IBM — Watson.data Integration
Design Manager leading the integration of four acquired products into IBM's unified data and AI ecosystem. Defined architecture, managed designers across three regions.
The Challenge
After IBM acquired StreamSets, I was tasked with integrating four distinct data products into a cohesive experience within the IBM ecosystem — a program called Unite. Each product had its own design language, user base, and mental models. The goal: make them feel like one platform without breaking what worked.
My Role
As Design Manager, I led a team of four designers across three regions and four products. I defined the UX architecture for the unified experience, established shared design patterns, and facilitated cross-product alignment between design, engineering, and product leadership.
I also became the key design lead for IBM's future big data product with AI integration — shaping how AI capabilities would surface across the data platform.
The Approach
I ran a design-driven integration process: auditing each product's UX patterns, mapping user journeys across tools, identifying shared concepts, and designing a unified navigation and workflow model.
Rather than forcing a top-down redesign, I worked with each product team to evolve their UI incrementally toward the shared model — reducing disruption for existing users while creating coherence for new ones.
The Outcome
The integration was delivered 2x faster than originally scheduled. The unified experience created a seamless path across data ingestion, transformation, governance, and AI — positioning IBM's data platform as a competitive enterprise offering.
I also established a design leadership program for new designers entering IBM, building the team's capacity for the long term.