Working on the ManageIQ open-source project taught me how to design for large-scale, complex systems. The focus was on building user-friendly solutions that could scale seamlessly across diverse user needs in an enterprise environment
👨💻 Collaboration with IT / Chief Architect professionals
This program gave me my first chance to work closely with a Chief Architect, rather than just developers and PMs. This shift helped me understand how architecture impacts design decisions, and how to align design with long-term technical strategies.
🧑🏫 Leveraging the IBM Design System
I quickly learned to leverage the IBM Design System, integrating its pre-designed components to ensure consistency while customizing them for specific project needs. This experience reinforced the importance of systemized design in creating cohesive user experiences.
📏 Navigating Outdated Systems
One of the biggest challenges I faced was working with outdated systems. Integrating modern design principles into legacy platforms required creative problem-solving and an understanding of technical debt. I learned the importance of balancing the need for innovation with the constraints of existing systems, ensuring that designs were both feasible and forward-thinking.
⚡ Leveraging your Resources
Putting yourself out there and staying curious is so important. That's how I learned about the program in the first place. Also, led me to volunteering for the IBM open-source community which turned out to be a invaluable experience.
Overall; a wonderful summer experience
This summer was an incredible learning journey, where I had the privilege of working alongside industry professionals, particularly a UX expert with over 10 years of experience at IBM. Their guidance and insights were invaluable in shaping my understanding of user experience design. IBM, a pioneer in human-computer interaction, design, and technology, provided me with a unique opportunity to deepen my knowledge in a company that has played a significant role in shaping the design landscape. It was truly inspiring to learn from both the leaders and the history that has made IBM a key player in the design and tech world.
~A product of countless yuja honey lemon teas, touching grass, and the kind of clarity that comes from solo traveling. ☕ 🗺️
Get in touch
Send an email or DM, if you think I can be a good fit to your team!
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