Overview
What is CURB?
CURB is a startup focused on helping drivers easily find and reserve parking.
Problem
CURB had no existing design infrastructure, making it difficult to ensure consistency across screens or collaborate effectively with engineers. Without a centralized design language or reusable components, building a scalable product would be time-consuming, error-prone, and inconsistent as the product grew.
Solution
Design Audit: Reviewed early product mockups to identify gaps and inconsistencies in UI.
System Architecture: Created a scalable framework covering foundations (color, grid, typography), components (buttons, inputs, modals), and patterns (empty states, error handling).
Figma Library: Built CURB’s component library in Figma with clearly labeled variants, auto-layout rules, and naming conventions.
Accessibility: Designed the system to meet all three levels of conformance under WCAG guidelines (A, AA, AAA). CURB is committed to building accessible experiences for users with a wide range of abilities—including those with visual, auditory, cognitive, and motor impairments.
Documentation: Wrote usage guidelines to ensure clarity and consistency in design-to-dev handoff.
Collaboration: Partnered with engineers to test component implementation and make the system usable across the product lifecycle.
Outcome
Delivered a fully functional beta that was showcased to investors and instrumental in securing funding.
Increased sprint velocity by introducing reusable components, enabling one additional feature per sprint and reducing design-to-dev handoff time by 2 days.
Design System
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I created the first logo for CURB. I wanted to logo to symbolize a parked car but using the word CURB. I also created a set of custom icons that visually guides the user. It's important that icons are simple, recognizable, consistent and scalable. Icons should be easy to use and accessible for developers as well.
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Buttons are divided into four standard sizes, each on auto-layout mode and can resize in relation to its content. I created components for buttons and used variants to create different versions of the buttons with their own specific states and styles.
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Since drivers will be utilizing CURB's platform to find parking, car safety is very important to the user. Users should feel like they can trust CURB with their vehicle. As a result, I chose the color Blue because it is associated with feelings of reliability, calmness, serenity and loyalty. I focused on testing the color contrast and making sure it meets the WCAG guidelines.
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Roboto is a geometric sans-serif typeface that is thoughtfully designed for a wide range of devices, sizes and resolution. It is a clean and modern font that is easy to read. Additionally, the font includes a wide range of weights and styles, which makes it versatile and useful for a variety of design purposes.
Results
CURB now has a fully documented and scalable design system with clearly defined standards, reusable components, and accessibility guidelines. It serves as a single source of truth for the product team and is built to support efficiency, cross-functional collaboration, and future growth.
To ensure long-term sustainability, I created a centralized Figma design system file with organized pages for grid systems, spacing, color palettes, typography, and a robust component library. We also maintained supporting documentation in Atlassian Confluence to streamline developer handoff and improve team alignment.
Alongside system development, I conducted user interviews and created journey maps to better understand the needs of drivers. These insights guided the design of low and high fidelity mobile screens that help users quickly find and reserve parking near their destination. I continued refining the experience through usability testing and ongoing iteration.
Conclusion
Working at CURB was an valuable experience that challenged me to take full ownership of the product design process in a fast-paced startup environment. As the sole designer, I was responsible for building CURB’s first design system from the ground up while ensuring that every design decision aligned with business goals and engineering timelines.
One of the biggest challenges I faced was adapting to CURB’s development-first approach. With engineering moving quickly, there was limited structure in place for design. I advocated for the creation of a design system early on to bring consistency, improve collaboration, and set the foundation for a scalable product. Gaining buy-in and integrating the system into the existing workflow required strong communication and a proactive mindset.
Through this experience, I strengthened my ability to work independently, design for scale, and collaborate under pressure. The final designs were successfully developed and presented to investors, helping CURB secure funding and move closer to launch.