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Following a global rebrand as the largest telecom company in Saudi Arabia, the Saudi Telecom Group (STC) created initiatives and sub-brands that generated a multitude of visual languages.

Because of that fragmented brand experience, the business wanted to review and consolidate a master design system and its coherent sub-variations. They also wanted to define a clear UX/UI policy. This would help internal and external collaborations and provide consistent customer experiences.

Understand

After interviewing stakeholders, we conducted workshops with in-house teams and partners to uncover their needs and expectations.

Then, we audit and inventory the existing visual languages. That gave us a sense of how to govern such a vast and complex system and how to define key experience and design principles.

Define

From the beginning, it was clear that the new Design System had a double-faced ambition. Externally, an obvious customer-led purpose is to create unified branded digital experiences. Internally, to ease brand development, governance, and collaborations between many teams and partners.

We start with the STC master brand. Then, we scale the prototyping of components across the sub-brands. We improve existing elements and create new ones.

We shared progress in agile sprint loops while documenting feedback and iterations for a vast and complex project, giving clarity and a roadmap. Most importantly, it facilitated the alignment of executives, stakeholders, and teams.

Design

The biggest challenge in creating design systems is not developing them but getting all teams to adopt them. We delivered two powerful tools to drive transformation.

A detailed Digital Ecosystem Map helps STC understand the UX of its various channels, platforms, and touchpoints. This can help identify gaps and opportunities for improvement.

And a solid Design System for the master brand and its sub-brands to meet specific customer needs. The evolution of STC visual identity, components, guidelines, accessibility principles, and semantic code recommendations enhances brand governance, recognition and meaningful customer experiences.

Implementation

The optimised Design System is being implemented across four core brands, 13 subsidiaries, and 100+ touchpoints through an evolved identity and interface design system.