Pioneering the Strategy Sprint at National Australia Bank
100% Sell-In Rate + Scaling Across the Design Org
Role
Everything – Relationship building with domain, value prop development, process development & continuous feedback, execution, facilitation, scaling.
Duration
V1 development - 1 week
Progressive iterations 2023-2025
Progressive iterations 2023-2025
Organisation type
Large org - Big 4 Bank
Project year
2023-2025
Context
• We developed the Strategy Sprint so that our Payments design function DEMONSTRATED that we are a strategic partner AND could operate within a predictable timeframe (which was a core need of Product and Tech).
• By leveraging this way of working, we designed an outline of the future state AND the immediate tactical needs of the project.
• The Strategy Sprint is run during the kick off stages of a project in collaboration with Product and Tech.
• Key measurable benefits included decrease in cycle time and an increase in Forrester Design Maturity score (both key metrics for our domain and Design Chapter respectively).
• By leveraging this way of working, we designed an outline of the future state AND the immediate tactical needs of the project.
• The Strategy Sprint is run during the kick off stages of a project in collaboration with Product and Tech.
• Key measurable benefits included decrease in cycle time and an increase in Forrester Design Maturity score (both key metrics for our domain and Design Chapter respectively).
Image created using Midjourney AI.
Design approach
Relationship building with domain leadership
Design would catch up each fortnight with Domain and Initiative Leadership to chat re things like:
• What’s your top priority at the moment?
• What’s keeping you up at night?
• Here’s what I think we can do, and how long it should take. Are you open to it?
• These are the priorities for the Design Chapter, so this is what we need to achieve for each project.
A key concern for our Head of Product was that projects took months before beginning delivery and there was no structured way of kicking off projects.
• What’s your top priority at the moment?
• What’s keeping you up at night?
• Here’s what I think we can do, and how long it should take. Are you open to it?
• These are the priorities for the Design Chapter, so this is what we need to achieve for each project.
A key concern for our Head of Product was that projects took months before beginning delivery and there was no structured way of kicking off projects.
Framework development
Based on previous experience running tailored Google Design Sprints, I created a recipe that would work within the NAB context e.g. I visualised clear time and participation asks to Product Owners for core activities only instead of the usual 5-day intensive Google Sprint. That wouldn't fly at NAB based on the existing culture.
I drew on Design Chapter and NNG templates for high level experience maps and lean research presentations.
I drew on Design Chapter and NNG templates for high level experience maps and lean research presentations.
Continuous feedback
We needed to stress test the Sprint across multiple contexts before we scaled across the Design Chapter.
Examples of different contexts
• Initiatives with high vs low volume of insights
• High vs low subject matter complexity
• Existing or new relationships w stakeholders
• High vs low time pressure
Examples of different contexts
• Initiatives with high vs low volume of insights
• High vs low subject matter complexity
• Existing or new relationships w stakeholders
• High vs low time pressure
Socialise methodology within the wider org
- Presented Strategy Sprint victories at all-hands Design Chapter showcases.
- Socialised the Sprint activities leading to inclusion in the Design Chapter end-to-end process
Outcomes I drove
• 100% sell-in success for the Strategy Sprint on all Payments initiatives I lead (over a dozen projects), despite the high initial resistance (>80% of projects).
• Lead ~70% of Strategy Sprints in the Payments domain.
• Developed 80% of the Plays in the Strategy Sprint play book.
• Orchestrated Strategy Sprint education session for NAB's COO in partnership with our Chief Design Officer to demonstrate the commercial benefits provided by the Design Chapter.
• Lead ~70% of Strategy Sprints in the Payments domain.
• Developed 80% of the Plays in the Strategy Sprint play book.
• Orchestrated Strategy Sprint education session for NAB's COO in partnership with our Chief Design Officer to demonstrate the commercial benefits provided by the Design Chapter.
• $180,000-$250,000 saved on a single project by running the Strategy Sprint.
• Concept tested how to scale the Strategy Sprint across the 30,000+ people org with experts who'd completed a similar milestone - saved $500,000+ and years of effort by avoiding mistakes experts had previously made.
• Coached and mentored Payments designers to autonomously run Strategy Sprint plays.
• All Strategy Sprints completed within the 2-2.5 weeks timeframe as promised to Product and Tech partners.
• Concept tested how to scale the Strategy Sprint across the 30,000+ people org with experts who'd completed a similar milestone - saved $500,000+ and years of effort by avoiding mistakes experts had previously made.
• Coached and mentored Payments designers to autonomously run Strategy Sprint plays.
• All Strategy Sprints completed within the 2-2.5 weeks timeframe as promised to Product and Tech partners.