composability research

ROLE Experience Design Sr Associate | TOPICS UX Research, User Interviews, Metasynthesis | TIMELINE Q4 2023

Project Background

As the Manhattan Design System prepared to release its new Composable Library, leadership needed to understand how key user groups would react to this significant change. Following initial interviews with MDS Leads and Product Owners, the team prioritized researching three critical groups: Accessibility Advisors, Designers, and Web Developers whose adoption and understanding would determine the initiative's success.

Research Goals

  • Identify patterns in perceptions, beliefs, and concerns about the Composable transition
  • Understand how different user groups would react to increased flexibility and responsibility
  • Inform strategy for rolling out Composable across the organization

The Team & My Role

I partnered with a Lead UX Researcher to conduct 1:1 interviews with participants across all three user groups. Together, we led the metasynthesis of findings, identifying highest-level patterns across 23 interviews and translating insights into actionable recommendations for the MDS team.

Research Methodology

We conducted 1:1 interviews with 23 participants between October and November 2023: 8 Accessibility Advisors (1.5-13 years experience), 7 Designers (3-20+ years experience), and 8 Web Developers (3.5-20+ years experience). All participants were early adopters or part of the Composable beta testing group, providing a snapshot of initial adoption experiences.

Key Findings

Through metasynthesis of all interviews, we identified nine high-level patterns that revealed critical insights about how teams were perceiving and preparing for the Composable transition:

  • Understanding the Differences: Teams misunderstanding the concept of Composable, incorrectly projecting the legacy brand promise onto new components.
  • Lack of Adoption Driver: Teams in neutral, waiting for an unknown driver to trigger adoption.
  • Technical Knowledge Gaps: Designers and Developers planning to hold off until the library is "complete."
  • Bandwidth Constraints: Product Owners controlling adoption via predetermined roadmaps without carving out time for Composable.
  • Collaboration Breakdowns: Lack of awareness about how critical tight quad collaboration would be for Composable success.
  • Accessibility Resource Gaps: Not all teams have access to Advisors or trained ADA QAs, risking increased defects.
  • Governance Uncertainty: Teams wary of using or contributing to non-MDS composed components.
  • Legacy vs. Composable Tension: "If it ain't broke" mentality creating friction between stability and modernization.
  • Organizational Communication Gaps: Teams holding off due to lack of clear messaging around adoption strategy.

Project Impact

This research provided critical insights that shaped the MDS team's rollout strategy. By understanding concerns and misconceptions across user groups, we were able to develop targeted educational resources, clearer messaging, and a foundation for supporting teams through the transition.

Key outcomes include:

  • Created targeted educational resources addressing identified knowledge gaps
  • Developed clearer messaging differentiating Legacy and Composable libraries
  • Surfaced the need for Product Owner involvement in adoption decisions
  • Informed communication strategy and timing for organizational rollout