Functional role
Lead UX designer
Scope
UX lead · Two brands
Team
5 Junior UX · Dev · Customer
Responsibility
Team & process lead
Overview
A confidential US truck manufacturer needed one head unit experience for two brands - shared AI, shared content, adapted across two screen resolutions and distinct visual design systems. I was brought in mid-project to lead the team, establish process, and get the work moving in the right direction.
Problem
No clear requirements, milestones, or deliverables. Design and development were misaligned, with feasibility checks happening too late in the process.
Approach
Ran discovery sessions with designers, developers and the client to map responsibilities, surface blockers - then improved the process around what the team actually needed.
How I set the project on track
From ambiguity to aligned execution
01
Aligned scope, client expectations, and Polarion & Figma baseline
02
Early feasibility checks, a shared collab framework, and a handoff protocol
03
Milestones, a unified design system for two brands, and defining design freeze
04
Established Design rituals, shared standards, ownership back to the team
05
Assets, localization, and a single source of truth
01
Requirements alignment
Polarion, Figma and dev expectations were out of sync. I documented the gaps, presented the client three options with cost implications, and aligned everyone on a shared baseline.
02
Coaching for independence
Mentored the team on owning client sessions - presenting design options with rationale rather than seeking direction. Gave ownership back to the designers.
03
Design-dev alignment
Introduced dedicated Figma files for development, scheduled regular syncs, and embedded design into dev sprint rituals - moving feasibility checks earlier in the process.
Brought structure to a disorganized project mid-flight - aligning client, designers and developers around a shared process.
The team became significantly more productive, stakeholder feedback improved across the board, and the project moved forward on track for the first time.
This project is confidential. Screen designs, product details, and client identity are protected under a non-disclosure agreement.