Design systems don’t build themselves

DGIB, or the Digital GI Bill, is a digital application for veterans, Service members, and their families to apply for financial aid. Launch in 2021, DGIB continues to serve as an important resource for military families looking to access key information and benefits. But like all web applications built at warp speed, DGIB’s design system had some catching up to do.

Client

Dept. of Veterans Affairs

MY ROLE

UI/UX Design

Timeline

11 months

PLACEHOLDER

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THE PROBLEM

Our design team was having a lot of difficulty navigating the DGIB design system. Initially, DGIB’s design system was based off of VA.gov and USWDS. But as the design system grew, it became clear that it lacked organization, consistency, and governance.

USER RESEARCH

After joining the project, I spent a lot of time talking to our designers, product managers, developers, and design lead. I wanted to understand how and why the current design system wasn’t working. Here are some of the top pain points we identified:

  • User Research, Prototyping, Usability Testing, User Flows, Design Systems, Accessibility

  • Typography, Color Theory, Visual Identity, Iconography, Illustration, Guidelines and Governance

  • Storyboarding, Motion Graphics, 2D Vector Animation, Explainer and Product Demo Videos.

  • Brainstorm and Ideation, Visual Storytelling, Education, Client/Group Management, Surveys and Feedback

  • Designing and Building Campaigns, HTML/CSS, Segmentation and Optimization, A/B Testing, Analytics, Hubspot Certified

Skills

1

It’s hard to find components within the current system and feel confident they are accurate and pixel-perfect.

02

It’s hard to find components within the current system and feel confident they are accurate and pixel-perfect.

2

03

It’s hard to find components within the current system and feel confident they are accurate and pixel-perfect.

It’s hard to find components within the current system and feel confident they are accurate and pixel-perfect.

3

04

It’s hard to find components within the current system and feel confident they are accurate and pixel-perfect.

It’s hard to find components within the current system and feel confident they are accurate and pixel-perfect.

Our design team was having a lot of issues navigating the DGIB design system. Initially, DGIB’s design system was based off of VA.gov and USWDS. But as the design system grew, it became clear that it lacked organization, consistency, and governance.

The audit

conducting a 1 month audit, we discovered four major paint points:

ABOUT ME

Hi, I’m Leila. I am a multi-disciplinary designer with 8+ years of experience working in print, visual, and UX/UI design. Though an east-coaster at heart, I now live in Fort Collins, CO. Currently I work as a Visual Designer at Accenture Federal Services—crafting rich, visual experiences for various federal clients.

Outside of work, I love dabbling in interior design, flocking plant nurseries, and going on hikes with my golden retriever—Theo.​

  • User Research, Prototyping, Usability Testing, User Flows, Design Systems, Accessibility

  • Typography, Color Theory, Visual Identity, Iconography, Illustration, Guidelines and Governance

  • Storyboarding, Motion Graphics, 2D Vector Animation, Explainer and Product Demo Videos.

  • Brainstorm and Ideation, Visual Storytelling, Education, Client/Group Management, Surveys and Feedback

  • Designing and Building Campaigns, HTML/CSS, Segmentation and Optimization, A/B Testing, Analytics, Hubspot Certified

Skills

Clients

  • Dept. of Education

  • Dept. of Veterans Affairs

  • Dept. of the Treasury

  • Dept. of the Navy

  • Accenture Studio

  • Congressional Black Caucus PAC

  • Washington Speakers Bureau

  • BAT Conservation International

Tools

  • Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, After Effects)

  • Sketch, Invision, Figma, Craft, Abstract, Optimal Workshop

  • Hubspot, Mailchimp

Education

  • American University. Bachelor’s Degree, Broadcast Journalism and Graphic Design. — May 2016