Creating a modern design for Smart Lab, built to adapt.

The Challenge

The Smart Lab interface was visually outdated, with no flexibility for client-specific branding. The redesign had to deliver a fresh, modern look while maintaining the platform’s current structure to meet tight delivery timelines. Additionally, the design had to accommodate each client’s unique brand colours, logos, and homepage imagery—without requiring a complete redesign for each. User experience improvements were not the current focus, so the challenge lay in achieving significant visual upgrades within existing UX constraints.

The Approach

We began by selecting a pilot client—Sonic Healthcare—to test and refine the new interface. We identified key screens and redesigned core components to create a cleaner, more contemporary look. Brand-specific primary colours were integrated into the interface, supported by a set of neutral tones to ensure adaptability.

To accommodate different client brands, we created two neutral palette options:

Bluish spectrum – created and tested for the Sonic Healthcare brand.

Greyish spectrum – ideal for brands with warmer or dominant colours, such as green
Once the Sonic Healthcare interface proved successful, we adapted the same design system for another client with a green-dominant brand, achieving a seamless visual match.

The Solution

The updated Smart Lab interface delivered a modern, brand-adaptable design without disrupting the existing structure. The creation of two flexible neutral palettes allowed for efficient rebranding across different clients while maintaining visual consistency. The final step was the development of a comprehensive design system, enabling a smooth hand-off to developers and ensuring consistency across future updates. This approach future-proofed the platform’s look and feel, ready for rapid deployment to multiple clients.