Stage 1 : Research + Define
To fully understand EG’s email categories, I partnered with 2 UX Designers to gather + audit live link examples. We compiled findings into a library, broken down into key modules to understand content types and design structure. We also looked at user flows to learn how travelers interacted with communications.
We got insight into which structures and modules worked for different use cases. We saw that many emails within the same category looked completely different from each other. This was due to how they were generated, when the templates were created, lack of long-term content management, etc. We also found that many of the more data-heavy emails, specifically transactional emails, were too data-heavy to comply with email best practices. The information architecture was dense and complicated, and we noted update opportunities (e.g. using progressive disclosure to link out from an email rather than visually overwhelming the user with info).
This presented a challenge, since Senior Leadership stressed that a full redesign was not in scope. Since it didn't make sense to transfer obvious flaws, patterns, and designs to a new system where they’d need to be addressed later and might be further built upon, we tried to update pieces in an effective way without huge structural changes. Understanding not everyone was clear on what needed updating, we continued to advocate for our UX team’s ideas and the fact that updating the design system was vital to the success of the project.
Stage 2 : Documentation, Ideation, Wireframing
To further document and evaluate current modules, we created a more comprehensive library to house our work-in-progress Email Design System. Our goal was to translate existing designs into this library using base components from EG’s overarching design system, making it scalable across all of EG’s brands for consistency and simplicity.
We adjusted modules to improve function and usability. We created wireframes + lo-fi mocks of email categories so we could view modules within templates. With Product’s help, we ensured the UX was both visually and logically consistent across channels. We learned that due to EG’s reorg, many teams were siloed and had little insight into other teams; we realized the importance of increased cross-functional communication so the user’s journey would be designed and function as a cohesive experience.
Stage 3 : Build
With our library in a good place, we worked with the Engineering/Dev teams to build the UMP on the suggested WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) platform. We worked through many info gaps between the Design and Dev teams - Dev didn’t have a full understanding of how modules would be used and how data was pulled in, and they did not have data threads set up for many instances. It became apparent that the platform wasn’t as customizable as we’d been told, and was therefore unable to support our needs.
This drove a pivot in platforms; we worked with the Engineering/Dev teams to transition everything we’d worked on thus far to a new Salesforce platform. We then conducted extensive UAT to ensure everything was coded accurately and was rendering correctly in both Light + Dark modes. Since we were on a short timeline, and since and the amount of research/design restructuring required vs. the actual project scope did not align, we were under pressure to quickly complete this phase.
During the previous stages, we learned some modules were used consistently across all email categories, while others were only used for specific use cases. We decided the more infrequently-used modules could be completed in Phase 2 in order to allow the Dev team to focus on transferring and building the most relevant library pieces.
The result was a fully built collection of the most commonly used modules that we could leverage for deployment of the first batch of emails from the UMP.
Stage 4 : Implementation
We were asked to create, build, and deploy our first set of communications from what we now called simply UMP. This phase was scoped to cover transactional emails (itinerary confirmations, refund messaging, etc.) that were less creative and more data-heavy, in order to get a read on the new system and its ability to accommodate varied content + data.
However, during UMP’s development, other teams were creating “One Key” - a singular rewards program between the three major EG brands. This was a main company reorg goal - to make it clear that EG owned all three companies and to allow travelers to benefit across brands. In short, the project scope changed again and One Key was now scoped to be the first series launching from UMP.
I was chosen as Lead Designer for this first implementation phase - I led and oversaw the creation of One Key Beta Launch’s design system structure, UX patterns, and design. This phase was scoped for 6 months (from design to deployment) but due to the sheer volume of email communications, branding implications, and designs/content demands, the launch was pushed out two months to allow for resolving the growing pains of implementing a brand new design system + platform.
Stage 5 : Content + Design
I worked closely on content development + branding with Photography, Head of Brand, and Copywriters/Legal. There was not a main Project Manager coordinating all of the contributing teams, so much of the information gathering was up to my direct team. We worked hard to fill info gaps and educate others on new processes.
Leveraging the Email Design System we'd built, I created and implemented a structured design system + module library to be used specifically for One Key so that loyalty emails were consistent and creative, and so that other designers would have a system to use going forward. I created hifi mocks for emails, facilitated reviews and explained design decisions, and communicated with the Dev + Production teams as needed regarding updates.
Many learnings surfaced, some being points that my UX team had identified in the first stages regarding taking a holistic approach, redesigning modules that had logic opportunities, and apprehensions around designing an entire system without the concrete content and data details that it would later contain.
For the Beta series to accommodate the requested content, we needed to heavily rely on information architecture and content development. Many collaborating stakeholders were SVPs, Directors, and even the President of EG Brands. Everyone was new to UMP and was viewing this phase as a time to ask for everything and anything they’d been wanting in emails.
From a design perspective, we were trying to lean into consistency, simplicity, and best practices that hadn’t been previously implemented. Many stakeholders were hesitant to accept changes and argued in favor of the information/designs they'd proposed, so I had to make many efficiency decisions and constantly defend our design system + strategy. I continuously communicated to everyone involved that we needed to think of this as a larger system building on itself and that each email should be viewed as part of a cohesive, consistent system rather than a one-off creation. We needed clearer design patterns to enable learnability, usability, and consistency - a large piece that was missing from the current user experience.
Stage 6 : Handoff, Documentation, Onboarding
After a few very busy months working on everything from icon sizing to module formatting to best processes for receiving feedback, we completed the first batch of 15 One Key Beta Launch communications.
I worked closely with another designer and my manager to hand off production files and to walk the Dev team through everything necessary for production. We conducted extensive UAT work once the emails were built to ensure all was done accurately.
After handoff, I worked on:
- Creating large documentation resources (templates, modules with content + branding, processes, etc.)
- Compiling multiple libraries for designers and beyond to reference
- Onboarding my entire department into UMP and demonstrating how to leverage it for different project types going forward
- Managing + consistently updating the existing design system/libraries we’d created over the last year
- Mentoring others on a daily basis who needed to learn these processes
There was an immense amount of information provided, learned, and created during this project, and we needed resources for people on all teams to reference and understand the goals and implications of UMP.
