YouTube: Creator Studio

Overview

The Creator Studio Mobile app lacked design support for years before I joined the team. I scoped and implemented a redesign to update the app and better align it with YouTube standards. The was critical foundational work that enabled the app to house new features.

Design system

When I joined the team at the end of 2018, the Creator Studio mobile app lacked a design system and spec. In 2019 I designed, scoped, and implemented new typography, padding, and spacing in collaboration with my team’s visual designer. This improved user perception and unified the app with the desktop product.

(Right) The new app redesign in relationship to desktop.

Dark Mode

In addition, lack of dark mode was a top user complaint for Creator Studio. In addition to the refresh, we launched dark mode in 2020. It received a lot of positive feedback and is used currently by many users.

See below for before & after shots.

Before & after

The old design (left) followed styles form Material 1. It lacked branding and felt disjointed from YouTube’s suite of other products.

The new design (right) feels fresh, friendlier, and now has the ability to scale for new features.

Art direction for Illustrations

I led the art direction in collaboration with my team’s visual design and launched a series of new illustrations on Studio mobile. This gave the app a sense of brand and connection to the desktop product.