As a keynote speaker at Refresh Conference 20231, I had the opportunity to share SEB’s transformative journey in UX strategy. This presentation was not just about our successes, but also the challenges and learning experiences that shaped our approach. Refresh Conference, known for bringing together leading voices in UX and design, provided the perfect platform to discuss the practical application of strategic frameworks in organizational transformation.
I inherited the UX team 18 months ago and have been on a journey to revamp our strategies and practices.
The key was implementing various strategic frameworks and tools.
Nielsen Norman Group’s UX Maturity Evaluation This framework was crucial in measuring the UX team’s and organization’s maturity, setting the stage for further development. Our evaluation revealed varying levels of collaboration between UX practitioners and other teams. Teams that had worked closely with UX team members for at least six months showed more structured collaboration, while others remained at limited or emerging stages.
McKinsey’s 7-S Framework This reflective tool helped identify gaps in leadership and team coordination, providing immediate feedback and guidance for our transformation journey. It allowed us to analyze seven key dimensions of our organization: Strategy, Structure, Systems, Shared Values, Style, Staff, and Skills.
Game Theory This framework provided valuable insights into decision-making and strategic interactions within the organization. It helped us understand how different stakeholders make choices and how we could create win-win scenarios.
VRIO Analysis This tool helped us assess the unique value and competitive advantage the UX team brings to the organization. It was instrumental in driving focus and prioritization of our initiatives.
The journey wasn’t without its challenges. Overcoming imposter syndrome was a significant personal hurdle. Another challenge was resisting the temptation to continuously seek new frameworks instead of fully implementing the ones we had chosen. Through this experience, we learned that depth of implementation was more valuable than breadth of tools.
These frameworks not only streamlined our processes but also enabled a shared language and understanding within the team. They provided structure to our transformation while allowing flexibility in implementation.
I had a great time speaking at @RefreshRocks about building and executing UX area strategy in a bigger organization. Also that was the first time I field-tested @iAPresenter. 📸Paula Koppel pic.twitter.com/Cpymt2hY43
— Esko Lehtme (@eskolehtme) January 28, 2023
Our strategy now circles around clear objectives, measurable results, and actionable plans, all rooted in a vision to nurture a customer-centric culture in the organization. This manifests in several ways:
- Educating other teams in service design
- Ensuring transparency of the UX team’s work
- Developing competencies
- Establishing metrics for success
Looking back, I realize the importance of process more than ever. Returning to foundational principles and rethinking our strategies through these frameworks allowed us to align our actions with our goals. The key to success wasn’t just in selecting the right tools, but in fully committing to their implementation and being open to the insights they revealed, even when they challenged our preconceptions.
“Refresh Conference 2023,” Refresh Rocks, accessed January 28, 2023, https://refresh.rocks ↩︎
