Design Management Case Studies

Although I consider myself primarily a user researcher, there was a period of about 4 to 5 years where I was called on repeatedly to take on responsibilities in design management. Below are two representative projects from that period, one where I lead a series of design engagements to develop an Intel alternative to Apple’s iCloud, and the second a collaboration with our brand management team to create Intel’s first branded design language for software and services.

My Media Library

Cloud Based Media Storage

After Apple’s launch of iCloud and Airplay, there were fears that the PC ecosytem was falling behind in making the PC a hub for digital entertainment. So, our VP asked us to assemble a cross-functional team of engineers, designers, and researchers to try to catch up. I was one of two people that led that team, and this was our intiative for improving on iCloud as a cloud-based media storage service.

Collaboration with Brand Management

While Intel had a strong brand with a distinctive brand ID and an extensive library of design assets, no one at that point had developed a set of brand guidelines for software and services. Moreover, the assets developed by the Brand ID team at the time were really optimized for display and packaging. In this project we developed a DLS for Intel’s future software and services that was consistent with the ID team’s overall direction but was more suitable for the medium.