challenge
CDL faced strategic ambiguity around the future of its CityNexus app: It was unclear whether and how to invest in evolving the platform into an integrated lifestyle and professional service offering. Tenant, retail, and residential experiences were fragmented, with no unified ecosystem to connect services or data. There was mounting pressure to modernize, introducing tech, AI, and IoT into the built environment as a value driver. Legacy IT systems posed integration challenges and lacked a clear roadmap to next-gen digital experience. The existing app lacked a distinctive brand or position, neither lifestyle companion nor professional tool, creating confusion and underutilization. → The real challenge was not just building an app; it was crafting a vision for what CityNexus could become in a smart ecosystem.
Client
City Developments Ltd - CDL
Format
App
ACTION
As lead experience strategist, I led the redefinition of CityNexus from a transactional tool to an aspirational ecosystem experience, anchored in business value, user relevance, and tech scalability. Key actions included: Repositioned CityNexus as “your ideal colleague and neighbor”, bridging lifestyle and professional use cases into one seamless brand promise. Led a full Discover–Define–Design cycle in just 3 months, delivering: → A reimagined modular content and interface structure → A scalable architecture enabling future personalisation and automation → A refreshed brand identity that supports both B2B and B2C growth Mapped and redesigned 4 key cross-sector user journeys, aligning feature sets across residential, retail, and office segments. Created a foundation Design System for consistent, scalable delivery across new features, tenants, and properties. Defined tech strategy for the Implementation Phase, identifying: → API strategies for integrating legacy and modern services → AI and IoT use cases to build a 360° customer/building data loop → Data governance principles for secure multi-property onboarding The work shaped how CDL defines value creation through digital experience, blending property, service, and human context into one integrated flow.
RESULTS
Repositioned app brand to support CDL’s vision for a super app across sectors. Delivered validated improvements to the four highest-impact user journeys across tenant types. Defined admin experience needs and outlined areas for further discovery. Established a scalable design system and modular app architecture to reduce complexity and increase future adaptability. Captured strategic tech considerations to de-risk the Implementation Phase and align stakeholder investment decisions. Recognized with the 2022 Business Tech Review Technology Excellence Award for mobile app innovation.
LEADERSHIP LENS
Throughout this engagement, I led with my signature principles: Clarity – Framed a compelling future vision for the app, making value concrete across business, tech, and user lenses.Cadence – Delivered a tightly scoped three-month Discover-to-Design sprint, coordinating multi-disciplinary teams across business lines. Care – Balanced the diverse needs of residential users, office tenants, and internal stakeholders, ensuring inclusion, relevance, and long-term scalability.
