One Design Language
Designing for Scale, Trust, and the Future of Travel
Company:
Expedia, Hotels.com, VRBO
Role:
Senior UX Design Manager
Timeline:
8 Weeks
Focus:
Storefront, Outbound Marketing, Rewards UX, Cart Flows
Tools:
Figma, Miro, Adobe CC
System Goals:
Scalable, Value-Aligned, Future-Ready
Overview
As Expedia Group transitioned toward a unified branded house, I was a core contributor to One Design Language (1DL) a foundational system designed to align user experience, brand expression, and development operations. My focus was bringing this vision to life through real product surfaces: storefronts, emails, profiles, rewards, and cart flows.
The Challenge
We needed more than a UI refresh we needed a future-ready design architecture that could:
Scale across brands and devices
Integrate with EGDS (Expedia Global Design System)
Preserve brand identity while ensuring consistency
Reinforce trust and reduce decision fatigue in high-stakes travel moments
Approach
Value | Realized Through |
---|---|
Simple | Reduced clutter, increased hierarchy, clean type scales |
Trust | Transparent pricing, honest tone, predictable UI placement |
Inclusive | Accessible spacing, neutral color schemes, culturally neutral copy |
Insightful | Personalized recommendations, social proof, price prediction charts |
2. Visual + Interaction Systematization
Collaborated with EGDS to implement token-based consistency across:
Typography: Harmonized heading-body-support type scale
Color: Accessible, contrast-aware palettes (neutral__cool__, accent_1__)
Spacing & Layout: Tokenized, brand-configurable spacing rules
Component Patterns: Cart items, trip modules, rewards tiers, filters
3. From Concept to Component
Helped test, refine, and roll out:
Updated headers and navigation that prioritize scanability and action
Full-bleed, brand-aligned hero modules in profiles and homescreens
Personalized copy and motion states to reinforce user recognition and ease
New card structures for pricing, rewards, and checkout flows
4. Future-Facing Prototypes
Contributed to speculative and near-term prototypes for:
Next-gen homepage: Social proof, destination video loops, curated trip cards
OneKey rewards integration: Tier visualization, OneKey™ tracking
Cart redesigns: Readability, back navigation, aligned price formatting
Roadmap Integration
My design work wasn’t static. I collaborated on quarterly rollouts:
Q3: Finalized foundational tokens for type, spacing, corner radius, elevation
Q4: Deployed experimental components on Expedia.com
2023: Supported migration of flagship brands to branded-house theming
Measurable Impact
30% reduction in cart-level cognitive load (validated through task success testing)
25% increase in OneKey module engagement after rewards UX redesign
Improved accessibility via clearer spacing and color contrast standards
Faster adoption of new UI kits by product teams due to modular architecture
Reflection
What I contributed in building for 1DL wasn’t just a design system, it was a shared language for care. I connected the visual, structural, and emotional components of UX in a way that honored both brand identity and user needs.
This case became a masterclass in designing for scale, without sacrificing humanity.
