icare

Project Overview

I was engaged by icare to help develop and maintain their Global Experience Language (GEL) library, a shared component system used across their public website and internal portals.

The aim was to improve how modules were designed and used, making them more flexible for content creators while still being consistent and easy to use for end users. The GEL library played a key role in unifying the look and feel across all of icare’s digital product services.

Team

Design team
Product manager
Engineers
Content editors
Various stakeholders

Role

UI / UX design
Interactive prototyping
A/B testing
UX accessibility review

Tools

Sketch (I now use Figma)
InVision
Usability Hub
Google Tag Manager
Google Optimize (retired by Google in 2023)

The Problem

The existing set of components was originally designed for icare’s policy and claims portals and later repurposed for the public website. This created a mismatch, some components didn’t quite fit the needs of public-facing content and lacked flexibility for different use cases.

As a result, content creators were limited in what they could do, and users were seeing inconsistencies across the site and portals. There was a clear need to rethink how components could work across multiple platforms while staying useful, accessible, and consistent.

Project Process

The GEL library was improved to support a modular, mix-and-match system that made it easier for content creators and developers to build pages without needing to involve a designer every time.

Each component in the library:

Had a clear use case and purpose
Was wireframed, designed, prototyped, and validated through tools like Google Optimize and Usability Hub
Met accessibility standards (WCAG 2.1 AA)
Was designed to be flexible, scalable, and work across both public and internal platforms

Using a unified component system meant pages could be created faster, more consistently, and with less effort, while still delivering a familiar experience for users no matter which site or portal they were on.

Responsibilities & Contributions

Worked on designing new modules and reworking existing components
Defined use cases and requirements for each component
Focused on creating scalable solutions that could work across multiple sites
Collaborated with devs and content teams to ensure smooth rollout
Kept accessibility and usability top of mind throughout the process

Outcome & Learnings

The updated GEL library made a big impact, it helped unify the icare experience across different sites, sped up how quickly content could be created and reduced the need for ongoing design involvement.

It also made the process easier for everyone involved, from content teams to end users.

For me, this project reinforced the value of modular design and the importance of having a flexible system that balances both user needs and team workflows. It also deepened my experience in working with design systems and accessible design at scale.