Get closer to your customers with design thinking

Tech powerhouses, like Cisco, have to find new ways to stay lean, fast, and hungry as enterprise computing continues to evolve. While the company has a long history of creating great products and it achieved success with incorporating design methods, its existing systems and silos were slowing it down. It was time for a transformation.

Idean, part of Capgemini Invent, partnered with Cisco to develop and launch the Cisco Design Thinking program, a series of digital and physical experiences that offered Cisco employees, partners, and clients a new set of tools and processes to work better together.

Together with Cisco design leaders and stakeholders, we collaborated in workshops to build the strategy and vision for the Cisco Design Thinking system. This initial stage helped create a program focused on the specific needs, challenges, and opportunities for over 70,000 Cisco team members. These carefully orchestrated workshops generated alignment, ownership, and support that rallied the larger organization.

The first stage focused on tailoring design thinking approaches into a united Cisco Design Thinking practice which included a framework, tools, and a playbook.

Designing a framework and approach native to Cisco was a critical step in rallying core constituencies and ensuring cultural fit for the future. Adapting the framework also provided an opportunity to communicate and highlight to newcomers and experienced practitioners essential facets of design thinking critical to their success at Cisco.

The Cisco Design Playbook defines Design Thinking,  how to use it, and presents practical tools for leading workshops, understanding users, and ideating in a human-centric way.

“The Cisco Design Thinking Workshop taught us that it’s no longer about building the capabilities, but to empathize with our customers’ emotions and how they think about engaging with Cisco. Learning about Cisco Design Thinking is a nice side benefit, but the ability to generate valuable breakthrough ideas is priceless. I highly recommend other product managers and program leaders who want to win over customers for life fully take advantage of this approach.” – Christina Wong, Head of CDX at Cisco

Learn how Design Thinking can scale your organization here.

[proper_form id=447347]