Design system
Designing for Science
Explore my journey designing for a venerable academic publishing leader, rooted in centuries of scholarly contribution.
Designing for Science
Explore my journey designing for a venerable academic publishing leader, rooted in centuries of scholarly contribution.
Designing for Science
Explore my journey designing for a venerable academic publishing leader, rooted in centuries of scholarly contribution.
Designing for Learning
In 2018, I joined Elsevier’s Research Tech team in London, designing tools for higher education and scientific publishing. Over three years, I learned from incredibly smart and thoughtful peers—an experience that sharpened my skills and deepened my passion for education-focused design.
Designing for Learning
In 2018, I joined Elsevier’s Research Tech team in London, designing tools for higher education and scientific publishing. Over three years, I learned from incredibly smart and thoughtful peers—an experience that sharpened my skills and deepened my passion for education-focused design.
Designing for Learning
In 2018, I joined Elsevier’s Research Tech team in London, designing tools for higher education and scientific publishing. Over three years, I learned from incredibly smart and thoughtful peers—an experience that sharpened my skills and deepened my passion for education-focused design.
Project Overview
Journal Branding Solutions
Building the visual foundations of a design system that now powers 20+ digital products across scientific publishing and higher education.
🇬🇧
London
Role
Visual Designer
Services
Design Systems
Prototyping
Documentation
Contributions
Reduced design handoff effort by 60-70% through clear documentation and specs
Created CMS UI patterns and scalable design tokens
Collaborated with design, engineering, and product to define scalable foundations
Defined visual foundations (typography, color, spacing) reused across platforms
Journal Branding Solutions
Building the visual foundations of a design system that now powers 20+ digital products across scientific publishing and higher education.
🇬🇧
London
Role
Visual Designer
Services
Design Systems
Prototyping
Documentation
Contributions
Reduced design handoff effort by 60-70% through clear documentation and specs
Created CMS UI patterns and scalable design tokens
Collaborated with design, engineering, and product to define scalable foundations
Defined visual foundations (typography, color, spacing) reused across platforms
Journal Branding Solutions
Building the visual foundations of a design system that now powers 20+ digital products across scientific publishing and higher education.
🇬🇧
London
Role
Visual Designer
Services
Design Systems
Prototyping
Documentation
Contributions
Reduced design handoff effort by 60-70% through clear documentation and specs
Created CMS UI patterns and scalable design tokens
Collaborated with design, engineering, and product to define scalable foundations
Defined visual foundations (typography, color, spacing) reused across platforms
A CMS That Evolved Into a Design System
Journals are at the core of the business. This CMS initiative was meant to support editors—but became the foundation for a design system now used across 20+ digital products.
A CMS That Evolved Into a Design System
Journals are at the core of the business. This CMS initiative was meant to support editors—but became the foundation for a design system now used across 20+ digital products.
A CMS That Evolved Into a Design System
Journals are at the core of the business. This CMS initiative was meant to support editors—but became the foundation for a design system now used across 20+ digital products.
Streamlining Journal Branding with a CMS
Editors lacked structured tools to manage their publications and branding online.
With thousands of journals under its portfolio, the company needed a solution that provided autonomy while ensuring global brand consistency.
Streamlining Journal Branding with a CMS
Editors lacked structured tools to manage their publications and branding online.
With thousands of journals under its portfolio, the company needed a solution that provided autonomy while ensuring global brand consistency.
Streamlining Journal Branding with a CMS
Editors lacked structured tools to manage their publications and branding online.
With thousands of journals under its portfolio, the company needed a solution that provided autonomy while ensuring global brand consistency.
Empowering Editors with Scalable Branding
Without clear design guidelines, editors struggled to maintain uniformity across journals.
The CMS needed to balance editorial flexibility with consistent, high-quality brand standards that reflected the company’s authority in publishing.
Empowering Editors with Scalable Branding
Without clear design guidelines, editors struggled to maintain uniformity across journals.
The CMS needed to balance editorial flexibility with consistent, high-quality brand standards that reflected the company’s authority in publishing.
Empowering Editors with Scalable Branding
Without clear design guidelines, editors struggled to maintain uniformity across journals.
