Q1 2024 - Q1 2025
Console Connect
Background
Nimbus Design System was meant to be the “single source of truth” for design & development, but without governance it became fragmented, inconsistent, and hard to trust.
Collaboration broke down between teams, accessibility standards slipped, and even seasoned users found the system frustrating to use.
Core problem
In short, Nimbus had become a kitchen sink; bloated with redundant components, cluttered with inconsistencies, and increasingly difficult for anyone to navigate.
Collaboration broke down between teams
Accessibility standards slipped
Even seasoned users found the system frustrating to use.
The Approach for Nimbus UI
My task was to lead the complete overhaul of Nimbus; defining its vision, rebuilding components and tokens, embedding accessibility by default, and streamlining governance for scale.
Research
Interviewed 9 designers and developers to uncover pain points in the current system.
Using Dovetail, we mapped and clustered their feedback into themes.
The insights fell into 6 core categories
While the research highlighted user struggles, it didn’t pinpoint the exact gaps in the system. To close that loop, I ran a gap analysis across what was documented, designed, and built. The misalignments we uncovered became the blueprint for reimagining Nimbus.
2. Solution
We needed a "core" set of components you can trust - we decided to rebuild our foundations.
Created an accessible colour palette
Introduced react-aria, a Headless React Library as a part of our core library
Decided to go all in on storybook for developer documentation as coded examples were the best way for developers to consume new documentation.
We rebuilt our Figma Library and Code libraries (I did the design & development of these libs)
🔗 Nimbus Storybook
Results and Impact
Faster development
~20–30% reduction in time spent building foundational UI
Delivered 18 components using accessible defaults
Developers report shipping UI features 1–2 sprints faster on average
Greater consistency
20%+ reduction in bespoke or custom UI implementations measured through custom CSS and Figma
Clearer reuse of shared components across teams and products
Less design and development rework
~25% decrease in UI-related feedback and rework during delivery reported by QEs
Fewer late-stage fixes caused by design drift or misinterpretation
Improved developer sentiment
Overall satisfaction with Nimbus UI increased from ~3.1 → 4.2 / 5 according to surveys we ran
Willingness to recommend Nimbus UI to other teams increased
Reflection
Nimbus was in no means a perfect project. It was messy and many different stakeholders used obstacles and red tape to suit their agenda. I struggled to get any momentum internally from engineering teams and our designers were constantly having to build with the old system before the new one became available.
As much as I want to present this perfect picture, I don’t want to mislead. It was difficult. Our problems were systemic and when you’re trying to affect change it can often feel like you constantly pivot into a new wall.
If I was to try my hand at creating a design system, I would have started with advocacy and collaboration more than governance. I would have pushed engineering teams to come up with better standards rather than set them myself. Often I’ve found that when you don’t take people along for the journey it obscures the path.