Restructuring Enterprise Mobile Design System Guidelines
Modernizing outdated design system documents into a scalable, user-friendly resource. Established a living framework to support continuous innovation for designers and developers.
Client/Context
Internal Enterprise Mobile Design System (serving 150K+ global employees).
Duration
6-month overhaul
Role
Lead UX/Content Designer (documentation strategy, user research, information architecture, and writing)
The Problem
The Enterprise Mobile Design System created inefficiencies despite its robust foundation.
-
Outdated & incomplete documentation caused mismatched expectations between designers and developers
-
Inconsistent terminology and missing component states led to redundant work and rework
Goals
-
Replace legacy content with clear, comprehensive guidelines.
-
Align documentation with actual user (designer/developer) workflows.
-
Create a scalable framework for future updates.
Research & Approach
From Outdated to User-Centric
When we tackled outdated examples, I was tasked with a full audit of our existing documentation—identifying which components needed urgent updates and defining a clear structure for each.
My goal- To deliver comprehensive guidelines that cover every state and variation, ultimately creating a smoother, more intuitive experience for our users.
Learning Directly From Our Users
As a team, we knew the best way to improve our guidelines was to listen to the people using them every day. Through regular feedback sessions with our designers and devs, we co-created documentation that actually solves real problems they face in their work.
“I waste time reverse-engineering components due to missing specs”
- User
Team Alignment: Phasing Out Legacy Decisions Together
We worked hand-in-hand with our development team to clean up outdated terminology and establish clear standards. Through this partnership, we built a living documentation system that grows with our products - replacing confusing legacy decisions with solutions that work for everyone.
Creating guidelines, for guidelines
We established clear guidelines to maintain consistency and ease of use in our design system documentation. These standards ensure cohesion as our team grows while helping new members quickly understand and apply the system effectively—keeping our work scalable and accessible.
To address diverse use cases, we audited existing guidelines to identify core sections and content types. By simplifying and structuring this foundation, we created intuitive documentation that helps teams quickly find what they need without unnecessary complexity.
Documentation Structure
-
Introduction: Brief overview with visual preview.
-
Usage Examples: Showcase classic use cases for the component.
-
States and Variations: Present all options and collaborate closely with the dev team to cover all cases.
-
Spec Section: Detail spacing, coloring, and typography tokens, addressing any platform-specific differences.
-
Tablet Spec (if applicable): Demonstrate the component in a tablet environment.
Examples of Updated Guidelines
Impact & Outcomes
The redesigned documentation system delivered measurable efficiency gains:
-
reducing design-dev handoff questions and eliminating unnecessary back-and-forth,
-
developers praised the clarity, noting “specs are now detailed enough to work from directly.”
Adoption metrics proved equally strong (tested after 90 days from the update release):
-
with 92% of designers reporting the guidelines were “easier to navigate.”
To future-proof the system, we created a Documentation Playbook—equipping teams to maintain consistency as the design system scales.
Future Vision
Key takeaway- great documentation requires continuous care.
Moving forward, keeping maintenance into quarterly planning cycles and establishing regular feedback loops with users - ensuring the guidelines stay relevant as needs evolve.
Key next steps
-
Scheduled refinements: Quarterly updates tied to planning cycles
-
User-driven improvements: Regular feedback via surveys/interviews
-
Maintenance efficiency: Adopting new tools + developer collaboration