Case Studies

The Challenge

• Content debt — The legacy app had fragmented terminology across payments and loyalty. We weren't just changing a logo; we were redefining the mental model of a "Wallet."
• Scaling problem — With a 10:1 designer-to-writer ratio, I couldn't be in every Figma file. I had to pivot from "writing strings" to "building systems."
• Regulatory maze — Financial and identity data require extreme precision. Every word had to pass through rigorous Legal and Privacy reviews within the 12-month window.
• Global product — A true localization challenge: creating a product that works across 80+ countries.

The Strategy

• Northstar nomenclature — Created a "Source of Truth" terminology database. Instead of debating "Pass" vs. "Card" vs. "Ticket" in 6 different meetings, I established global nomenclature early to ensure consistency.
• Content design system — Built content patterns and "Self-Service Guidelines" for designers, empowering them to use the right voice in early mocks so I could focus on high-risk flows like Identity Verification and Privacy Onboarding.
• Legal fast-track process — Streamlined review by grouping strings by "Risk Level," allowing Legal to skip low-risk UI and focus on high-stakes compliance content.
• Eng handoff process — With 1,000+ screens at high velocity, created a new process with Engineering to ensure the right strings made it into code.

The Result

• On-time delivery — Successfully launched a complete redesign within the 12-month window.
• Operational excellence — Maintained high content quality and global consistency despite the 10:1 ratio.
• Global scale — The nomenclature and frameworks now support Google Wallet in 70+ countries.
• Lasting process — The Figma design process and content matrices built during this project are still in use today.

360 million monthly active users across 80+ countries — a 35% increase from the previous app.

The Challenge

• Strict brand guidelines — Had to navigate Visa's exacting brand requirements alongside the IOC's rigid rules on Olympic imagery and terminology.
• Terminology sensitivity — "Winning," "Medals," and "Official" are legally protected terms in an Olympic context. The content strategy had to feel exciting while being 100% compliant.
• Content volume — Wrote the end-to-end journey — from opt-in and legal disclosures to celebratory Tap Doodles and milestone notifications — for millions of simultaneous users.

The Strategy

• Pre-approved terminology bank — Got Visa's legal team to sign off on core phrases early (e.g., "Collect digital mascots" vs. "Win prizes"), avoiding costly late-stage rewrites.
• Scannable T&Cs — Redesigned the Terms & Conditions experience with clear headers and plain language so users felt empowered to participate rather than overwhelmed.
• Copy meets motion — Collaborated with motion designers to ensure Tap Doodle copy perfectly matched the energy of the animations, making every transaction feel like a mini-celebration.

The Result

• Massive participation — Successfully scaled to millions of users, driving a significant uptick in top-of-wallet Visa usage during the Games.
• Zero compliance breaches — Delivered a high-velocity global campaign with 100% adherence to Visa and IOC legal standards.
• Contactless milestone — Contributed to a record-breaking 75% of transactions at the Paris Games being contactless.

Roughly 5 million new monthly active users — a 15% increase.

The Challenge

• Geographic gap — Leading a London-centric campaign from San Francisco required deep empathy for the local commuter's journey without being able to walk the Tube lines myself.
• Brand synergy vs. friction — TfL's brand is one of the most protected in the world. Balancing Google's "Helpful & Fast" voice with TfL's "Authoritative & Historic" guidelines required constant calibration.
• High-stakes legal risk — Served as the primary liaison between Google Legal and TfL to prevent promotional gaming and ensure a bulletproof global campaign.

The Strategy

• Fact-checking matrix — Built a collaborative system between Google's London teams and TfL's internal historians, ensuring accuracy was locally sourced and globally approved.
• Mental model shift — Pivoted copy from technical instructions to a simple, repetitive value prop: "No Oyster? No problem. Just tap and go."
• Shared language document — Turned brand guidelines into a bridge rather than a hurdle, allowing design teams in SF and London to move faster from Day 1.

The Result

• Awareness spike — Contributed to contactless payments now accounting for over 70% of all pay-as-you-go journeys on London buses and rail.
• Global standard — The "Tap and Go" content framework built for London is now the blueprint for Google Wallet's transit launches in 500+ cities globally.

Roughly 2.5 million new monthly active users in London — a 12% increase.