Elevating Design

The design team within a large financial services provider faced significant hurdles as part of the company’s broader digital transformation efforts. Initially operating as a small, low-maturity team, they grappled with strained cross-functional relationships, unclear workflows, and limited involvement in strategic decision-making. High turnover and a lack of cohesion further exacerbated these issues, putting critical initiatives at risk. Recognizing the need for change, a comprehensive transformation was launched to rebuild the team, improve collaboration, and position design as a strategic driver of business outcomes.

The Challenge
The design team within a large financial services provider faced significant challenges as part of a larger digital transformation initiative. Initially a small and low-maturity team, they struggled with fractured relationships across product and engineering, unclear workflows, and limited involvement in strategic planning. These challenges, coupled with high turnover, threatened the team’s ability to deliver on critical initiatives. To address these issues, a comprehensive effort was undertaken to rebuild the team, improve cross-functional collaboration, and establish design as a strategic asset.

Building the Foundation
The transformation began by creating a strong foundation for the team. Weekly design reviews, regular team health checks, and sprint retrospectives were introduced to encourage transparency, collaboration, and open communication. These practices not only resolved immediate challenges but also fostered a culture of continuous improvement and problem-solving. Relationships with product and engineering teams were prioritized, leading to trust and better alignment. Through proactive joint planning sessions, design became an early-stage contributor to strategic decision-making.

Scaling Talent and Leadership
Scaling the team was another critical focus. Efforts were directed toward recruiting and onboarding over 15 designers across the organization, ensuring both cultural and technical alignment. This included hiring an Associate Director, which expanded leadership capacity and allowed the team to scale its influence. These efforts resulted in a significant shift from design delivery to a strategic partnership model, positioning the team as an essential driver of organizational goals.

Exceeding Commitments Despite Challenges
Despite facing economic uncertainty and budget cuts, the team exceeded their project delivery goals. Critical projects, including a comprehensive redesign of the leadership compensation experience, were delivered on time and with exceptional quality. This redesign launched in January 2024 and is expected to drive long-term revenue growth for the company. The team’s ability to over-deliver in such a challenging environment demonstrated their resilience and commitment to excellence.

Operational efficiencies were also achieved through standardized workflows, which improved alignment and accelerated decision-making. The morale and retention of the team improved significantly, creating an environment where designers felt empowered and supported.

Driving Measurable Results
Operational efficiencies were also achieved through standardized workflows, which improved alignment and accelerated decision-making. The morale and retention of the team improved significantly, creating an environment where designers felt empowered and supported.

The measurable results of this transformation included:

• Team Growth: Expanded team capacity by 200%

• Efficiency Gains: Reduced time-to-delivery for design projects.

• Improved Alignment: Built trust across product and engineering, leading to cohesive and impactful product releases.

Lessons Learned
This transformation underscored the importance of investing in team culture, cross-functional relationships, and scalable leadership to achieve long-term success. Establishing transparency through regular design reviews and retrospectives proved invaluable in fostering trust and collaboration, while integrating design into early strategic planning created stronger alignment with business objectives. The process highlighted that scaling a team requires not just adding talent but also building leadership capacity to support and amplify that growth. Finally, the experience demonstrated that even in times of economic uncertainty, operational efficiencies and a focus on team empowerment can yield exceptional results, solidifying design’s role as a strategic asset to the organization.