InVision Case Studies IBM's Transformation through Design Thinking

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	IBM's Transformation through Design Thinking InVision

IBM's Transformation through Design Thinking

InVision

Technology Category	Application Infrastructure & Middleware - Middleware, SDKs & Libraries Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) - Cloud Computing
Applicable Industries	Education
Applicable Functions	Product Research & Development Quality Assurance
Use Cases	Inventory Management Rapid Prototyping
Services	Hardware Design & Engineering Services Training
Challenge	IBM, a century-old company with a strong engineering tradition, found itself needing to adapt to the modern market and user needs. Despite its rich history of design, the company faced the challenge of intentionally designing a design thinking-driven corporate model. The company needed to shift towards a more user-centered culture, which required a significant investment in design and designers. This transformation was not just about hiring more designers, but also about embedding design thinking into the company's culture and processes. Read More
About Customer	IBM is a multinational technology company headquartered in Armonk, NY. With a workforce of 350,000, the company operates in various sectors including artificial intelligence, computer hardware and software, cloud computing, and professional services. IBM has a long-standing history of design, having been associated with renowned designers like Eliot Noyes, Eero Saarinen, Charles and Ray Eames, I.M. Pei, Paul Rand, Isamu Noguchi, Marcel Breuer. The company's commitment to design is reflected in its famous statement: 'good design is good business.' Read More
Solution	IBM made a strong investment in design and designers in 2012, shaping a new IBM Design practice to transform the company’s products and services across every line of business. The company introduced a unique Enterprise Design Thinking framework that promotes speed, scale, and quality user-centered outcomes. This framework, known as 'The Loop', encourages teams to observe, reflect, and make, in a continuous cycle. IBM also developed a design language, design system, and standardized training programs for designers and non-designers. The company's diverse teams of designers, offering managers, and engineers maintain a constant focus on helping users achieve goals, and staying nimble with ongoing prototyping. Read More Log in to view content
Contents

Technology Category

Application Infrastructure & Middleware - Middleware, SDKs & Libraries

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) - Cloud Computing

Applicable Industries

Education

Applicable Functions

Product Research & Development

Quality Assurance

Use Cases

Inventory Management

Rapid Prototyping

Services

Hardware Design & Engineering Services

Training

Challenge

IBM, a century-old company with a strong engineering tradition, found itself needing to adapt to the modern market and user needs. Despite its rich history of design, the company faced the challenge of intentionally designing a design thinking-driven corporate model. The company needed to shift towards a more user-centered culture, which required a significant investment in design and designers. This transformation was not just about hiring more designers, but also about embedding design thinking into the company's culture and processes.

About Customer

IBM is a multinational technology company headquartered in Armonk, NY. With a workforce of 350,000, the company operates in various sectors including artificial intelligence, computer hardware and software, cloud computing, and professional services. IBM has a long-standing history of design, having been associated with renowned designers like Eliot Noyes, Eero Saarinen, Charles and Ray Eames, I.M. Pei, Paul Rand, Isamu Noguchi, Marcel Breuer. The company's commitment to design is reflected in its famous statement: 'good design is good business.'

Solution

IBM made a strong investment in design and designers in 2012, shaping a new IBM Design practice to transform the company’s products and services across every line of business. The company introduced a unique Enterprise Design Thinking framework that promotes speed, scale, and quality user-centered outcomes. This framework, known as 'The Loop', encourages teams to observe, reflect, and make, in a continuous cycle. IBM also developed a design language, design system, and standardized training programs for designers and non-designers. The company's diverse teams of designers, offering managers, and engineers maintain a constant focus on helping users achieve goals, and staying nimble with ongoing prototyping.

Impact #1	IBM's transformation through design thinking has led to a more user-centered culture. The company's teams are now better equipped to observe, reflect, and make in a continuous cycle, leading to faster and more efficient decision-making. The company's designers, offering managers, and engineers are now more focused on helping users achieve their goals. The company's decentralized organizational structure allows for faster communication, more autonomy, and the ability to organize around the user experience, technical feature, or business need effectively. However, this approach also presents challenges such as potential isolation of designers and the difficulty of developing a strong design culture when designers are divided.

Impact #1

IBM's transformation through design thinking has led to a more user-centered culture. The company's teams are now better equipped to observe, reflect, and make in a continuous cycle, leading to faster and more efficient decision-making. The company's designers, offering managers, and engineers are now more focused on helping users achieve their goals. The company's decentralized organizational structure allows for faster communication, more autonomy, and the ability to organize around the user experience, technical feature, or business need effectively. However, this approach also presents challenges such as potential isolation of designers and the difficulty of developing a strong design culture when designers are divided.

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Overview

IBM's Transformation through Design Thinking

Operational Impact