The CMS needed to balance editorial flexibility with consistent, high-quality brand standards that reflected the company’s authority in publishing.
Collaborative System-Building Across Teams
The work spanned two connected tracks: supporting CMS design needs while laying the groundwork for a scalable design system. Collaboration with editors, engineers, and design leaders was key.
Collaborative System-Building Across Teams
The work spanned two connected tracks: supporting CMS design needs while laying the groundwork for a scalable design system. Collaboration with editors, engineers, and design leaders was key.
Collaborative System-Building Across Teams
The work spanned two connected tracks: supporting CMS design needs while laying the groundwork for a scalable design system. Collaboration with editors, engineers, and design leaders was key.
Align & Audit
Worked with stakeholders to understand publishing workflows, journal brand constraints, and user needs. Audited existing UI to identify inconsistencies and overlaps.
Align & Audit
Worked with stakeholders to understand publishing workflows, journal brand constraints, and user needs. Audited existing UI to identify inconsistencies and overlaps.
Align & Audit
Worked with stakeholders to understand publishing workflows, journal brand constraints, and user needs. Audited existing UI to identify inconsistencies and overlaps.
Define Foundations
Established shared rules for typography, spacing, and color tokens to support flexible branding while maintaining coherence.
Define Foundations
Established shared rules for typography, spacing, and color tokens to support flexible branding while maintaining coherence.
Define Foundations
Established shared rules for typography, spacing, and color tokens to support flexible branding while maintaining coherence.
Prototype & Iterate
Designed CMS UI patterns and tested internally. Applied branding tokens across journal previews and CMS modules.
Prototype & Iterate
Designed CMS UI patterns and tested internally. Applied branding tokens across journal previews and CMS modules.
Prototype & Iterate
Designed CMS UI patterns and tested internally. Applied branding tokens across journal previews and CMS modules.
Refine
Iterated on foundational design elements to make them modular and scalable, ensuring they could be extended beyond the CMS.
Refine
Iterated on foundational design elements to make them modular and scalable, ensuring they could be extended beyond the CMS.
Refine
Iterated on foundational design elements to make them modular and scalable, ensuring they could be extended beyond the CMS.
Document & Align
Created detailed specifications and visual documentation to guide designers and engineers. Supported adoption by other teams.
Document & Align
Created detailed specifications and visual documentation to guide designers and engineers. Supported adoption by other teams.
Document & Align
Created detailed specifications and visual documentation to guide designers and engineers. Supported adoption by other teams.
2020 Rebranding for digital use.
The original seal of the Elsevier family.
2020 Rebranding for digital use.
The original seal of the Elsevier family.
2020 Rebranding for digital use.
The original seal of the Elsevier family.
2020 Rebranding for digital use.
The original seal of the Elsevier family.
From CMS to the Core Visual Design Team
With the CMS foundations in place, I transitioned into the Design System & Core Visual Design team, ensuring our work was leveraged for the company’s broader design initiatives, starting with ScienceDirect.
From CMS to the Core Visual Design Team
With the CMS foundations in place, I transitioned into the Design System & Core Visual Design team, ensuring our work was leveraged for the company’s broader design initiatives, starting with ScienceDirect.
From CMS to the Core Visual Design Team
With the CMS foundations in place, I transitioned into the Design System & Core Visual Design team, ensuring our work was leveraged for the company’s broader design initiatives, starting with ScienceDirect.
Bridging CMS Learnings to a Scalable System
The typography, spacing, colors, and brand parameters we established in the CMS became the core of the company’s evolving Design System, now powering 20+ products.
Bridging CMS Learnings to a Scalable System
The typography, spacing, colors, and brand parameters we established in the CMS became the core of the company’s evolving Design System, now powering 20+ products.
Bridging CMS Learnings to a Scalable System
The typography, spacing, colors, and brand parameters we established in the CMS became the core of the company’s evolving Design System, now powering 20+ products.
Outcomes
Faster Design, Better Collaboration
Reduced design handoff time by 70%, improved consistency across teams, and enabled journal editors to work independently while adhering to Elsevier standards.
