Config 2024: Taking flight: lessons learned on adopting Figma at United

Summary

In this discussion, Derrick Wilkinson from United Airlines and Jessica D. Young from One North share insights on migrating the Arion design system to Figma. They use the metaphor of a physical office move to illustrate the complexities of such a digital transition, emphasizing the importance of addressing both technical and human aspects. The talk highlights the strategic move to consolidate tools, the need for a well-planned migration, and the impact of a strong employee experience on customer satisfaction. It concludes with lessons learned and advice for successful adoption, showcasing the tangible benefits of a well-executed design system migration.

Takeaways

• 😀 The speaker Jessica D. Young from One North emphasizes the importance of collaboration between teams during a design system migration like moving from Sketch to Figma.
• 🤔 Common questions arise during a migration process, such as the duration of the migration, training for designers, developer involvement, timing, and sunsetting legacy tools.
• 🏢 Jessica introduces a metaphor of a physical office move to illustrate the complexities and the need to consider both big and small aspects of a digital migration.
• 📈 The story of a client moving to a new skyscraper highlights the importance of addressing employees' concerns, which can range from existential worries to small daily details.
• 🚀 United Airlines, led by Derrick Wilkinson, has a large-scale operation with over 100 products and 70 designers actively working in Figma, supporting a workforce of over 100,000 employees.
• 🛠 The strategic move to Figma at United Airlines was driven by the need to scale the design team to accommodate aggressive growth plans, including the addition of 200 new aircraft and 30,000 employees.
• 📚 The key decision for United's migration was to build out the Orion Library in Figma before starting project work, ensuring consistency and minimizing rework.
• 🔄 The migration process took 16 months and involved completing work on the rebrand, releasing Ryan 2.0, and managing ongoing UX work without disrupting operations.
• 🎨 Figma's flexibility with design system elements and modes feature allowed United to roll out brand updates subtly and let users switch themes when ready.
• 📝 The importance of employee experience in enabling customer experience is underscored, with anecdotal evidence of a positive customer experience reflecting the team's foresight.
• 📈 Jessica concludes with lessons learned, emphasizing the need for a detailed migration plan, communication, and the understanding that adoption won't be automatic.

Q & A

What is the role of Derrick Wilkinson at United Airlines?

Derrick Wilkinson leads the employee user experience team at United Airlines, where they design products that support airline operations.

What is Jessica D. Young's position at One North?

Jessica D. Young is the managing director of design at One North, a full-service digital agency and a certified Figma signature service partner.

What is the main topic of the discussion between Derrick and Jessica?

The main topic of the discussion is the process and experience of migrating the Arion design system into Figma, as well as the challenges and strategies involved in such a migration.

What common questions do organizations typically ask during a Figma migration?

Common questions include the duration of the migration, training for designers, involvement of developers, the best timing for the migration, sunsetting legacy tools, and general best practices for internal communication during the migration.

What metaphor does Jessica introduce to help understand the Figma migration process?

Jessica introduces the metaphor of a physical office move to help understand the Figma migration process, emphasizing the many moving parts and considerations involved.

What was the client's concern during the office move that One North had to address?

The client's employees were worried about the new office's structural integrity and the location of everyday amenities like Starbucks, which were not the focus of the new office features.

How does United Airlines approach the design of its customer and employee-facing products?

United Airlines has two Design Systems, Atmos for consumer-facing products and Arion for internal-facing products, and a dedicated UX team focuses on designing custom applications for its employees.

What was the strategic reason behind United Airlines' move to Figma?

The strategic reason for the move to Figma was to scale the team to support the growth and demand for future work, as United Airlines was experiencing aggressive growth with over 200 new aircraft and service.

What was the timeline for United Airlines' migration to Figma?

The migration to Figma took approximately 16 months, starting with building out the Orion Library in Figma and completing with the rebrand and release of Arion 2.0.

What are some of the lessons learned from United Airlines' Figma migration experience?

Some lessons learned include dedicating resources to the migration, having a detailed transition plan, sunsetting legacy tools, rebuilding components within Figma correctly the first time, and the importance of early and regular communication.

How did United Airlines ensure the success of their Figma migration?

United Airlines ensured the success of their Figma migration by being intentional about every step, focusing on the core design tool, and considering the broader ecosystem, including processes, people, and their daily routines.