University of Sydney 

Description

Designing a tool that helps employees bridge the ambiguity between their daily activities and outcomes with the University’s strategy to navigate the rapidly changing global environment. 

Creating a data-driven change management product equips organisations to lead internal large-scale transformation programs.

Creating a data-driven change management product equips organisations to lead internal large-scale transformation programs.

Creating a data-driven change management product equips organisations to lead internal large-scale transformation programs.

Creating a data-driven change management product equips organisations to lead internal large-scale transformation programs.

Timescale
Project Duration

3 weeks (2019)

Skills
Areas

Product Design

Motion Design

Service Design

Design Systems

Service Design

UYSD-HERO-

Project Overview

The University of Sydney is a public research university located in Sydney, Australia. Founded in 1850, it is Australia’s first university and is regarded as one of the world’s leading universities. The university was looking to build a career and capability framework and digital tool for all professional staff to support staff lifecycle, enhance position management and increase internal staff mobility.

My Role

As the Product Designer, I was responsible for all UX and UI design deliverables such as information architecture, low-fidelity and high-fidelity prototypes, a design system, motion design and moderated user testing. 

The team consisted of myself, a Product Owner / Management Consultant, a Head of Engineering and a Software Engineer.

Challenge

Capabilities are the knowledge, skills, and behaviours that staff must demonstrate to perform their roles effectively. Unfortunately, in 2019 alone, it was estimated that there would be over 23 million capability shortages across the Australian economy. 

Creating a framework to define capabilities, identify gaps and understand how to build on them for the future is critical to managing, supporting and growing a satisfied and skilled workforce. When successfully defined, capabilities help clarify how a staff member can deliver in their role, explore career options, and live the organisation’s values. Ultimately, a framework that defines our capabilities will help the University of Sydney build better careers. 

Solution

A Capability Discovery Tool was developed as part of the Career and Capability Framework engagement. Leveraging the framework’s 26 professional capabilities and 4 proficiency levels to create unique role profiles, the Capability Discovery Tool matches the profiles to identify all career pathways options and upskill requirements for movements within the department, outside the department and university-wide. This simplified how the University of Sydney staff leveraged and applied the framework to identify career mapping opportunities and upskill assessment requirements for potential career options.

USYD-hero-other-2

Design System

I created a design system that governed how elements look, feel, and move, enabling faster development and consistency. 

Design-system0

Testing and Iteration

I led the team in conducting moderated user testing at the low-fidelity and high-fidelity prototype stages of our design process. This enabled us to learn quickly, solve problems, and test ideas quickly and cheaply. 

CCF-Home-–-1 Landing-page-–-1

Motion Design

I created a bit-sized SVG animation to help users easily and quickly learn about the tool.  

Outcome

The client and users were happy with the Capability Discovery Tool due to its ease of use and instant applicability from staff to identify career mapping opportunities. The success and impact of this engagement enabled us to win another piece of product development work.

Using the design system I created, we designed and developed a Recruitment and Onboarding Tool to help the university’s Recruitment Team select the right questions and develop a printable interview guide for upcoming interviews. My design system enabled us to deliver both tools within the 5-week timeframe.

Revenue Generated

$22k

Mandla Shonhiwa

Phone: +44 746 682 2641

© 2025 All rights reserved.