Brand Strategy | Strategic & Service Designer

Implementing and scaling a design mindset within a multinational technology company.

My role in this project

Strategic Designer and Researcher

Responsible for research activities and workshop facilitation.
Lead the development of all design activities as part of my Master of Science thesis.

Outcome

Context

IBM iX is a department within IBM that uses design techniques to solve complex business challenges. The department encounters difficulties in defining their identity and proving their value to stakeholders.

There is a lack of a shared vision and clear positioning within the department which suggests an internal intervention.

Problem

The lack of a strong design identity within IBM iX creates lack of understanding of iX capabilities. This reduces project opportunities for the department.

The central aim of my master thesis was to help IBM iX enhance their design identity internally to create shared understanding within the department, while, at the same time, supporting employees in communicating it to external stakeholder.

Approach

A process for the transfer of the design identity is outlined and partially executed in the course of the project. To implement the process, two workshops are facilitated with employees with the goal to co-create IBM iX vision and identify their positioning which allowed to initiate the procedure of internal identity enhancement.

Communication material to build the basis for a shared understanding of a design identity within IBM iX.

This would help align employees opinions.

Internal Campaign and video to create awareness about iX and trigger other IBM consultants to talk to iX people. By stimulating interaction, it is possible to recreate the informal atmosphere that would allow IBM colleagues to involve each other in new projects.