How I created governance models and modular design components that unified experience across a fast-moving SaaS platform
Due to confidentiality, respect of privacy policies, and enterprise compliance, some visuals are recreated or simplified for portfolio purposes. A detailed version is available upon request.
CONTEXT
Role & Impact
UX Design Intern | 12 Weeks, May - Aug 2023 | San Francisco, CA
The Transformation: Reduced design inconsistencies, Unified team workflows, Accelerated dark mode transition, Improved UX-to-eng collaboration
THE PROBLEM
Fast-Moving Product Needed Structure Without Slowing Down
AWS was building a new enterprise low-code SaaS platform. As an early-stage product, the team prioritized rapid feature delivery to prove value and secure investment. Design consistency and governance took a backseat.
What I observed: Subdisciplines worked in parallel but weren't always aligned. This created fragmented experiences, redundant work, and growing design debt that would be hard to fix at scale.
No official design system governance. No end-to-end prototype showing how the experience came together.
The opportunity: Rather than seeing these as blockers, I saw a chance to contribute at a foundational level, creating alignment frameworks and laying groundwork for a scalable, systematic UX practice.
DISCOVERY
I Observed Design Crits and Had Coffee Chats to Understand Ways of Working
While onboarding, I had the unique opportunity to scope my own project direction. I carefully observed design critiques and set up coffee chats with colleagues to understand workflows.
What I discovered: Lack of shared structure was leading to fragmentation in both the design organization and the product itself.
THE SOLUTION
Three Foundational Contributions That Created Structure
ADDITIONAL WORK
Designed Retention-Focused Email Notifications
In the final weeks, I worked on customer-facing email notifications targeting low-code app builders to support user retention.
Design approach:
Surfaced critical app status info upfront
Used CTAs to guide users back into the product
Created positive emotional moments through visuals (confetti, personalized headlines)
Created several variations across traditional and more expressive visual styles, allowing stakeholders to choose what best fit the brand and user goals.
Design options:
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Final iteration we landed on
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LEARNINGS
How I Learned to Navigate Ambiguity and Create Structure
Bringing structure to fast-moving environments
I learned how to create alignment frameworks without slowing down progress. The key was making systems that enabled speed, not restricted it.
Thinking holistically while operating at detail level
This internship taught me to zoom in on component states and zoom out to see how design work flows across an entire organization.
Prototyping creates alignment, not just testing
The end-to-end prototype showed me that design artifacts can be powerful alignment tools. When everyone collaborates in the same file, shared understanding emerges naturally.
Initiative matters in ambiguous environments
Having the opportunity to define my own project taught me that the best contributions often come from identifying gaps others haven't addressed yet.
INTERNSHIP TAKEAWAYS
This internship taught me how to navigate ambiguity with optimism and initiative. I learned to collaborate across specialties, advocate for consistency, and contribute at a foundational level.
I'm deeply grateful to the team at AWS for trusting me with meaningful challenges and supporting my growth as a designer.