📌 How is GaYa Design System Transforming Digital at Grupo Natura?

🟢 Project Overview

The Natura Group is one of the leading global references in the cosmetics sector, present in over 100 countries, with:

• 3,700 physical stores

• 35,000 direct employees

• 7.7 million Representatives and Consultants

The company's digital growth required a new approach to ensure consistency, scalability, and efficiency in product development.

🚀 The Challenge

Creating and structuring a unified Design System that could standardize experiences across brands, optimize processes, and reduce rework.

The GaYa Design System was born to solve this problem. However, adopting a DS in a global company that previously did not use one is a major challenge, involving cultural change, structuring, and alignment across multiple teams.

And that is my role: to grow GaYa and drive its massive adoption, ensuring its real impact within the Natura Group.

📌 How to Structure a Design System in a Legacy Scenario?

When I joined the squad responsible for GaYa DS, I realized that the biggest issue was not technical but cultural:

• Multiple squads were still using old Adobe XD legacies, while the migration to Figma was happening in a disorganized manner.

• The token and theme system had no clear structure, resulting in 20 themes registered without standardization.

• Leadership expected quick solutions, without understanding that a DS requires time and strategic alignment.

• The absence of a governance model made it difficult to consolidate decisions and prevent duplications.

📌 The First Major Reality Check

After analyzing the Design System, I realized that I couldn’t simply erase the legacy and start from scratch—some squads directly depended on these structures for their live products.

Strategic Decision

• Instead of dismantling the existing system, I began structuring DS versions to ensure a gradual transition.

• I deepened research into Design Token Variables, an innovative concept that few companies in Brazil and worldwide use today.

• Today, GaYa already has over 30 registered themes, including Light and Dark Mode for different brands.

The challenge now is scaling a DS that is in beta while coexisting with legacy systems.

🟢 My Role in the Project

As a Product Designer Lead, my mission is to structure and drive the adoption of the GaYa Design System, turning it into a strategic pillar within the company.

📌 My Key Contributions:

• Structuring GaYa DS, consolidating a modular and scalable system.

• Standardizing components, logos, icons, and tokens, reducing redundancies.

• Creating visual and technical guidelines, fostering alignment between design and development.

• Managing the logo and iconography library, strengthening visual identity.

• Leading the Design System adoption, promoting its implementation across squads.

📌 Financial Impact:

In 2024, GaYa DS generated over $2 million in savings, as more squads adopted the system.

💡 Factors that contributed to this impact:

• Reduced reliance on external vendors.

• Optimized development time and standardized components.

• Increased consistency across digital products, reducing errors and rework.

• Smoother transition from old legacy to a modern, scalable system.

And this is just the beginning of GaYa’s growth.

🟢 How Did I Structure GaYa?

The GaYa Design System is built on five fundamental pillars:

1️⃣ Foundations

• Colors (Light, Dark, Opacity)

• Typography (Size, Weight, Line Height, Styles)

• Elevation & Shadows

• Grid & Spacing

2️⃣ Reusable Components

• Component Core (Buttons, Inputs, Cards, Modals…)

• Component Team (Squad-specific components)

3️⃣ Logo and Iconography Library

Includes logos from brands such as:

• Avon

• Casa & Estilo

• Beauty Consultancy

• Emana

• Sales Force

• Natura Group

• The Body Shop

4️⃣ Customizable Themes

• Light and Dark modes for each brand identity.

• Web, iOS, and Android compatibility.

5️⃣ Automation and Quality

• Storybook testing for technical validation.

• Comprehensive documentation on Zeroheight and Confluence.

• Ongoing squad support to ensure system adoption and evolution.

🟢 The Biggest Challenge: How to Change Culture and Scale a DS in a Global Company?

🔴 Leadership still demands quick solutions, without understanding that a DS requires planning, research, and alignment.

📌 My approach to overcoming these challenges:

• Define clear governance for the DS.

• Show concrete results to leadership.

• Focus on gradual adoption to ensure sustainable growth.

🔝 Conclusion: The Future of GaYa DS

GaYa is growing and evolving, and my role is to ensure it becomes a strategic pillar for the Natura Group.

🚀 And this is just the beginning!