Creating a Unified Email Experience
Industry
Design Ops, Standardization
Client
Sony
Service
Product Design
Date
May 2019
To improve Partner team email communications, I initiated a standardization effort. This involved auditing existing email templates and developing a scalable strategy for template consistency, laying the groundwork for future third-party tool integration.
Emails across the Partner platform lacked consistency and a clear process for creation and updates, causing inefficiencies and misalignment with team needs. The outdated standards did not fully support the technical or product requirements of individual teams. This project aimed to audit existing email templates, standardize their design and code, and create a scalable system for future updates.
The Challenge
Inconsistencies in email layouts and processes made it difficult for teams to manage and update templates effectively. Key challenges included:
Outdated email standards misaligned with current technologies and workflows.
Lack of clear documentation for creating, updating, or reviewing emails.
No centralized system for managing design and code, leading to inefficiencies.
The Process
Audit and Research: Collected existing email layouts and conducted interviews with teams to identify gaps and needs.
Design and Prototyping: Created standardized components and templates based on email types, symbolized in Figma for easy access.
Code Standardization: Developed a reusable codebase to accelerate the design and launch of new emails.
Documentation Updates: Defined clear processes for launching, updating, and reviewing email templates to ensure long-term alignment.
Testing and Validation: Validated designs and templates internally to ensure scalability and usability.
The Solution
The project delivered:
A library of email assets accessible in Figma.
An open-source codebase for shared use across teams.
Updated documentation outlining processes for creating and managing email designs.
Impact
The standardized email system streamlined workflows, enabling teams to launch and update emails efficiently. By providing reusable templates, clear documentation, and a scalable design system, the project established a foundation for consistent and effective email communication across the Partner platform.
