BBVA Bank
BBVA Global Software Development – Internal Newsletters Design & Management
Overview
Project: Ongoing since 2024
Role: Graphic & Product Designer
Audience: +20,000 employees
Volume: Up to 30 newsletters/month
Tools Used:
Figma, Photoshop, Google Drawings, Google Slides, Google Sheets
Context
The Global Software Development (GSD) team at BBVA needed an efficient communication channel to share updates across multiple sub-teams.
With different areas contributing content, the challenge was to unify criteria, organize information, and ensure brand consistency across all communications — all while managing a very high production flow of newsletters (up to 30 per month).
Process
1. Content definition
- Topics were decided by the Head of Communications in coordination with sub-teams.
- Content was first organized in a shared Excel file.
2. Classification & hierarchy
- My role was to analyze and establish hierarchy across multiple teams and topics.
- Created a structure that improved readability and information flow.
3. Design & testing
- Conducted a small benchmarking of corporate newsletters.
- Designed and continuously improved the base template in Figma.
- Iterated regularly to keep up with the changing nature of information.
4. Collaboration & adaptation
- Teams were guided on how to fill out the template properly (copy length, text sizes, images).
- Used Google Drawings to keep content collaborative and secure inside the company.
- Final design adjustments and polish were done in Figma.
5. Delivery & distribution
Produced up to 30 newsletters every month, reaching 15,000+ employees inside BBVA GSD.
Process
I.Research
II.Concept
III. Exploration
IV. Outcome
Research Overview
Analysis & Interviews
Analysis & Interviews
Once the brand guidelines had already been defined by the bank’s Brand department, the research phase focused on understanding the audience and the average volume of information distributed through the internal newsletters. The main audience belonged to the bank’s Holding division, consisting mostly of developers, communicators, and team leaders.
During this stage, different formats and communication frequencies were analyzed — from short weekly updates to monthly newsletters that gathered more in-depth content — with the goal of identifying consumption patterns, information saturation levels, and opportunities to improve clarity and content relevance.
In addition, interviews were conducted with several members of the audience to understand which elements were considered essential and which were unnecessary. These conversations were key to defining the appropriate number of communications and finding a structure that could deliver a large volume of information without overwhelming the user.
Both the audience profile and the nature of the content guided the development of visual solutions focused on clarity: the information was organized into well-defined blocks, with a clean layout and minimal visual distractions, prioritizing specificity and objectivity in communication.
I.Research
II.Concept
III. Exploration
IV. Outcome
Concept
Overview
Core Idea
A scalable and collaborative communication system that unifies diverse voices across BBVA’s Global Software Development teams. The newsletters are designed not just as visual artifacts, but as functional tools that bring clarity, hierarchy, and consistency to a complex flow of information.
Visual Direction
- Strict brand adherence → The BBVA identity guidelines were non-negotiable, which required constant adaptation of layouts to ensure both compliance and usability.
- Clarity and hierarchy → Use of typography, spacing, and structure to make large volumes of content easy to scan and navigate.
- Flexible template system → A single design framework adapted to different sub-team needs, while maintaining visual coherence.
- Collaborative workflow → From Google Drawings to Figma, the process prioritized accessibility and secure sharing within the company.
Personality
Professional yet approachable. The design system is structured, reliable, and clear, while remaining flexible and adaptable to the evolving needs of teams and the continuous flow of information.
I.Research
II.Concept
III. Exploration
IV. Outcome
Exploration
Overview
Design Variations
Design Variations
Here I present the evolution of communications over the past year and a half of continuous iteration, always guided by user feedback and the emergence of new sectors within the bank, with the goal of bringing clarity and visibility to new information:
I.Research
II.Concept
III. Exploration
IV. Outcome
Outcome
Overview
Challenges & Learnings
- Brand identity limitations
BBVA’s brand identity could not be changed. This required constant adaptation of layouts to guidelines that did not always consider issues like hierarchy or readability. - Standardization vs. flexibility
With many teams involved, each with their own preferences, reaching full alignment was not always possible. Maintaining coherence while being flexible was a constant challenge. - Design as a management tool
Beyond visual design, my role was to create processes, provide guidance, and enable collaboration. This showcased my hybrid profile as both graphic designer and product thinker.Results
- Established a scalable newsletter system that supports the entire GSD team.
- Enabled efficient internal communication across multiple sub-teams.
- Delivered 30 newsletters/month to an audience of 20,000 employees.
- Improved consistency and usability despite complex branding constraints.
