The impact of UX Design in Business growth
Exploring the integration of UX methodologies within organizations poses intriguing questions: How can we measure their impact? How can we enable Designers to influence business decisions, ultimately transforming the way the organization work and its long-term strategy? We delved into how design significantly influences business decisions, transforming organizational operations and strategies, and establishing Design as a core aspect of corporate culture transforming organizational strategies and operations.
A discussion featuring insights from Giuseppe Cuciniello — Tangity and Laura Licari — Publicis Sapient unveils the significant impact of UX on business.
Good Design is Good Business — Giuseppe Cuciniello
The journey towards recognizing the value of design in business can be traced back to 1958 when IBM, under the guidance of Watson Jr., appointed Eliot Noyes. Noyes, an architect and former curator at New York’s Museum of Modern Art, was tasked with creating a comprehensive corporate design program. This program aimed to encompass everything from products and buildings to logos, marketing materials, and business processes. The collaboration between Watson and Noyes, in 50 years together, have increased IBM revenues 10 times and the number of employees 5 times highlighting the undeniable business value of design.
In recent years, McKinsey & Company’s annual reports have further validated the importance of design in business. By tracking 300 companies across various industries over five years, McKinsey identified four crucial design pillars:
- Analytical Leadership,
- Cross-functional Talent,
- Continuous Iteration,
- User Experience.
The reports conclusively showed that companies excelling in these areas outperformed their peers in revenue and shareholder returns, proving that good design extends beyond user experience — it’s a potent driver for financial success.
Despite the clear benefits, the adoption of design as a business growth driver faces challenges, particularly in Asia (but also in Italy), where establishing a design-centric culture is still evolving. However, companies that invest in design see reduced development costs and faster market times, confirming that design investment is a beneficial long-term strategy.
Giuseppe, not a traditional designer, dedicates his career to integrating design tools and perspectives into business, enhancing the delivery of design value to technicians and business owners. He navigates the challenge of conveying design’s importance across diverse cultural contexts, such as Japan and Italy. Highlighting Nexi’s case study, he illustrates how focusing on user experience and organizational adaptation enabled Italy, a country traditionally skeptical of digital payments, to embrace such technology. Thanks to an evolutionary process of customer experience mapping, they were able to transform existing, separate touchpoints into a seamless, responsive, and consistent experience; create a brand-new process for merchants to properly enforce the backend aspects of the payment experience; and finally, integrate an all-new product into the ecosystem: an e-commerce platform allowing final customers easy access to offers and providing Nexi with sales tools capable of managing broad product portfolios that can adapt to the ever-evolving business and commercial needs.
Go to the video to see Nexi case study
Design the right thing. Design the thing right — Laura Licari
In the last decades, the goal has shifted from merely satisfying customers to creating memorable experiences in products that stand out, addressing a broad spectrum of human needs, including those that resonate on a deeper level (e.g. feeling valued). Achieving this requires a continuous cycle of research and development, aimed at understanding market needs and translating those insights into impactful products. This is how we can Design the right thing and be sure to Design the thing right.
Designers face the task of converting complex issues into actionable business insights. This transformation is based in a methodical approach to creating tangible value. When value is recognized by consumers, it directly contributes to business growth. This highlights the critical role of design in sustaining actively the business through strategic innovation and enhancing the customer experience. The objective is to develop digital products and services that consistently exceed expectations, thereby guiding both business transformation.
This strategy extends beyond simplifying user interactions; it aims to cultivate genuine connections and establish a distinctive brand voice. The adoption of a test-and-learn mindset and an systemic approach by organizations enables the streamlining of operations, focusing on elements that genuinely add value to both customers and the business. This is the baseline of the four pillars that Sapient presents in their framework to assess the business Impact of UX. (See image 1)
The commitment to measuring the impact of UX is evident through key performance indicators (KPIs), which offer insights into productivity enhancements and customer engagement strategies. Examples include the transformation seen in companies like Carrefour, where a UX-driven approach led to significant improvements in workforce productivity and reduced paper waste. Similarly in Stellantis, a shift in UX strategy redefined the company’s approach to customer engagement. These instances underscore the transformative power of UX in forging meaningful customer connections and distinguishing a brand in the competitive landscape.
Go to the video to see case studies
These lectures were held during the 35th UX Talk organized by POLI.design’s Experience Design Academy. Follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram to be updated about the upcoming UX Talks, which are always open to the public.
Curated by Alice Paracolli
