IBM Power Transformation Research
Defining data-driven client experience goals
OBJECTIVE
TEAM
8 researchers and designers split into four pillars—each representing separate customer segments & areas of the Power business
8 researchers and designers split into four pillars—each representing separate customer segments & areas of the Power business
MY ROLE
TIMELINE
IBM’s Power business—a family of servers and accompanying IT software products designed for enterprise applications—has been around since the 1980s.
In 2022, the entire Power business unit embarked on a transformation initiative to re-align the business around enterprise clients’ most pressing IT infrastructure needs.
THE CHALLENGE
Deliver a set of client experience goals crafted from quality users insights that will transform the IBM Power business and align our teams around delivering on critical client needs.
01.
Explore the user experiences surrounding IBM Power
Conducted research with 31 users representing 6 different personas02.
Identify the pain points for the personas involved in the procurement, purchase, and use of Power products
through workshops, interviews, and surveys with end users and business partners03.
Ideate and prioritze a set of client experience goals for the Power business to meet customer needs
Delivered and prioritize 7 client experience goals to shape the future of IBM Power01. Diverge
Divided into 4 pillars—each representing separate customer segments & areas of the Power business—conducting individual research studies.
Methods & tools
- 1:1 moderated interviews
- co-design workshops
- survey research
- defining user personas
02. Converge
Converged insights from across all four pillars to identify Power-wide needs and differentiate pillar-specific needs.
Methods & tools
- design thinking workshops
- affinity mapping
- thematic analysis
- crafting need statements
- as-is journey mapping
03. Ideate
Created a set of Power-wide experience goals based on the user pain points, needs, and ideas from all pillars.
Methods & tools
- affinity mapping
- to-be journey mapping
- storyboarding
04. Evaluate
Tested our hypotheses/“draft goals” with users to understand if we were correctly articulating their needs and evaluated which goals were users’ highest priorities.
Methods & tools
- survey research
- data analysis
- presentation of insights & recommendations
7 client experiences goals delivered, accepted by leadership, and integrated into IBM Power’s business strategy and product roadmaps
31 users engaged
representing 6 different personas engaged across workshops and 1:1 interviews328 needs identified
total user need statements generated through user interviews, workshops, and surveys4 playbacks delivered
to IBM executives detailing research insights and recommendations and greater garnering empathy for our users
6 squads formed
“Power client value driver” squads—comprised of product, development, and design SMEs—formed and are actively working to fulfill the client experience goals.Over a year later, positive client feedback and increased revenue are showing us that Power is moving in the right direction.
* Due to confidentiality purposes and NDAs, more detailed research results and data cannot be shared.