User Experience Porsche Shows How it's Done: UX Design is Project Design

Related Vendors

Porsche Holding GmbH

Wuxi InfiMotion Technology Co., Ltd.

How is it possible to develop a unified user experience across countries and brands? Porsche Holding's Carlog project demonstrates how 50 professionals mastered this complexity—and why UX design requires more strategy today than ever before.

Ten brands. 19 countries. One customer platform. This challenge was undertaken by Porsche Holding in 2023. The goal: Building on the awareness that a consistent user experience not only strengthens brand image but also increases customer satisfaction, a unified customer portal was to be created. The so-called Carlog portal now covers everything Porsche Holding customers might need, from a new car configurator and service support functions to the customer portal of Porsche Bank; cross-border and cross-brand in a unified appearance. The path to this was anything but easy.

In interacting with products, users today expect more than ever to have the same high-quality experience across all channels. This applies both to the type of medium—for example, interacting with the brand through an app, a website, or in the form of the physical product—and to localization, that is, interacting with the brand in different countries and languages. A consistent, comprehensive experience builds trust, facilitates recognition, and makes brands overall more successful.

Managing Complexity: Challenges in Multinational Systems

For an internationally widespread group like Porsche Holding, with many brands to consider, this is an admirable goal but also a major undertaking. After all, the platform must not make any compromises in flexible applicability, especially in the current tense market situation, must simplify processes, and possibly save costs through efficiency. Additionally, it is crucial to unify different technical systems, regional particularities, team compositions, and brand-specific requirements. A cross-border system requires not only technological know-how but also a deep understanding of cultural and brand-specific differences. The integration of app and web platforms, for example, often needs to consider both the local preferences of users and specific brand guidelines. For instance, color schemes and navigation structures differ by brand, requiring a flexible yet consistent system architecture.

Overcoming this challenge hinges on a robust strategy and purposefully planned collaborative processes. In the case of Porsche Holding, more than 50 involved team members had to stay informed, coordination ensured, and it had to be guaranteed at all times that everyone was efficiently working towards the same goal.

The Project Management Perspective: How to Master Complex UX Projects

Such large UX projects are always a hybrid of project management challenge and design problem. Within the scope of the Carlog project, three factors were particularly central, which can also be applied to comparable or smaller projects:

1. Collaboration between design, development, and concept: Success requires teamwork—and dialogue. UX design, development, and conceptualization work here from the beginning not sequentially, but hand in hand. For instance, developers were involved already in the planning phase to ensure that technical requirements and design ideas were compatible. A best practice recommendation is therefore to establish cross-team workshops and continuous reviews early in the process to avoid misunderstandings, clarify requirements, and even test prototypes if necessary. This iterative approach significantly reduces later adjustments and therefore saves time and money.

2. Clear processes and checklists: Structures create clarity. Therefore, checklists with clear responsibilities are useful to ensure that aspects such as accessibility, responsive design, and user guidance are considered at every stage of the project. For example, the team used an accessibility checklist to check contrast ratios, optimize tab navigation, and integrate screen reader functions. This list was continuously adjusted to new requirements during the project, keeping all teams on track and making the project status digitally transparent.

3. User centricity through research and testing: Users determine success. Therefore, people should be at the center from the start. To ensure that the platform meets all needs, a team conducted iterative user tests: from analyzing typical usage scenarios to feedback sessions. Early tests showed, for instance, that users in some countries prefer simpler navigation, while in other regions they value detailed filters. These insights were directly incorporated into the system architecture, ensuring that the platform was flexible enough to meet both demands simultaneously.

The Design Perspective: Three Concrete Solutions for Better UX

Every UX project is different. Nevertheless, from a design perspective, there are some approaches that must always be considered. In the Carlog project, it was primarily three factors that were crucial for success:

Firstly, a flexible design system made the difference. The components to be applied everywhere could be clearly defined globally. For elements like buttons, navigation, or color palettes, there was a clear cross-border guideline, within which the design could be adapted locally. This maintained the balance between consistency and specific national needs, for instance.

Secondly, ongoing technical integration took place: Regular tests and continuous monitoring ensure that new features in such a large project do not lead to errors. An API strategy helps harmonize data flows and connect systems efficiently. For a rapid implementation, developer teams need clear, transparent documentation that is available across teams from the start.

Thirdly, accessibility was prioritized from day one: On June 28, 2025, the Accessibility Protection Act comes into force, making accessibility in digital applications mandatory. Considered from the beginning, this project has once again shown that it is more than just a compliance issue. Accessible design not only helps people with disabilities but also improves overall usability. Companies should therefore consider accessibility already in the conceptual phase and ensure that designs meet screen reader standards and other requirements. For example, customized tab navigation or high-contrast designs can create a better experience for all users.

UX Design? UX Project!

Thanks to the focused and concerted project management described here, Porsche Holding successfully launched its Carlog platform internationally at the end of 2024. Since then, it has met exactly the desired requirements and offers customers a consistent, user-centered experience. This was made possible because Porsche Holding never had the illusion that UX design is purely creative work that can be done on the side by a handful of designers. UX design always requires project design as well. Those who manage to connect both worlds with the help of design systems, iterative processes, and foresight can hope to efficiently develop future-proof digital products.

*Felix van de Sand is co-founder and CEO of the UX/UI design and software development agency COBE.

Secure and Compliant Authentication in Laboratories

Secure & Contactless User Authentication at GMP/GLP