Building a Design System That Works for All
Learning Through Failure
Consistency, accessibility, and scalability are not abstract ideals—they are operational necessities. This work reflects how I’ve led multiple design system efforts at Consumer Reports (CR), including one that did not work as intended—and how that failure became a catalyst for a more resilient, inclusive, and effective system.
One of my core leadership values is learning through failure. This story intentionally includes what I helped create that didn’t succeed —and how that experience directly shaped better decisions, alignment, and a more durable outcome.
Role: Associate Director of Product UX
Organization: Consumer Reports
Focus: Design Systems, Cross‑functional Leadership, Learning Through Failure
The Need
Consumer Reports required a consumable design system to:
Ensure consistency across products and platforms
Scale efficiently across teams and technologies
Improve accessibility and AA compliance
Increase UX and engineering efficiency
Protect and evolve brand integrity
Background & Context
My approach to design systems is deeply rooted in my background in graphic design, art direction, and brand design. Early in my career, consistency wasn’t a preference—it was a responsibility. That mindset carried into my work at Consumer Reports, where I implemented and evolved multiple design systems over the years, adapting to new tools, technologies, and organizational realities.
Early Iterations
Photoshop era: Partnered with engineering to create a shared reference site, mapping design styles for Design, Engineering, and QA.
Sketch + Zeplin: Following the Pentagram redesign, I advocated for formalizing a design system strategy. With buy‑in from the Chief Digital Officer, I partnered with two engineers (one experienced, one learning) to build CR Styleguide v2.0.
Figma transition: Later, we created a Figma library (OZMA) aligned with the Creative Director’s vision. While visually strong, it lacked engineering co‑creation and system-level strategy.
This is where the story gets uncomfortable—and important.
The Problem (That I Helped Create)
During the transition from Sketch/Zeplin to Figma:
We lacked a dedicated design system team
Engineering bandwidth was limited
UX created and adopted the new Figma library without system governance
Engineering continued to rely on and modify the older system
The result:
Inconsistencies within and across products
Engineers retrofitting designs to an outdated system
Growing skepticism about the value of design systems
This failure to connect the old system with the new showed up everywhere: in our products, our workflows, and leadership’s confidence that a design system could scale.
Inconsistent shop buttons were found during our product audit.
Owning the Failure & Resetting the Narrative
Rather than defending the previous approach, I treated this as a systems‑level learning moment.
Step 1: Make the Problem Visible
I created a comprehensive presentation for the new Chief Experience Officer that:
Documented the history (including missteps)
Highlighted inconsistencies and inefficiencies
Framed design systems as shared infrastructure
Outlined what success could look like with the right model and resources
Step 2: Listen Before Leading
Met with the Director of Web Development, who openly believed design systems were unnecessary.
Interviewed engineers individually to understand how they were actually working
What I learned:
Engineers wanted an updated system
They wanted it aligned with their tech stack
They wanted it at scale to save time—not create friction
Engineers began advocating for change.
The Opportunity: Full‑Site Redesign
When CR partnered with AKQA for a full‑site redesign, the organization needed an internal leader to ensure continuity and long‑term ownership.
I stepped in and authored the Job Mission and OKRs:
I will lead the creation of a new CR design system in partnership with AKQA and a dedicated CR engineer—ensuring adoption across Product, UX, Engineering, and QA. In early phases, I will own both strategy and execution to enable long‑term adoption and scalability.
Execution: Building the Plane While Flying It
Execution required building both the system and the conditions for its success. I established durable foundations, formalized collaboration and governance, aligned tooling and documentation, and ensured brand and accessibility were embedded—not layered on later.
Assisted in the audit of existing components and styles
Created a phased rollout plan for DS deliverables
Finalized and prioritized primitive tokens, alias tokens, components, and patterns
Partnered with engineering on token integration and Storybook documentation
Created shared language, naming conventions, and approval definitions
Ensured AA accessibility through color and typography updates
Managed risk through small‑scale system validation
Outcomes
Re‑established trust in design systems across Engineering and Product
Created alignment between the agency and internal teams
Built a scalable foundation for long‑term system ownership