Outcomes
Faster Design, Better Collaboration
Reduced design handoff time by 70%, improved consistency across teams, and enabled journal editors to work independently while adhering to Elsevier standards.
Outcomes
Faster Design, Better Collaboration
Reduced design handoff time by 70%, improved consistency across teams, and enabled journal editors to work independently while adhering to Elsevier standards.
Learnings
Design Systems Can Start Anywhere
This project reinforced that a Design System doesn’t always start as a formal initiative—it can emerge from solving real user needs in a scalable way.
Learnings
Design Systems Can Start Anywhere
This project reinforced that a Design System doesn’t always start as a formal initiative—it can emerge from solving real user needs in a scalable way.
Learnings
Design Systems Can Start Anywhere
This project reinforced that a Design System doesn’t always start as a formal initiative—it can emerge from solving real user needs in a scalable way.
Elsevier Design System
In-Product Messaging
Expanded the design system with pop-ups and messaging components.
🇬🇧
London
🇳🇱
Amsterdam
Role
UX UI Designer
Services
UX Audit
Web Accessibility Audit
Prototyping
UI Illustration
Contributions
Collaborated with PMs and content specialists on cohesive branding and voice.
Implemented components seamlessly using a third-party tool.
Enhanced the design system with copywriting and tone of voice areas.
In-Product Messaging
Expanded the design system with pop-ups and messaging components.
🇬🇧
London
🇳🇱
Amsterdam
Role
UX UI Designer
Services
UX Audit
Web Accessibility Audit
Prototyping
UI Illustration
Contributions
Collaborated with PMs and content specialists on cohesive branding and voice.
Implemented components seamlessly using a third-party tool.
Enhanced the design system with copywriting and tone of voice areas.
Elsevier Design System
In-Product Messaging
Expanded the design system with pop-ups and messaging components.
🇬🇧
London
🇳🇱
Amsterdam
Role
UX UI Designer
Services
UX Audit
Web Accessibility Audit
Prototyping
UI Illustration
Contributions
Collaborated with PMs and content specialists on cohesive branding and voice.
Implemented components seamlessly using a third-party tool.
Enhanced the design system with copywriting and tone of voice areas.
ScienceDirect
Books Pages
Redesigned book pages to enhance usability and browsing; design pending implementation.
🇬🇧
London
Role
UX UI Designer
Services
UX Audit
Accessibility Audit
Wireframing
Responsive Design
Prototyping
Contributions
Improved usability through insights from user research.
Refined in-page browsing for seamless navigation.
Explored diverse content access scenarios to meet varied user needs.
Books Pages
Redesigned book pages to enhance usability and browsing; design pending implementation.
🇬🇧
London
Role
UX UI Designer
Services
UX Audit
Accessibility Audit
Wireframing
Responsive Design
Prototyping
Contributions
Improved usability through insights from user research.
Refined in-page browsing for seamless navigation.
Explored diverse content access scenarios to meet varied user needs.
Books Pages
Redesigned book pages to enhance usability and browsing; design pending implementation.
🇬🇧
London
Role
UX UI Designer
Services
UX Audit
Accessibility Audit
Wireframing
Responsive Design
Prototyping
Contributions
Improved usability through insights from user research.
Refined in-page browsing for seamless navigation.
Explored diverse content access scenarios to meet varied user needs.
ScienceDirect
Topics Pages
Designed AI-powered pages showcasing taxonomy from Elsevier publications.
🇬🇧
London
Role
UX UI Designer
Services
UX Audit
Prototyping
UI Documentation
User Testing Note-Taking
Contributions
Enhanced Chemistry Topics Pages with components that boosted engagement by 3%.
Prototyped high-fidelity designs for user testing and interviews.
Participated in testing, taking notes, and engaging with user feedback.
ScienceDirect
Topics Pages
Designed AI-powered pages showcasing taxonomy from Elsevier publications.
🇬🇧
London
Role
UX UI Designer
Services
UX Audit
Prototyping
UI Documentation
User Testing Note-Taking
Contributions
Enhanced Chemistry Topics Pages with components that boosted engagement by 3%.
