Saudi Telecom Company
Translated brand purpose into optimised and cohesive digital experiences across systems, products, and services for Saudi Arabia's largest telecom group.
Strategy: UX Journeys and Mapping. Job-To-Be-Done. Information Architecture.
Ideation: Content Audit. Workshops. Design Sprint. Prototyping.
Creativity: Design Systems. Product Design. UX, UI.
Delivery: Digital Ecosystem Map. Design System. Prototypes.
Client: STC Group, SA.
Agency: Interbrand Madrid.
My Role: Experience Director.
1
Identifying the Brand Fragmentation
Saudi Telecom Company (STC) expanded into new markets, creating a fragmented brand experience. To unify its digital presence, STC consolidated its master visual identity and design system and established clear UX/UI guidelines.
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Interbrand Madrid led the rebranding and brand strategy definition for STC, the largest telecom group in Saudi Arabia. As STC expanded into new markets and diversified its business, it needed a clear and cohesive sense of purpose.
Following the global rebrand, STC launched multiple initiatives and sub-brands, resulting in a fragmented brand experience with numerous visual languages. This inconsistency posed challenges in delivering a unified customer experience and coordinating internal and external brand collaborations.
The company recognised the need to consolidate its master design system while allowing for coherent sub-variations. Additionally, STC aimed to establish a clear UX/UI policy to ensure consistency across all digital interactions and streamline collaboration between teams and partners.
2
Translating Brand Purpose into a Scalable Design System
We collaborated closely with stakeholders to translate STC’s brand purpose into a scalable design system. Interviews and workshops revealed the needs of four core brands, thirteen subsidiaries, and over 100 touchpoints.
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The project's second phase focused on translating STC’s brand purpose into consistent user experiences across four core brands, 13 subsidiaries, and over 100 touchpoints.
We engaged with stakeholders through interviews and collaborative workshops with in-house teams and external partners to achieve this. This research phase uncovered key challenges, expectations, and opportunities for alignment.
From the outset, it was evident that the new design system needed to serve a dual purpose: Externally, it had to deliver a seamless and unified digital brand experience for customers. Internally, it needed to facilitate brand governance, improve collaboration, and streamline design workflows across multiple teams and agencies.
We focused on the STC master brand before gradually expanding component prototyping across the sub-brands. We refined existing elements and designed new ones to maintain consistency and scalability.
The process followed an iterative, agile approach, where sprint loops allowed for continuous feedback and refinements. By documenting every iteration, we ensured clear alignment among stakeholders, streamlined collaboration, and maintained a structured roadmap for execution.
3
Prototyping and Iterating for Seamless Integration
We developed two core tools: a Digital Ecosystem Map to analyse user experience across platforms and a scalable Design System for brand consistency.
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One of the biggest challenges in developing design systems is not creating them but ensuring widespread adoption. Our goal was to provide STC with the right tools to enhance brand governance, recognition, and customer experience across all platforms.
To achieve this, we delivered two key tools:
- The Digital Ecosystem Map - A comprehensive framework that provided STC with an in-depth understanding of the UX across its channels, platforms, and touchpoints. This tool identified gaps and opportunities for improving customer journeys.
- The Design System - A robust, scalable system that defines the master brand and its sub-brands, ensuring a seamless and consistent experience tailored to specific customer needs. This included visual identity evolution, component libraries, accessibility principles, and semantic code recommendations.
Before
After
4
Implementation and Long-Term Adoption
STC is implementing its optimised design system across brands and subsidiaries, improving brand governance and customer experience while ensuring long-term growth flexibility.
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Implementing the optimised design system is ongoing across STC’s four core brands, 13 subsidiaries, and over 100 digital touchpoints. The evolution of the brand’s identity and interface design system is actively shaping:
- A unified brand experience across all digital channels.
- Enhanced usability and accessibility principles.
- A streamlined workflow for internal teams and external partners.
By embedding governance structures and clear documentation, STC is creating a future-proof system that supports consistency while allowing flexibility for growth. The continuous rollout ensures an evolving brand presence, improved collaboration, and enhanced customer digital experience.
This case study demonstrates how a structured, human-centered approach to design system development can transform brand ecosystems and ensure alignment between business goals and user needs.
Saudi Telecom Company’s case study shows how a structured, human-centred approach can transform brand ecosystems and align business goals with user needs.
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