Introduction

My journey began as a UI designer at Widen Enterprises, a leading Digital Asset Management company. However, my role quickly evolved, embracing UX, UI, and Research, previously uncharted by the organization. This narrative unfolds my pivotal transformation of Widen, steering it towards a user-centered design philosophy.

The Challenge

Widen, traditionally development-centric, had yet to integrate UX UI and Research into its processes. My challenge was introducing these disciplines and cultivating a design thinking culture within an environment accustomed to a different approach.

Strategy and Execution

Innovative Leadership:

Leading by example, I transitioned into the UX team lead and design scrum master, fostering a collaborative environment that bridged development and design. My leadership extended beyond project management to mentoring, resulting in team growth and promoting a holistic design thinking approach across the organization.

Groundbreaking Projects:

Portals, my inaugural project, epitomized the transformation from concept to deployment, introducing a visual web page builder that enhanced Widen’s flagship offering. I synthesized diverse business needs into a coherent vision through cross-departmental discovery meetings, setting the stage for user-centric development.

Additional projects

  • Custom design system
  • Workflow product
  • Redesign of legacy DAM
  • Quick Insights

Revolutionizing Design Processes:

I spearheaded the introduction of new UX standards, a custom design system, and tools, overcoming budget constraints to secure essential resources like Sketch and advancing prototype testing through innovative means. This adaptability showcased the tangible benefits of UX investment and fostered an organizational shift towards embracing user feedback and iterative design.

Empirical Research and Validation:

A landmark initiative saw the VP of Product and myself embarking on a nationwide tour to gather direct user feedback. This groundbreaking effort enriched our project insights and ignited a company-wide enthusiasm for user research, marking a cultural pivot toward customer-centric development.

Impact

These efforts culminated profoundly, transitioning Widen from a development-driven entity to a design-thinking leader. My tenure catalyzed significant advancements in UX and design system standards, collaborative processes, and organizational culture, laying a solid foundation for sustained innovation and user satisfaction.

My experience at Widen Enterprises was transformative for me and the organization. By championing user-centered design, I led successful projects and fostered an enduring legacy of design excellence and innovation. This journey reflects my commitment to elevating user experience through strategic leadership, creative problem-solving, and a relentless focus on research and collaboration.