Employee Self-Service Revolution: From Paper to Digital
UBA HCM Connect
Enterprise HR Management System
Unified 12 systems across 20 countries, cutting $80K monthly costs and boosting productivity 43%.
Project Summary
Led the complete design transformation of UBA's HR operations through a comprehensive 12-module enterprise platform, replacing expensive third-party solutions while serving 20,000+ employees across 20 African countries and international hubs in London, Paris, and New York. Working with a 23-person cross-functional squad in a low UX maturity environment, I implemented a "seeing is believing" strategy using tangible prototypes to build stakeholder confidence while conducting comprehensive user research across diverse cultural contexts.
Timeline
14 Months
Market
20 African countries + London, Paris, New York
Role
Senior Product Designer & Design Lead
Team
- Otobong Okoko (Senior Product Designer & Design Lead)
- 23-person cross-functional squad:
- 6 Frontend Engineers
- 11 Backend Engineers
- 3 Designers
- 1 Data Analyst
- 1 QA Specialist
- 1 Project Manager
Strategic Objectives
Transform UBA's HR operations through comprehensive digital platform serving 20,000+ employees across multiple continents.
Reduce Operational Costs
Eliminate $80,000 monthly license fees from third-party HR solutions while reducing manual HR processes by 80%+ to support UBA's ambitious 35% annual technology cost reduction goal.
Achieve Organization-Wide Adoption
Reach 90%+ employee adoption within 6 months across 20,000+ employees in 20+ countries with varying levels of digital literacy and technical infrastructure.
Maintain Cultural Sensitivity
Create a flexible system architecture that accommodates regional variations in HR practices, compliance requirements, and cultural norms across 20+ countries.
Establish Design Foundation
Transform UBA from Level 1 to Level 3 design maturity by establishing the bank's first comprehensive design system and user-centered design processes.
"Seeing is Believing" Strategy
Given the low UX maturity (Level 1) of the organization, I implemented a strategic approach using tangible prototypes to build stakeholder confidence while conducting comprehensive user research.
Research Methods:
- 23 stakeholder interviews across C-suite, HR managers, and regional leads
- 47 employee contextual inquiries across Nigeria, Kenya, and UK offices
- 12 process mapping workshops documenting current-state HR workflows
- Cultural sensitivity research understanding work practices across 20 countries
- Competitive analysis benchmarking against Workday, BambooHR, and regional solutions
Strategic Design Principles
- Cultural Adaptability: Flexible components accommodating regional variations in HR practices and compliance requirements
- Progressive Disclosure: Layered complexity based on user sophistication, supporting varying technical literacy levels
- Mobile-First Design: Primary experience optimized for mobile devices (67% of employees primarily accessed systems via mobile)
- Inclusive Accessibility: Design for varying technical literacy and infrastructure capabilities
- Modular Architecture: Scalable system supporting future expansion across 12 distinct modules
12-Module System Architecture
Created an integrated platform replacing fragmented tools:
Employee profiles, organizational charts
Department management, hierarchy visualization
Job posting, candidate tracking, interview scheduling
Skills assessment, career development pathways
Insurance, compensation, employee perks
PTO requests, approval workflows, calendar integration
Performance reviews, career advancement tracking
Skills evaluation, development planning
Probation tracking, performance milestones
Internal support tickets, knowledge base
Performance management, recognition programs
Offboarding workflows, knowledge transfer
Financial Impact
Direct cost savings and operational improvements
Annual savings from license elimination and operational efficiency gains
Annual profit increase through operational cost reduction and process automation
Process automation eliminating manual handling for vast majority of HR operations
User Experience Metrics
Employee adoption and satisfaction improvements
Employee adoption within 6 months across 20,000+ employees
User satisfaction in post-launch surveys
Reduction in HR helpdesk tickets through improved self-service capabilities
Faster HR processes with average task completion time reduction across all modules
The Biggest Learning
Cultural design importance cannot be overstated. Local context was crucial for enterprise design success in a global organization. What works in London doesn't necessarily work in Lagos or Nairobi. Building flexibility into the design system from the beginning allowed us to scale while respecting regional differences.
What I Would Do Differently
Start with smaller, focused modules rather than tackling all 12 simultaneously. While we succeeded, a phased approach with 3-4 core modules first would have allowed faster learning cycles and earlier value delivery, reducing risk in the low-maturity environment.
Stakeholder Journey Design Insight
In enterprise contexts with low design maturity, designing for decision-makers is as important as designing for end-users. The "seeing is believing" approach with tangible prototypes was essential for building confidence and securing buy-in at every stage.
Remote Collaboration Success
Effective virtual design collaboration during COVID-19 proved that distributed teams can match in-person outcomes with the right processes. Structured async feedback workflows, regular virtual design sprints, and clear documentation were key enablers.
Long-Term Platform Impact
The HCM Connect design system and principles became the foundation for UBA's broader digital transformation, influencing subsequent projects worth €50M+ in total investment and establishing design as a strategic function within the organization.