Overview
Integral Ad Science (IAS) is a leading adTech platform that helps brands and agencies measure digital advertising effectiveness through solutions focused on Viewability, Brand Safety, and Ad Fraud detection.
Layered Studio partnered with IAS during a critical stage of product evolution, helping establish a scalable Design System that aligned a broader brand transformation with the modernization of a complex enterprise platform.
The Challenge
As IAS continued to grow, the product lacked a modular design foundation. Over time, inconsistent patterns, duplicated UI elements, and disconnected implementation practices created friction between design and engineering teams.
At the same time, IAS had initiated a brand refresh to modernize its visual identity and marketing assets. While the brand evolved externally, the product experience no longer reflected the same level of maturity, creating an opportunity to address both challenges through a unified design strategy.
The organization needed a scalable system that could improve consistency, support product growth, and create stronger alignment between design and development.
Our Approach
1. Platform Audit
We conducted a comprehensive audit of the product ecosystem, documenting existing interface patterns, components, and recurring UI elements.
This process allowed us to identify inconsistencies, prioritize opportunities for standardization, and establish a roadmap based on component usage frequency and business impact.
2. Product Experience Modernization
Working alongside the broader brand evolution effort, we redesigned key product experiences and introduced updated interface patterns that aligned the platform with the new visual identity.
The goal was not only to modernize the UI but also to establish reusable patterns that could improve efficiency across both design and engineering workflows.
3. Design System Creation
The findings from the audit informed the creation of MORTON, IAS’s internal Design System.
The system was built from the ground up using design tokens, reusable components, documentation, and usage guidelines. A shared language was established between product, design, and engineering teams, enabling greater consistency and scalability across the platform.
Governance & Adoption
Building the Design System was only part of the initiative.
To ensure long-term success, we established governance practices that defined ownership, contribution workflows, and decision-making processes. We also introduced reporting mechanisms to measure adoption and identify opportunities for continuous improvement.
This governance model helped transform MORTON from a component library into a sustainable product capability that could evolve alongside the organization.
Outcomes
- Established a scalable Design System foundation for a growing enterprise platform.
- Reduced UI inconsistencies across products and experiences.
- Improved alignment between design and engineering teams.
- Created a shared visual language connected to the company’s new brand identity.
- Introduced governance processes that supported long-term adoption and maintenance.
- Enabled faster and more consistent product development through reusable components and standards.
Services Provided
- Design System Audit
- Information Architecture
- Design Tokens
- Component Library Design
- Design System Governance
- Documentation & Standards
- Adoption Strategy
- Cross-functional Alignment
- UX & UI Modernization