Enterprise Design System

Cox Automotive lacked a unified design system across its dealer-facing products, resulting in inconsistent user experiences, design inefficiencies, and development redundancies. The company's product portfolio had grown through acquisitions and organic development, leaving dealers to navigate different UI patterns and workflows across critical systems. This fragmentation not only hindered user adoption but also slowed down innovation as teams spent valuable time recreating basic UI components.

Strategic Importance

• Integration of multiple acquired products into a cohesive ecosystem
• Enhancement of overall user experience for dealers
• Acceleration of development velocity
• Reduction of UX debt and inconsistencies
• Support for the company's strategy to deliver a unified dealer experience

Cross-Functional Coalition Building

I formed a coalition of UX leaders across Consumer and B2B products to develop the CAPTG UX Design System. Through persistent relationship building and strategic communication, I expanded stakeholder involvement to include Product, Architecture, Engineering, Center of Excellence, and Marketing.

Governance and Structure

I established a multi-level governance model:

• Executive Leadership Team - Driving strategic decisions
• Governance Team - Managing day-to-day operations and standards
• Working Teams - Executing on component development and implementation

Strategic Analysis

To ensure maximum impact, I led two parallel analyses:

1. Top-down impact assessment using five critical factors:
   • Business Impact
   • Crossover Audience
   • Integrations
   • Ease of Use
   • Financial Value
2. Bottom-up feasibility assessment to identify opportunities for quick wins and establish momentum

These analyses informed our recommendations to the Chief Product Officer and guided our implementation strategy.

Change Management

Recognizing that adoption would be our greatest challenge, I:

• Onboarded a dedicated Program Manager and Change Manager
• Developed a phased deployment approach
• Created a comprehensive communication plan
• Presented at the Engineering Summit and Product Summit to socialize the system
• Engaged senior leadership through regular updates and milestone reviews

     

Jesse was instrumental in defining an overall UX strategy and vision for our retail solutions. He excelled at collaborating cross-functionally.

Design System Components

The Interstate Design System delivered:

• Core component library with accessibility-compliant UI elements
• Figma design kit for rapid prototyping
• Documentation website with usage guidelines
• Technical implementations in both React and Web Components for PBCs
• Governance structure for ongoing maintenance and evolution

Phased Implementation

We deployed the system in structured phases:

1. Phase I: Foundational components and governance establishment
2. Phase II: Application to 80% of Retail360 "Happy Path" experiences
3. Phase III: Expansion to additional products based on strategic prioritization

Key Products Transformed

• Deal Central
• Deal List
• Bridge Bar & Notifications
• Common Consumer
• DealerTrack F&I Widgets
• Various other Retail360 components

Quantitative Impact

• Successfully applied Interstate to 80% of Retail360 "Happy Path" by end of 2023
• Delivered all designs on schedule to support NADA 2024 deadline
• Contribution of multiple component enhancements and guidelines, including data visualization components and numeric data display standards

Qualitative Impact

• Established the first enterprise-wide design system at Cox Automotive
• Created foundation for consistent user experiences across products
• Improved alignment between UX, Product Management, and Engineering
• Enhanced design workflow efficiency through reusable components
• Developed a sustainable governance model for long-term success

Business Value

• Reduced development redundancies across products
• Improved speed to market for new features
• Enhanced user experience consistency for dealers
• Strengthened Cox Automotive's position as providing an integrated dealer experience

• Stakeholder Management is Critical: Early engagement with executive stakeholders across functions proved essential for removing roadblocks
• Balance Speed and Quality: We had to make strategic tradeoffs between perfect implementation and business timelines
• Technical Diversity Matters: Discovering the need for multiple technical implementations (React and Web Components) was crucial for adoption
• Design Systems are Living Products: Creating governance and maintenance processes was as important as the initial components