Prototyped high-fidelity designs for user testing and interviews.
Participated in testing, taking notes, and engaging with user feedback.
Topics Pages
Designed AI-powered pages showcasing taxonomy from Elsevier publications.
🇬🇧
London
Role
UX UI Designer
Services
UX Audit
Prototyping
UI Documentation
User Testing Note-Taking
Contributions
Enhanced Chemistry Topics Pages with components that boosted engagement by 3%.
Prototyped high-fidelity designs for user testing and interviews.
Participated in testing, taking notes, and engaging with user feedback.
Concept testing
Bridged product team and real users by prototyping innovative ideas.
Concept testing
Bridged product team and real users by prototyping innovative ideas.
Concept testing
Bridged product team and real users by prototyping innovative ideas.
ScienceDirect
Elsevier Reference Collections
Adapted digital encyclopedias to evolving business and user needs.
🇬🇧
London
Role
UX UI Designer
Services
UX Audit
Accessibility Audit
Prototyping
Contributions
Enhanced accessibility for thousands of Reference Collections.
Facilitated stakeholder discussions to define and align requirements.
Collaborated closely with developers to ensure seamless design execution.
Elsevier Reference Collections
Adapted digital encyclopedias to evolving business and user needs.
🇬🇧
London
Role
UX UI Designer
Services
UX Audit
Accessibility Audit
Prototyping
Contributions
Enhanced accessibility for thousands of Reference Collections.
Facilitated stakeholder discussions to define and align requirements.
Collaborated closely with developers to ensure seamless design execution.
Elsevier Reference Collections
Adapted digital encyclopedias to evolving business and user needs.
🇬🇧
London
Role
UX UI Designer
Services
UX Audit
Accessibility Audit
Prototyping
Contributions
Enhanced accessibility for thousands of Reference Collections.
Facilitated stakeholder discussions to define and align requirements.
Collaborated closely with developers to ensure seamless design execution.
Mendeley
Reference Manager
Supported product team in validating features through bi-weekly user interviews.
🇬🇧
London
Role
Product Designer
Services
UI Documentation
User Research
Responsive Design
Wireframing
Workshop Facilitation
Contributions
Developed component redesign guides addressing accessibility and edge cases.
Migrated UI library from Sketch + Abstract to Figma for improved workflows.
Designed the app’s mobile version to expand usability across devices.
Reference Manager
Supported product team in validating features through bi-weekly user interviews.
🇬🇧
London
Role
Product Designer
Services
UI Documentation
User Research
Responsive Design
Wireframing
Workshop Facilitation
Contributions
Developed component redesign guides addressing accessibility and edge cases.
Migrated UI library from Sketch + Abstract to Figma for improved workflows.
Designed the app’s mobile version to expand usability across devices.
Reference Manager
Supported product team in validating features through bi-weekly user interviews.
🇬🇧
London
Role
Product Designer
Services
UI Documentation
User Research
Responsive Design
Wireframing
Workshop Facilitation
Contributions
Developed component redesign guides addressing accessibility and edge cases.
Migrated UI library from Sketch + Abstract to Figma for improved workflows.
Designed the app’s mobile version to expand usability across devices.
More Works
More Works
More Works
More Works
Let’s Talk. –
Let’s Talk. –
Let’s Talk. –
Let’s Talk. –
Looking for a Designer?
I thrive in teams that value thoughtful design, collaboration, and user impact. If that sounds like your company, let’s connect!
Site Menu
Works
Social Media
2025 Juan Martins Deczuta
Let’s Talk. –
Let’s Talk. –
Let’s Talk. –
Let’s Talk. –
Looking for a Designer?
I thrive in teams that value thoughtful design, collaboration, and user impact. If that sounds like your company, let’s connect!
Site Menu
Works
Social Media
2025 Juan Martins Deczuta
Let’s Talk. –
Let’s Talk. –
Let’s Talk. –
Let’s Talk. –
Looking for a Designer?
I thrive in teams that value thoughtful design, collaboration, and user impact. If that sounds like your company, let’s connect!
Site Menu
Works
Social Media
2025 Juan Martins Deczuta