U & UST
Redesigning a 30,000-person enterprise intranet into a single, mobile-first experience — consolidating 10+ platforms into one app that became the daily starting point for thousands.
Platform
iOS & Android
10,000+ Enterprise
Overview
A 30,000-person company, running on browser tabs
UST Global's intranet had grown organically over years — a patchwork of desktop portals, HR tools, ticketing systems, and reporting dashboards stitched together through links and bookmarks. Employees had no single place to check their tasks, find colleagues, submit requests, or even see their own schedule.
U&UST was conceived as a single mobile layer over the existing ecosystem — not a replacement, but a unification. The challenge was to consolidate 10+ enterprise tools into one coherent mobile experience, support English and Arabic (RTL), meet WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility standards, and ship across iOS and Android simultaneously.
I was a key designer — from discovery research through information architecture, design system creation, interaction design, and final developer handoff — producing 100s screens across 14 feature modules.
< 2 taps
Task discovery
AI-assisted
Support deflection
100%
Mobile access
Problem
The tools existed. The experience didn't.
UST's workforce needed a way to stay connected and productive on the go. But the intranet wasn't designed for how people actually work — it was designed for how IT organized systems.
"Associates have so many platforms that they've stopped trying to remember which one does what. They email their manager instead — it's faster than navigating the intranet."
Fragmented tools
Tasks scattered across 5+ desktop platforms with zero mobile access
Broken discovery
People search required knowing which system the person was listed in
Approval delays
Timesheet approvals delayed by desktop-only email-based workflows
No push notifications
Deadlines and updates only reached employees via low-engagement email
Support friction
Deadlines and updates only reached employees via low-engagement email
No mobile presence
Mobile-first culture,
but desktop-only tools
Process
Starting with how people actually work
The instinct on an intranet project is to replicate the desktop experience on mobile. I started instead with the question: what does someone actually need from their company when they're not at a desk?
Discovery & Alignment:
Stakeholder interviews across HR, IT, and operations. Mapped all existing intranet touchpoints and identified the 10 highest-value mobile-first use cases from 30+ enterprise tools.
User Research:
Contextual interviews with associates across roles — from on-site engineers to remote managers. Documented daily workflows and the "workaround chains" compensating for missing mobile access.
IA & Prioritization:
Synthesized research into a unified information architecture. Card-sorted 14 features with users to validate grouping, naming, and navigation hierarchy.
Prototype & Test:
Interactive prototypes for each core flow. 3 rounds of moderated usability tests with 12 associates — iterating on navigation, search UX, and approval flows.
Insight
Four personas, one app
Jennifer Williams
New Associate (3 months)
Doesn't know which system does what. Needs a single app where she can find people, policies, and help.
Samyukta Patel
Senior Product Manager
Needs a daily overview of tasks, meetings, and pending approvals — all before her first meeting at 9am.
Hafez Mohammed
HR Business Partner
Approves timesheets and leave requests for 40+ reports. Currently uses email chains — needs batch approval on mobile.
Seema Menon
IT Infrastructure Lead
Manages support tickets and asset requests. Needs to triage and route from his phone between site visits.
The Solution
14 enterprise tools, one coherent experience
Each feature was designed to solve a specific enterprise pain point while maintaining a consistent interaction model. The pattern across every module:
Scan → Find → Act
Homepage — The daily starting point
Stay organized with a daily task overview that provides up-to-date information on meetings and pending actions.
The U&UST homepage acts as a single layer over the intranet system that brings together all your tasks, updates and platforms.
Virtual Assistant Dia — Conversational self-service
A smart digital assistant for guidance, support and all your queries
Browse intranet on your behalf in a conversational manner
Smart suggestions and redirecting options for easier navigation
Dashboards — Insights, not just reports
Easy access to your favourite files
Smart suggestions as per your usage
Intuitive approach towards presenting your reports
Web - App Experience
Easy access to everything while the employee is at work
The Impact
From fragmented portals to one daily touchpoint
The impact of U&UST was structural — it didn't optimize a workflow, it replaced the mental model of "which tool do I need?" with "open the app."
The impact of U&UST was structural — it didn't optimize a workflow, it replaced the mental model of "which tool do I need?" with "open the app."
The Reflections
What I'd carry forward