Enterprise Design System

Lead Designer | 2023 | Design system

The organization faced significant challenges in its notification system due to the absence of a centralized design approach. This led to inconsistencies in visual elements, fragmented processes, confusion over terminology, independent notification creation, and a lack of clear criteria for channel and component selection. The Alerts and Notifications team is committed to addressing these issues by developing a comprehensive solution that ensures a more consistent, efficient, and user-friendly notification system across all platforms.

The Challenge

The notification system faces several challenges due to the absence of a centralized design framework. Various teams create notifications across multiple channels including email, text, push, and in-app resulting in inconsistent visual designs, icons, and colors that contribute to a fragmented user experience. Additionally, the lack of standardized terminology has led to confusion, as different teams independently develop notifications without coordination or clear guidelines. This has resulted in redundant notifications and limited control over channel selection. The Alerts and Notifications team is uniquely positioned to resolve these issues by establishing a unified system that enhances consistency, clarity, and the overall user experience across all notifications.

The overview

Users & Audience

The alerts and notifications design system I developed is poised to benefit over 1,000 designers and developers across 50 micro teams, driving greater design consistency, streamlined decision-making, and improved cross-team collaboration.

Moreover, this initiative is expected to enhance the experience of over 11 million digitally active users, ensuring a unified and cohesive interface across all banking products and platforms.

My Role

As the UX Lead on this project, I drove the high-level strategy and taxonomy for our alerts and notifications design system. From designing new icons to selecting colors aligned with the organization’s design system, I meticulously managed every detail to ensure the visual and functional consistency.

My role also involved close collaboration with a diverse team, including interaction designer, content strategists, researchers, design system managers, branding strategists, accessibility consultants, and front-end developers. Together, we took a holistic approach to seamlessly integrating design excellence with user-centric functionality.

The Process

Holistic approach to taxonomy, content, and design strategy

In collaboration with the content designer, I conducted a comprehensive inventory of notifications across teams, channels, and components. This analysis enabled us to establish a structured taxonomy, categorization, and clear criteria for the notification system. Additionally, we developed a decision tree and content guidelines to ensure consistency, clarity, and effectiveness in communication across all platforms.

Proposed components, color schemes, and iconography

In collaboration with my visual designer, we conducted a competitive analysis and proposed components for three key notification categories in online banking and the mobile app. We introduced light, medium, and dark color schemes align with the organization’s updated branding, enhancing visual consistency. Additionally, we refined iconography to improve visibility and establish clear priority indicators.

These designs were applied to validate the newly established guidelines, ensuring seamless integration into the design system for a cohesive and consistent user experience across all platforms.

Notification placement strategy, zone optimization, and user testing

Once the components and scenarios were finalized, we developed a strategic framework for their interactions and placement. By defining potential locations and conducting extensive user testing, we refined our options based on real user feedback. This iterative approach enabled us to identify the most effective solutions and finalize the designs for seamless integration into the system.

The impact

Driving Cohesion

The alerts and notifications design system I developed at U.S. Bank supports over 1,000 designers across 50 micro teams, fostering consistency, streamlined decision-making, and cross-team collaboration. By unifying design principles, it eliminates confusion and ensures a seamless experience for over 11 million users across various banking products. Beyond enhancing internal workflows, this system elevates the overall customer experience, creating a more cohesive and intuitive digital platform.

Enhancing accessibility

We enhanced accessibility in the design system by prioritizing color contrast and user testing:

Ensured notification colors and font sizes comply with A11Y standards.
Adjusted red and green notifications to be distinguishable for colorblind users.
Conducted usability testing with colorblind participants to validate accessibility.
Improved toast notifications by repositioning them to the top for greater visibility.

These efforts created a more inclusive experience, ensuring accessibility for all users.

Creating a More Intuitive & Accessible Experience

We conducted a comprehensive analysis of the notification user experience, focusing on error prevention, optimal toast timing, and strategic display placement. Through rigorous testing, we developed effective strategies for managing multiple notifications without overwhelming users, ensuring a seamless, intuitive, and efficient experience.

Reflections

Redesigning the alerts and notifications system was a challenging yet rewarding experience that required cross-functional collaboration, strategic thinking, and a user-first approach. By creating a unified design framework, we streamlined decision-making, improved accessibility, and enhanced the user experience for over 11 million users. Introducing innovations like toggle buttons and curated notification bundles required data-driven validation, while accessibility improvements ensured inclusivity. This project reinforced the value of collaboration and set a strong foundation for future scalability and innovation in digital notifications.

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