Summary
Making design simple in siloed and dated governmental organization with a baggage of tradition and slumped public reception is not an easy task. This talk presents a case study transforming a large government-regulated gambling monopoly from the product-driven world of the past into the emergent and rapidly shifting markets where the customer is placed front and center. How to refresh an organization without causing more obstacles? Organizing for continuous learning and allowing natural competence development can be achieved with reviewing the foundations of the business model and design organization. This talk presents solutions from the presented case study.
Key Insights
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Redefining a company vision through inclusive design team involvement creates alignment towards shared customer-centered goals.
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Strict regulations in the gambling industry create unique design challenges that demand adaptability rather than traditional optimization.
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Transparency and trust are foundational to breaking down silos and improving collaboration across departments in large enterprises.
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Transitioning from product-driven to outcome-driven design shifts the focus from deliverables to solving root problems.
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Small, deliberate changes with hands-on change management help people adapt better than full-scale abrupt organizational transformations.
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Using low-threshold, flexible design toolkits enables faster onboarding and continuous improvement of design methods.
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Regular open sprint demos with broad company participation increase feedback quality and build product team confidence.
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Psychological needs of autonomy, competence, and relatedness, as described by self-determination theory, directly impact designers’ motivation and resilience.
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Embedding continuous customer dialogue beyond passive testing strengthens alignment and adapts strategy responsively.
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Collaborations with legal, data, and content teams early in the design process enable faster decision-making and reduce rework.
Notable Quotes
"Our journey began in 2019 when I started working with a new client facing a crisis and looking to become industry ahead."
"Regulations in gambling sometimes contradict the goal of engagement, like red buttons forbidden to reduce excessive play."
"We wanted to move from product-driven to outcome-driven, building the right thing, not just optimizing existing solutions."
"A full-scale organizational transformation without time to adapt creates more problems than it solves."
"Introducing change should feel like a gradual refresh over time, not overwhelming chaos."
"Trust is the first step toward sustainable transparency and collaboration."
"Low fidelity prototypes reduced handovers and made design work more iterative and inclusive."
"Every sprint demo was open to the entire company, letting anyone ask questions and contribute feedback."
"Psychological needs — autonomy, competence, and relatedness — are key to fostering motivation and resilience in teams."
"Continuous learning as a community culture harnesses the power of the design organization to survive uncertainty."
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