Implementing an Agile Design Culture

(Ongoing Case Study)

 

Overview:

DP World is a world leader in global supply chain solutions. They are building a blockchain-backed trade logistic platform for all parties to use in cross-border trade.

Challenge:

The company culture prioritizes shipping MVPs and leaves little time for innovation and usability testing. I was tasked with finding an actionable way to move the needle and create an agile design culture.

Project Info:

Role: UX Designer

Project date: 2022-ongoing

Platforms: Figma and Microsoft Teams (for recorded interviews)

 

Approach:

  • User Interviews

  • Prioritization Matrix

  • SWOT Analysis

  • Whiteboard Sessions

  • Design Systems

  • UX Strategy

Results:

The roadmap has actionable steps that allow my team to change and influence DP World’s business culture through successful projects and team alliances.

This case study documents, in real-time, how to project is going and my learnings.

 
 

Understanding the Project

 

Research and Findings

  • I conducted 5 user interviews to get a complete picture of the problem. Over two weeks, I interviewed UX Designers, Developers, and PMs to understand their views of the business culture.

  • I created scripts for each type of role, recorded our interviews in Microsoft Teams, and took detailed notes.

  • Those notes were summarized in a SWOT Chart.

 

Brainstorming Next Steps

Click for larger view.

 

I listed projects/goals and used a prioritization matrix to outline what was helpful and how much effort it would take.

 

Finalizing the Roadmap

 

The final roadmap can be summarized in 6 steps:

  1. Start with the production process and team culture

  2. Refine and perfect the teams UX skills/processes to meet industry standards

  3. Work with the dev team to get better metrics, usability testing, and build out a symbiotic relationship

  4. Dev team and UX team make large process changes, like the double diamond method

  5. Make quality and innovative improvements to products with the design and dev teamwork

  6. Change and affect long-term project goals and influence DP World’s business culture

 
 

The projects/goals were outlined into short, medium, and long term goals.

Click for larger image.

 
 

Highlights from the Roadmap

I held a workshop to create a vision statement for our team. We started by listing the current problems/goals of our department, then stated the ideal future, and worked out how we could get from our current state to the ideal future.

It created alignment for our business goals and developed a positive momentum forward.

Screenshots from Vision Statement Workshop

 

Updated Design System

I looked through various types of software and decided Zero Height was the best hosting website for our design system. It allows mergers and updates with our Figma files and can host code.

Over the course of a few weeks, I moved design documentation and files onto Zero Height. I updated best practices for our components and made sure files were available for download.

 

Low-lights from Roadmap

Here is a brief list of the things that have not worked and or that got off track.

  • Our design intake process still varies depending on the design verticle. This problem is more complicated than expected and we are still working on it.

  • Since our verticals are so disconnected, PM software has been hard to adapt. It was more tedious to use and update across the team.

  • Personas were a low priority for a while. We are now focusing on building our and researching personas.


The case study will be updated in a few months once milestones are met.