[Case 01]
Designing the Foundation for Scalable, Trusted AI
Global Consulting
Workbench
The KPMG design system for AI applications
[Project Overview]
Spearheaded design leadership and strategic direction for the Global AI Experience team, driving the development of the Global Workbench—a comprehensive AI Design System paired with a unified UI/UX Vision & Strategy. The Workbench enables member firms across the globe to efficiently design, build, and scale intuitive, consistent, and context-aware AI applications, accelerating innovation and ensuring a seamless user experience at enterprise scale.
[Problem Statement]
KPMG member firms faced challenges in designing and scaling AI applications that were intuitive, trustworthy, and seamlessly integrated into employee workflows. Users wanted AI to automate repetitive tasks, synthesize complex information, and provide context-aware support—while maintaining control and transparency. To address these needs, the Global Workbench AI Experience team developed a universal AI Design System and UI/UX Vision & Strategy, enabling member firms to quickly create consistent, scalable, and user-centered AI solutions.
[Industry]
Global Consulting
[My Role]
Lead Designer
[Platforms]
Desktop, Mobile, Tablet
[Timeline]
June 2024- December 2024
[Persona]
Jason Patel
Director, UX Designer
I need a scalable, intuitive design system that helps me create consistent AI experiences across member firms—without reinventing the wheel each time!
Age: 35
Location: New York City
Moderate
Male
[Goal]
Streamline the design and development process by leveraging a unified AI design system across multiple AI applications and regions.
Ensure AI tools are intuitive, contextually relevant, and easy for users to adopt—especially in complex, high-stakes environments like Audit and Tax.
Build user trust by designing AI experiences that are transparent, ethical, and compliant with KPMG’s data and governance standards.
[Frustrations]
Inconsistent UI/UX approaches across different teams and regions make it difficult to scale AI solutions efficiently.
Lack of clear, standardized guidelines for designing AI interactions leads to increased design time and potential user confusion.
Balancing innovative AI experiences with regulatory compliance and user trust can slow down project timelines
[Process]
[01] User Research
Conducted in-depth interviews with 30 KPMG employees Spoke with participants across Advisory, Audit, Tax, and Business Services, spanning multiple regions (Americas, EMEA, ASPAC) and seniority levels (Associates to Partners). This helped uncover key frustrations, needs, and preferences related to AI tools and experiences.
Facilitated co-creation workshops and interactive activities Led sessions such as "Day in the Life" and "Create Your Own Dashboard" to identify user workflows, surface opportunities for AI, and test early AI interaction concepts, wireframes, and prototypes.
Analyzed qualitative insights and behavioral patterns Synthesized feedback to pinpoint key challenges, including trust in AI outputs, desire for seamless integration into workflows, and need for simplified, transparent AI interactions. These insights directly informed the development of the UX Vision, Strategy, and the Global AI Design System.
[02] Insights
Users were frustrated by inconsistent AI experiences across tools and regions, which made adoption difficult and time-consuming.
Many users struggled with understanding how AI recommendations were generated, leading to hesitancy and a lack of trust in the outputs.
Users wanted AI tools to seamlessly integrate into their existing workflows and applications, minimizing extra clicks and avoiding context switching.
[03 Design Solution]
Developed a universal AI Design System with standardized UI components and interaction patterns to ensure consistent experiences across member firms and regions.
Introduced transparent AI interaction guidelines, including explainability features, to help users understand how AI recommendations are generated and build trust in the system.
Created context-aware, workflow-integrated UI components that allow AI tools to embed seamlessly into users' existing applications, reducing friction and encouraging adoption.
[04] Testing & Iteration
Conducted usability testing sessions with cross-functional teams from Advisory, Audit, and Tax to validate component usability and AI interaction patterns.
Facilitated iterative design reviews and feedback loops with global member firms, refining the UI/UX Vision and Design System components based on real user insights.
Piloted the Design System with select member firms to test scalability and adaptability across different regions, collecting feedback to ensure the system met local needs while maintaining global consistency.
[Outcomes]
40% reduction in design and development time for AI applications by leveraging standardized components and guidelines.
Increased AI tool adoption rates across member firms, with positive feedback highlighting improved usability and consistency.
Enhanced user trust and engagement through transparent AI interactions, resulting in a measurable increase in user satisfaction scores during pilot rollouts.
[Key Learnings]