Shell needed a unified web application that proactively monitors critical equipment across multiple global sites (e.g., wind farms, oil rigs, and chemical plants). Previously, analysts had to juggle three separate apps—Events, Heat-map, and Trends—to identify equipment anomalies.
The PTM Toolkit became Shell’s central solution for “finding small, fixing small,” enabling early detection of potential equipment issues. By integrating real-time data from digital sensors and structured monitoring protocols, the toolkit has prevented production deferments and helped Shell generate millions in additional revenue.
Lead Product Designer (Me). Owned design strategy and vision, bridging business goals with user needs while overseeing all design deliverables.
Product Owner. Defined and prioritised product backlog items, ensuring continuous alignment with business objectives and user requirements.
Tech Lead. Set technical architecture (React + SDS/Kendo), guiding engineers and balancing feasibility with project scope.
Scrum Master. Facilitated agile ceremonies, removed roadblocks, and maintained a clear, efficient workflow for the entire team.
Mid-level Product Designer. Assisted with design exploration and delivering design handoffs.
Software Engineers. Built and tested the application (frontend, backend, QA), collaborating closely with design to ensure a stable, high-performing product.
Shell’s Software Engineering Management System (SEMS) mandated using Shell Design System (SDS)—but the developers had planned to build with React + Kendo UI. Balancing the developers’ preference for Kendo’s mature component library with SDS’s strict requirements required substantial stakeholder alignment. I initiated and led multiple discussions, ultimately settling on a hybrid approach:
Use SDS for components available within the design system.
Leverage Kendo for any missing components to accelerate development.
Standalone interfaces used to track anomalies, visualize equipment status, and analyze performance trends—each functioning in isolation, causing fragmented workflows and data.
Problem Definition: Mapped out user workflows from the existing trio of apps (Events, Heat-map, Trends). Conducted interviews with the Product Owner and end-users to uncover pain points and opportunities.
Data-Driven Insights: Analyzed usage data from the legacy apps to prioritize features, identifying the most frequent user tasks and critical pain areas.
Stakeholder Management: Facilitated crucial conversations between the Tech Lead, SDS representatives, and SEMS to reconcile design system constraints with the development framework.
Frequent Check-Ins: Held bi-weekly meetings with the Product Owner to ensure continuous alignment with business needs and user expectations.
Design Reviews: Collaborated closely with engineers to validate technical feasibility and refine edge cases—introduced design review sessions to pre-empt costly rework.
Wireframes & Hi-Fidelity Designs: Created interactive prototypes incorporating SDS components for consistency and brand alignment, supplemented by Kendo components where needed.
User Flows & Information Architecture: Streamlined workflows by merging three distinct tools into a single, cohesive interface, reducing cognitive load and switching costs for analysts.
Mentorship: Oversaw a mid-level Product Designer, delegating tasks, guiding style consistency, and ensuring a unified design approach across the team.
Feedback Loops: Collected input through pilot testing with end-users; iterated on table interactions (e.g., replaced pagination with infinite scroll) based on their direct feedback.
Stakeholder Alignment: Ensured product increments were tested, accepted, and signed off by both business and tech stakeholders before each sprint’s conclusion.
A consolidated interface integrating Events, Heatmap, and Trend functionalities into a single, seamless user experience. This clickable prototype enabled rapid stakeholder feedback and showcased the toolkit’s end-to-end workflows.
Shipped the first version within 5 months; immediate positive feedback from end-users and Shell executives.
Contributed to $145 million in additional revenue in 2024 by preventing downtime and ensuring faster maintenance interventions.
Streamlined user workflows and centralized data monitoring, saving thousands of hours of Asset Engineer time.
Helped reduce CO2-e emissions through proactive maintenance and minimized unplanned equipment failures.
A user-friendly dashboard that highlights key performance metrics, showcasing the direct benefits of proactive monitoring for each asset. This late-stage iteration provided immediate visibility into revenue gains, downtime prevention, and environmental impact, reinforcing the value of the PTM Toolkit.
Regular touchpoints and transparent communication prevented siloed decision-making and accelerated design alignment with engineering.
Negotiating a hybrid solution that balanced SDS requirements with the need for robust UI components was critical to the project’s success.
Rapid prototyping, frequent testing, and willingness to pivot based on user feedback resulted in a more intuitive and impactful final product.
By consistently highlighting how design decisions would drive measurable results (e.g., operational efficiency, revenue gains, emissions reductions), the team stayed focused on delivering high-impact features that aligned with Shell’s broader goals.
Through complex negotiations with SEMS, SDS, and the development team, you learned how to balance differing priorities and arrived at a collaborative, hybrid solution that satisfied both design and technical requirements.
By guiding a mid-level designer and coordinating closely with software engineers, you strengthened your ability to delegate effectively, provide constructive feedback, and maintain a unified vision across teams.
Frequent user feedback loops and sprint reviews pushed you to adapt more fluidly to evolving requirements, leading to faster, more efficient decision-making and a greater comfort with iterative workflows.
