Project Overview

This is a project aimed at creating a streamlined and cohesive design framework for all marketing emails. As the Lead Designer, I’m developing a mini design system to enhance efficiency and ensure brand consistency across the email channel and the wider product ecosystem. This EDS will empower the Brand Email team to rapidly produce a variety of high-quality emails that meet the demands of a fast-paced news cycle.

The Challenge

The existing email workflow was inefficient and lacked flexibility, hindering the team’s ability to respond quickly. The Subscriptions team in particular requires rapid turnaround times, highlighting the need for a more agile and scalable solution. The absence of a unified design system led to inconsistencies in design and code, resulting in a fragmented brand experience. The key challenge is to create a system that would not only accelerate production but also reinforce brand consistency and customer trust.

The Solution

The WP Marketing Email Design System will provide a centralized and standardized framework for creating marketing emails. This will include a comprehensive Figma design library, a modular HTML/CSS codebase, and detailed documentation. By aligning email designs with the broader Washington Post Design System and our products, we will strengthen brand recognition and build customer trust. The new templates will be easily adaptable, allowing for rapid iterations and responses to the fast-paced news environment.

My Process

• Started with comprehensive audit of all existing marketing email designs to identify inconsistencies and areas for improvement.
• I redesigned every module and component, using inspiration from the website, app, newsletters, and the core WPDS.
• I created a Figma design library, and I’m currently adding the base HTML/CSS and Nunjucks in our proprietary ESP and updating it to work in our email builder so that it can be used without needing to know code.
• I’m also currently building an initial template to showcase the new system’s capabilities.
• I will then conduct thorough testing and create detailed documentation in Confluence.
• Next step will be launch of the new template, then rinse and repeat for every template and module.
• Once this is all done, it will likely be time to begin migrating all of this work to a new ESP we are transitioning to this year, Iterable.

Initial Findings

During the audit, I revealed a significant amount of outdated and inconsistent code and design within our ESP. This project aims to simplify the email creation process and enhance brand consistency. While the project is still in progress, I anticipate a significant improvement in the team’s efficiency and a stronger, more unified brand presence in our email communications. I am also learning how to work within the constraints of our ESP, and how to improve our workflows.