Global Design Standards

Company

Services

Mobile App Design, Design Systems

Industry

Energy Sector

Date

2020

Unifying visual assets across a massive design team

BP faced a significant challenge in standardizing visual assets across its massive design engineering department. With approximately 600 designers working globally, there was a lack of consistency in photography and iconography usage, leading to fragmented visual communication.

The company needed a unified approach that would align with its brand values while navigating the complex organizational dynamics and natural resistance to change. This standardization effort was essential to create visual coherence across BP's digital presence and strengthen brand identity.

Framework Development Process

The project involved developing a comprehensive framework for photography and iconography that would serve as the foundation for BP's visual communication. Through extensive research into existing practices, the team identified key areas requiring standardization—including shot selection, cropping, exposure, and composition.

This wasn't simply about creating rules but about establishing a shared vision that would elevate BP's visual storytelling while respecting individual creativity. The implementation process included conducting over 25 workshops and 15 feedback sessions to ensure the guidelines addressed real designer needs and fostered gradual buy-in.

Results and Impact

While the project achieved a 30% adoption rate and created over 200 standardized icons and 100+ resource pages, the effort to achieve complete standardization remains ongoing. The initiative successfully laid the groundwork for visual consistency by providing clear guidance that designers could incorporate into their workflow. More importantly, it initiated a cultural shift toward consistency in design practices across the organization.

Despite the challenges of implementing change in a large, diverse team, the photography and iconography guidelines now serve as a cornerstone of BP's design process, demonstrating that effective standardization requires not just technical solutions but organizational change management and continuous advocacy.