The Times & Sunday Times
When we joined the design team at Pulse, The Times and The Sunday Times were looking for more than a visual refresh. Their creative process was fragmented, each designer worked in isolation across Adobe files, feedback lived in email threads, and digital output was inconsistent across campaigns.
Our goal wasn’t just to modernise the look and feel, but to reimagine the entire workflow. Building a connected, scalable design system that empowered collaboration and consistency across every format.
We developed a complete design system built around clear hierarchy, strong editorial typography and a refined colour palette. The simplicity of the system allowed content to stand tall while giving every execution a premium, cohesive feel.
We began by auditing existing workflows and interviewing designers across the studio. Every team member had their own files, templates and tools, which made collaboration slow and consistency difficult to maintain. Together with the Digital Design Director, we reframed the challenge into a single question:
How might we simplify the design process while improving brand consistency and creative freedom?
Alongside the system, we introduced Figma as a shared design environment, a fundamental shift for a team previously rooted in Adobe and print-first workflows. Co-editing, components and Auto Layout became everyday tools, enabling faster iteration and real-time feedback across teams.
My contributions included setting up detailed guidelines for all sorts of digital assets, from website components and banners to social media content. A key part of my role was creating the design system and a robust template system. This made sure every piece of communication perfectly matched The Times' new, confident look, making content creation smoother and keeping the brand strong everywhere.
The impact was immediate. Campaigns were delivered faster, collaboration became seamless, and the team gained a single, scalable design language that worked everywhere, from breaking news displays to national print campaigns.
