Creating the Ford Design System
The Challenge: In 2018, Ford had hundreds of websites and digital experiences, from Brazil to China to Mexico. Despite representing the same brand, every website looked and behaved differently. Ford needed a design system.
The Solution: In partnership with VMLY&R, I developed content strategy and wrote documentation for what became known as the Ford Design System (FDS). I collaborated with UI and UX designers, technical development leads, program managers, and creatives across the U.S. and South Africa. Together, we established elements, components, and patterns for all digital Ford experiences alongside a GitHub code kit.
The Results:
1,100 designers, developers and project managers using the Ford Design System
120+ Ford URLs impacted as of 2021
65 partner agencies using FDS
Application used in North America, South America, China, Europe, and other international regions.
What I Learned: I deepened my knowledge of atomic design, UX practices, UI patterns, internationalization, and the principles of design. I was able to apply this knowledge to help Ford design system users all over the world better design in accordance with FDS.
