Ernesto Alonso

The challenge

In a high-stakes environment like Gestamp, digital tools are complex and data-heavy. Before I arrived, the UI was fragmented, creating friction for users and slowing down developers. My mission was to bring order to that chaos, creating a system that felt intuitive for the user and seamless for the team.

How I Built It

I approached this not just as a designer, but as an architect. I focused on creating a foundation that was built to last:

Foundations: I started by defining the essentials, typography that’s easy on the eyes during long shifts, and grids that handle massive amounts of industrial data without feeling cluttered.
The Language (Tokens): I implemented a Design Token strategy to ensure we all spoke the same language. By using Semantic Tokens, we gave every color and spacing a reason to exist ($color-accent-primary-bg50). This means if the brand evolves tomorrow, we can update the entire ecosystem in minutes, not months.
The Toolkit (Atomic Library): Using the Atomic Design methodology, I built a library of components in Figma that are as robust as the machines Gestamp builds. Everything was documented so that any designer or dev could jump in and feel at home.

The result

This project changed how we work. We didn’t just achieve a cleaner UI, we built trust and speed:

Consistency as a Standard: No more guessing games. Every tool now feels like it belongs to the same family.
Empowered Developers: By providing a "source of truth," I reduced the back-and-forth between teams, allowing devs to focus on building features rather than tweaking CSS.
Future-Proof Design: The system is ready for whatever comes next, whether it's a new SaaS tool or a complete dark mode rollout.