w3 internal homepage
With IBM’s internal homepage, we aimed to create a unified intranet experience that would proactively provide IBMers with the information they need to be effective in their roles. Before this unification, the intranet existed as a separate set of diverse services, ranging across a main homepage, IT services, employee lookup (People), search, and news. As the lead UX and Visual Designer for w3 People and w3 Settings, it was critical to deliver an experience that was familiar, modern, intuitive and fit in among the suite of offerings.
Winner of the Nielsen Norman Group’s Intranet Design Award, 2022
Company
IBM
Role
UX and Visual Design Lead
Platforms
Web, Mobile
Year
2020-2022
The challenge
Bring together six separate offerings into one cohesive experience.
The goal
Provide IBMers with a single central location for all essential services.
Reduce time IBMers spend searching for and accessing information needed for their role.
Allow IBMers to adjust their settings and preferences to tailor their w3 experience.
Ensure consistency in experience, typography, iconography, color, illustration and other imagery.
Key screens
As the lead UX and Visual Designer for w3 People and w3 Settings, I was involved in every stage of the design process from concept to production. This included initial discovery and research (workshops, persona development, user interviews and usability testing), the creation of low fidelity sketches, wireframes, site maps, and, ultimately, the creation of high fidelity designs for implementation. I ensured that the designs addressed real user needs, presenting the following key solutions that would allow IBMers to easily search for other employees and tailor their preferences across the entire w3 experience.
Product impact & results
The unification of w3’s intranet had significant impacts on both teams and the broader organization, leading to:
Seamless integration across the internal product ecosystem by providing a common set of guidelines and a long-term strategic vision for the intranet.
Enhanced design capabilities, enabling teams to develop new features more efficiently through a unified design system and standardized patterns.
Improved collaboration between designers and developers, seen as the standard for cross-functional teamwork within the CIO organization.
Accelerated decision-making processes by aligning stakeholders across various organizations, highlighting the value of consistency and coordination.
64.9
NPS score
A+
in ease and capabilities
93.2%
Goal completion rate
*metrics collected during first quarter of launch