Company
UBC Faculty of Applied Science
Team
1 product manager, 1 design lead
1 designer, 3 developers
Tools
Figma
Drupal
Jira
Confluence
Areas
UX/UI Design
Content Strategy
Project Management
Timeline
May - Aug 2024
My Role
Product Design Lead
At a Glance…
Overview
I worked as a Product Design Lead under the Digital Project Team at UBC APSC, collaborating with a project manager, designer, and developers. My role involved redesigning websites to align with APSC’s brand strategy and addressing user engagement challenges.
⭐ Our team tackled multiple website redesigns for UBC's Faculty of Applied Science (APSC) to enhance brand consistency and improve user engagement.
What I Delivered…
Website Redesigns: Launched the Manufacturing website with improved information architecture, advanced the Co-op website to a near-launch state, and led the Professional Degree Program website through the design phase.
UX Enhancements: Improved elements like blockquote styles, horizontal line designs, and process flow visuals, etc.
Team Empowerment: Prepared Drupal training course and hosted workshops for faculty members.
Process Improvements: Developed a design catalog and implemented a project management system to streamline workflows and mitigate risks.
Kicking Off
📖 What is UBC Applied Science?
UBC’s Faculty of Applied Science (APSC) excels in education and research across Engineering, Nursing, Architecture & Landscape Architecture, and Community & Regional Planning. With over 7.2K students, it is celebrated for innovation, academic excellence, and shaping future leaders.
The Challenge
UBC APSC faced the need to strengthen brand consistency across its digital platforms and improve user engagement.
Sites in Focus
With four key websites requiring redesigns, the goal was to create cohesive, user-centric experiences that aligned with APSC’s innovative identity and drove better conversions.
My Day As a Product Design Lead
This was my first experience leading product design in the education sector, and it was both challenging and rewarding. Collaborating closely with a talented team of designer, developers, and a project manager, I tackled multiple website redesigns for UBC’s Faculty of Applied Science. Each project pushed me to innovate, adapt, and grow as a designer and leader.
🔑 Key Responsibilities
Led client meetings to gather requirements, translate needs into UX/UI improvements, provide recommendations, and ensure alignment with APSC’s design system and brand strategy.
Managed project timelines, scope, and risks to ensure smooth and effective execution.
Collaborated on UX enhancements with designers to maintain consistency and improve user experience.
Conducted Drupal CMS workshops to equip clients with content management skills and best practices.
Where I Made an Impact
3 MONTHS, 6 PROJECTS
UBC Applied Science Main Site
Enhancing the user experience through subtle but impactful design improvements.
Revamped blockquote styling for better visual emphasis.
Redesigned horizontal line elements to improve content flow and visual hierarch
UBC APSC Co-op
Enhancing the site with new visuals and elements to better communicate its offerings.
Designed process flow visuals to clarify complex procedures.
Created figure cards and alumni quote sections for a more engaging experience.
Project Management Pipeline
Streamlining workflows to ensure effective project delivery and alignment with client expectations.
Implemented a project management system to improve process efficiency and mitigate risks.
Developed a web design catalog to help clients articulate their needs by providing clear visual references.
Drupal Training Course
Building a training program to empower faculty members to manage content independently while following best practices.
Created a comprehensive Drupal course tailored for faculty members.
Taught CMS fundamentals, efficient content updates, and management techniques.
UBC Manufacturing Engineering
Improving the site’s structure, design, and functionality to align with brand strategy.
Redesigned the site with a new, user-friendly information architecture.
Updated the course table for better usability and clarity.
UBC MEL/MHLP
Optimizing the site’s navigation and expanding the design system to meet evolving needs.
Improved information architecture and navigation to simplify user journeys.
Designed a new card component as part of the Design System 3.0 upgrade.
Leadership and Project Management
Refined skills in leading meetings, managing timelines, and mitigating risks to ensure smooth project execution and client satisfaction.
Takeaways and Reflections
1
Design Systems and Brand Consistency
Gained expertise in maintaining brand consistency through reusable components, balancing creativity with organizational goals using UBC APSC’s Design System 3.0.
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Mobile-First and User-Centered Design
Adopted a mobile-first mindset to prioritize usability on smaller screens, ensuring seamless experiences across devices.
Collaboration and Documentation
Learned to create detailed design documentation for smooth developer handoffs and collaborated effectively with cross-functional teams to deliver results.
🤔 Reflections
I truly appreciate the growth I gained from this experience. Leading multiple projects helped me refine my ability to balance creativity with practical design solutions. Collaborating with stakeholders and developers taught me the importance of clear communication and fostering strong team dynamics. Tackling large-scale redesigns and enhancing the design system reinforced the value of structure and consistency in my approach. This role gave me the confidence to face complex challenges while maintaining a focus on user-centered, brand-aligned outcomes.
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Coming Next
This project was part of an HCI course in UBC’s Designing for People cluster program, led by master’s and PhD students from multidisciplinary backgrounds. Our team collaborated with Michael Dreher and Andy Leung from 6Sensmatic Inc. to address supply chain management challenges faced by Alberta Health Services (AHS), which became evident during the COVID-19 pandemic.