I drove the development of a design system to modernize page designs and enhance customer experiences, enabling new content types and customizable landing pages for Expedia Group Customer Marketing.
Design Process
Opportunity for Improvement
I identified an opportunity to modernize our landing pages and improve efficiency and consistency in page creation. The existing system lacked flexibility, leading to inefficiencies when scaling across multiple campaigns and content types. This presented an opportunity to streamline and improve the system by creating a reusable, modular design approach that would save time and maintain consistency across multiple projects.
Understanding Capabilities and Limitations
Before diving in, my team assessed both the capabilities and limitations of the current system. This allowed us to understand what was feasible and where we could push the boundaries of the existing tools, even if it meant finding creative workarounds.
Starting Small: Defining the Foundation
We began by designing a small, flexible system of basic modules and templates. This modular approach allowed us to introduce new content types and create a foundation that could easily expand as needed.
Development
Once the modular system was defined, I led the development of the landing page design system, focusing on creating reusable components that could be adapted for different campaigns. The system was built with scalability in mind, allowing for customization and flexibility while maintaining design consistency.
We implemented the system with no product support, often "hacking the system" to achieve outcomes beyond its original intent. Despite working within limitations, we managed to push the system’s capabilities to their full potential.
Soft Launch: Black Friday/Cyber Monday
The first major test of the design system came during the Black Friday/Cyber Monday (BFCM) campaign, where customization and creativity were critical. The modular design system allowed us to quickly roll out landing pages tailored to specific deals and promotions, significantly reducing production time and ensuring a cohesive user experience across the campaign. This was a perfect test to demonstrate the system’s efficiency and effectiveness in delivering a seamless user experience under pressure.
Positive Feedback and Adoption
The design system received positive feedback from global marketing stakeholders, as well as B2B and partnership teams, who adopted it for their pages. The system also proved valuable for projects where UX resources were limited, providing a scalable solution that allowed teams to maintain high-quality standards without needing custom builds. Its success was reflected in its widespread adoption across the organization for various high-impact campaigns.