Project Aether
Unify GIS data editing for internal reuse and external scaling
2019 - present
Figma prototype demonstrate solution for flood analysis on Project Aether platform (created by me)
Overview
Project Aether is a modular platform supporting scientists across wildfire response, chemical safety, groundwater research, and disaster recovery. I led product design to unify repeated one-off tools into a scalable, reusable platform that delivers high-quality UX for complex scientific workflows.
This shift—from fragmented solutions to a shared system—freed our team to focus on interaction quality, system reusability, and consultative design. The platform now powers multiple internal tools, including EGRASS, which won an R&D100 award in 2024.
Role
Lead Product Designer · Cross-lab platform strategy · Pattern standardization
Team
How it started: Myself, 2 devs, 1 PM
How it's going: 5 designers, 15+ developers, 3 PMs
Challenge
Built & Unified 6 tools into one platform, built a reusable design library, and delivered an award-winning product
Impact
8
research areas adopted Project Aether
in wildfire, flood, hurricane, chemical security, groundwater, carbon capture and more
2
R&D 100 award in science community
for grid recovery during hurricanes and wildfire monitoring via satellite data
50%
cost reduction for reusable solution
cut design costs from ~20% to ~10% of total project budgets for iterative quality deliverables
Project Manager / Product Owner
Driver the original of Aether concept
"We were solving nearly identical problems again and again—just under different research umbrellas."
Same problem, different clients
Our labs have projects solving the same problem multiple times: editing and visualizing GIS data. Each project required a bespoke solution, slowing delivery and creating inconsistent client experiences.
We were repeating UX work, creating fragmented dev handoffs, and missing chances to scale. Developers lacked clear guidance. Stakeholders couldn’t imagine a reusable solution. We needed a shared platform adaptable enough for different workflows, but unified in structure and design.
We needed to scale our expertise—without sacrificing customizability for clients with complex, domain-specific data workflows.
Almost all requested tools we been designing for fit into this workflow for different types of geospatial data
Repeation creates finesse, yet…
Creating the same solution over and over results in:
❌ No consistent access to end users (internal research tools)
⚙️ Each project had slightly different backends and data logic
🔁 Feature requests often overlapped, but we were still duplicating design/dev work
🧠 Stakeholders weren’t expecting or planning for reuse
I led the workshop to create feature inventory for future strategic development focus
Approach: quality over quantity
I helped shift the team from reactive delivery to platform thinking—designing repeatable UX systems and clarity across teams.
Cross-project mapping
I led async workshops and FigJam sessions to map needs across research areas and identify shared workflows—like spatial filtering, alerts, and annotation logic.
Platform experience planning
I created internal documentation norms and design team Jira boards that separated core features from domain-specific ones. This allowed engineers and designers to collaborate without duplicating effort, and helped our team scale knowledge as new projects came in.
Flagship features our end users love and don't have to wait for it to be developed specific for them to use
Design execution
Core features: Generalize and streamline interactions
When the product team is onboard with the vision—that different purposes of geospatial data result in the same solution—it's time to generalize different solutions into a formula, just like solving math problems.
I lead the team to create core feature interactions so all end users can:
Edit raw geospatial data
Select a subset and style surface-level features (data points)
Export data for presentation uses
Feature 1: Edit raw geospatial data
Feature 2: Select a subset and style surface-level features (data points)
Feature 3: Export map for presentation uses
Development handoff system: set structure routine for easier collaboration
To support a growing dev team, I created fully annotated Figma specs with versioned mockups and built-in usage notes. Developers could self-serve and build without requiring sync time—freeing up everyone’s time while improving consistency.
As the design team grows, I interviewed developers and created a framework for designers to follow for the most efficient handoff and iterative agile development:
For devs: Scalable handoff we trust
Here are my steps for designers to move through a clear workflow in Figma through clear pages in the design file
Sandbox -> Initial ideas and iterations
Review -> Clean space for feedback from PMs/POs/Devs/Clients
ReadyForDev -> Approved designs moved to here for clear history
Archive -> Move progress, in case we need it later
Each handoff package included
Detached components for flexible handoff
Clear “DevNote” annotations for interaction logic
A ReadMe outlining what’s included, won't change, and is planned to be updated next
General structure of a Figma dev-handoff area
For Management: Documentation (Confluence)
To keep stakeholders aligned and reduce confusion, I implemented a lightweight documentation workflow that made it easy to reference, present, and stay current:
Create semantically-named Confluence pages
Export annotated PNGs for stakeholder presentations
Link to the latest Figma files as the single source of truth
Decentralized design system ease the job for everyone, literally
I built a decentralized Figma system that let designers adapt components locally—without breaking the core. It boosted ownership, kept things consistent, and scaled with minimal upkeep.
Impact: from repetition to refinement
Instead of repeating work for every new project, we help projects onboard and use funding to maintain and continue to push for higher platform quality. That unlocks more time for better interactions, more meaningful design work, and scalable product thinking across environmental science, emergency preparedness, and carbon capture.
The most visible win: EGRASS—built entirely on Aether—received an R&D100 award for technical innovation and usability in 2024.
Before
Siloed, project-specific tools
No shared design system
Miscommunicated handoff & repeated confusion
After
Flexible, reusable platform for all clients
Unified component system in Figma
Easy visual spec and automous dev. handoff
Design for impact, not just output
This project pushed me to think like a system-level designer. I learned how to design for scale, not just polish or reinvent the wheel. My role grew from building interfaces to setting direction and enabling others to do high-quality work—confidently and clearly. In return, I get to craft the core of user experience - solving real world problems to better people's lives.
This project wasn’t just about UI polish. It reshaped how our organization approaches platform thinking and client delivery. It showed that good design isn’t just about user delight—it’s a lever for faster delivery, stronger proposals, and scalable impact.