Pioneering the Strategy Sprint at National Australia Bank
100% Sell-In Success for Over a Dozen Teams
Context
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Design approach
Relationship building with domain leadership
The Design Manager and I caught up each fortnight with Domain and Initiative Leadership to build trust. We always came prepared with discussion points 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 project delivery velocity.
Framework development
I'd run adapted Google Design Sprints before. I created a Sprint framework that would work within the NAB context to respond to our Head of Product's needs.
e.g. I created clear time and participation asks for Product Owners.
I referenced Nielsen Norman Group for high level experience maps and other artefacts.
e.g. I created clear time and participation asks for Product Owners.
I referenced Nielsen Norman Group for high level experience maps and other artefacts.
Continuous feedback
We needed to stress test the Sprint across multiple contexts before we rolled it out across the Domain, then ultimately 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 with stakeholders
• Initiatives with small vs large stakeholder groups
Examples of different contexts
• Initiatives with high vs low volume of insights
• High vs low subject matter complexity
• Existing or new relationships with stakeholders
• Initiatives with small vs large stakeholder groups
Socialise methodology within the wider org
Throughout the continuous feedback loop, I ensured our victories were visible at Design Chapter showcases.
The Design Manager and I socialised the Sprint activities leading to inclusion in the Design Chapter end-to-end process.
The Design Manager and I 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 initial resistance from stakeholders. Over 80% of projects initially didn't want to do the 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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 my Payments domain.
• $180,000-$250,000 saved on a single project by running the Strategy Sprint – a scaleable cost saving.
• 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.
• $180,000-$250,000 saved on a single project by running the Strategy Sprint – a scaleable cost saving.
• 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.