I built one design system that made two aviation brands finally make sense.
SkyIt and GBCS Group — both suffering from navigation confusion, weak branding, and zero emotional connection with users. I designed cohesive systems for both brands simultaneously: distinct enough to feel separate, coherent enough to share components, accessible enough for every user.
UI/UX DESIGNER · TEAM OF 10 · DUAL-BRAND DESIGN SYSTEM
01 · THE CHALLENGE
Two brands. One confused user.
THE PROBLEM
SkyIt and GBCS Group — two aviation platforms with unclear navigation, weak branding identity, and no emotional connection with users. Navigation confusion was creating a drop-off. Branding was so similar that users struggled to distinguish the two. Neither brand was telling its own story.
WHAT I WAS ASKED TO DO
Address navigation confusion. Create stronger branding identity. Build emotional connection with users — for both brands simultaneously, without letting them bleed into each other. Deliver responsive, WCAG-accessible designs across the full product surface.
02 · INSIGHT
A brand is not a visual. It is a promise.
THE CORE INSIGHT
No problem is ever solved if we are solving the wrong one. The navigation issues were a symptom — the root cause was that neither brand had a clear emotional promise to users. I treated branding as a trust mechanism, not a visual exercise. Two distinct stories, told through one coherent system. Neutral blues for GBCS to represent aviation trust. A distinct palette for SkyIt — a sibling, not a twin.
GBCS WEBSITE REDESIGN — DRAFT EXPLORATION
Multiple early drafts establishing unique identity while maintaining sleek, modern, minimalist design language. Each draft reviewed in weekly team voting sessions before locking direction. The collaborative process meant no design decision was arbitrary.
SKYIT — BEFORE AND AFTER
The new design addresses user navigation issues, enhances branding, and creates a more cohesive experience.
03 · THE SYSTEM
One system. Two identities. Zero overlap.
GBCS DESIGN SYSTEM
Consistent color palette, typography, and reusable UI components. Neutral blues for aviation trust and brand alignment. Built to scale across the full GBCS product surface — not just the current pages but every future touchpoint.
SKYIT COLOR SYSTEM
Developed in coordination with the team and stakeholders through weekly voting sessions. Distinct enough to feel like its own brand. Coherent enough to share a design system family with GBCS. Every colour decision was voted on by the team — not dictated by one person.
RESPONSIVE + ACCESSIBLE BY DESIGN
Designed layouts that adapt seamlessly across devices. WCAG accessibility built into the system from the start — not retrofitted after. Design should be for everyone. Participated in bi-weekly retrospectives incorporating stakeholder feedback to ensure accessibility was never deprioritised under deadline pressure.
07 · IMPACT
The numbers. And what they prove about the system.
USER RETENTION
Users stayed. Navigation clarity and branding coherence made both platforms worth returning to.
+80%
BRANDS · ONE SYSTEM
Two distinct visual identities built from one coherent design system. Zero visual debt carried forward.
2→1
ACCESSIBLE + RESPONSIVE
Built for every user, every device. Accessibility as a design decision — not an afterthought.
WCAG
08 · REFLECTION
What a dual-brand project teaches you about design.
BEST DECISION
Treating branding as a trust mechanism, not a visual exercise. The constraint of two brands forced a level of design system rigour that a single-brand project never would have. The system became stronger because of the constraint.
WHAT I WOULD CHANGE
Establish information architecture guidelines before starting visual design. Some navigation decisions required revisiting mid-project because IA was not locked before visual exploration began. Sequence matters — IA first, then visual.
"Trust breaks when patterns don't repeat.
I made sure they repeated — across two brands, every screen."