IBM — Carbon Design System integration and SPSS Modeler redesign
Integrating Carbon Design System into SPSS Modeler to make data visualization clearer and more intuitive for data scientists.
This work focused on integrating the Carbon Design System (formerly Analytics Platform) into SPSS Modeler, redesigning charts and interactions to make data visualization clearer and more usable for data scientists.
Team make-up
Collaborative work with engineers, PMs, and data scientists at IBM. Main design lead for this area of work. Management/leadership work w/ newer designers and cross-org communication.
Understanding the space
Determined the full corpus of charts to overhaul, cataloged usage, and interviewed users to uncover edge cases. Competitive audit revealed must‑haves like mini‑maps, deeper drill‑ins, and motion helping comprehension.
Wireframes and prototypes
Shared wireframes with stakeholders and built coded prototypes to explore responsive behavior. Visual experimentation surfaced that users primarily sought the key number; later designs emphasized a clearer data‑input region.
Finalization
Iterations converged to match and connect with the Carbon Design System. Built coded prototypes of specific interactions; worked closely with dev on edge cases (too few/too many values), tooltips, help states, and clarity affordances.
Advanced work
Progressed to more advanced chart types (e.g., neural networks) and deeper interaction patterns. Predictor chart learnings informed brusher concepts to expose full value ranges adjacent to tables.
Outcome
Patterns from this redesign still appear in product checks years later, demonstrating the lasting impact of the Carbon Design System integration.