Next-Gen Design System
for GM Vehicles
Client: General Motors
Role: Design System Designer, Accessibility Specialist
Overview: I had the privilege of playing a key role on the Design System team during the comprehensive overhaul of General Motors’ Design Systems, spanning all GM brands. This ambitious initiative aimed to combine all platforms (vehicle, mobile, web) into one, scalable, cohesive foundationt o support consistent and accessible user experiences.
Guidelines, Prototypes,
& Iterative Collaboration
Migrated and enhanced legacy guidelines into the next-gen Design System using ZeroHeight.
Designed interactive prototypes to showcase 36 core components.
Conducted competitive benchmarking to inform design decisions.
Led technical discussions to resolve complex issues.
Established feedback loops between the Design System team and the broader design department.
Managed updates with Git and VS Code.
Accessibility Leadership
Developed 46 automotive-specific accessibility standards aligned with WCAG 2.2.
Established 12 design principles to guide inclusive design.
Ensured all Design System components met these standards and principles.
Identified CVAA compliance risks, potentially saving GM millions in fines.
Contributed to GM’s next-gen token/theming strategy, embedding accessibility early in production.
Created accessibility annotation processes using tools like Stark and Figma.
Impact and Learnings
This project deepened my expertise in scalable Design Systems, cross-team leadership, and embedding accessibility best practices in complex ecosystems. It reinforced my commitment to designing digital experiences that truly work for everyone.
