CLIENT
Delta Air Lines
SERVICES
Design Strategy
Context
A major airline needed to evolve from a digital-focused agile model into an enterprise-wide design practice that could deliver consistent, human-centered experiences across all touchpoints. While the digital team had successfully launched standalone products, there was no unified framework for designing holistic experiences that connected physical, service, and digital moments throughout the customer journey. The organization sought a scalable approach to innovation that would embed design thinking into how teams collaborate, solve problems, and deliver value—transforming not just what they build, but how they work.
Challenge
Teams across the enterprise lacked a shared language, consistent tools, and aligned processes for human-centered design. Design was often misunderstood as purely visual execution rather than a strategic capability. Cross-functional collaboration was limited, and there was no clear methodology for moving from customer insights to innovative solutions. Without an enterprise operating model, design work remained siloed and disconnected from broader business strategy. This raised a central question:
How might we establish a design-led culture and operating model that scales across the enterprise, connecting customer needs to business outcomes while building internal capability?
Outcome
In 2.5 years, this initiative influenced over 300 employees, generated $5M+ in project funding, and created five gold standard case studies that demonstrated design's strategic value. The work produced standardized tools now used across digital, customer experience, and corporate strategy teams—including enterprise journey maps, service blueprints, and a unified customer lifecycle framework.
The program secured executive sponsorship across multiple divisions, trained 50+ employees in design thinking methodologies, and certified three facilitator-level champions. Most significantly, it shifted how the organization approaches innovation: co-creation became standard practice, design thinking was integrated into the digital product development model, and customer-centered problem-solving became embedded in strategic planning.
Approach
The transformation followed a three-part strategy to build alignment and scale adoption:
Analyzed best-in-class models to benchmark ambition and define what enterprise design excellence could look like for the organization
Secured executive sponsorship to anchor leadership buy-in and ensure cross-functional commitment from the start
Defined a scalable framework and roadmap tailored to the company's structure, connecting humanity-centered principles with strategic business priorities
The operating model integrated both "how we work" and "what informs our solutions":
How we work: Enterprise process design, cross-org collaboration, agile culture, and shared design thinking practices and tools
What informs our solutions: Deep customer and employee research, humanity-centered mindsets, and continuous strategic alignment
To activate the framework, the program delivered:
Standardized journey mapping practices (travel ribbons, CX maps, service blueprints)
A five-phase CX lifecycle co-created with change management leadership
Gold standard case studies embedding design into high-visibility strategic initiatives
In-house training and workshops across corporate and frontline employee groups
A visual "menu of design" that mapped where design creates value across business functions
Strategic Levers
Enterprise Operating Model
Simple, well-defined steps with cross-organizational project teams ensured design vision and customer needs were protected—not sacrificed—during viability and feasibility prioritization.
Collaborative Culture
Ongoing participation from all levels created alignment with strategic vision while building trust and shared ownership across divisions.
Standardized Tools and Language
Common frameworks like journey maps, service blueprints, and design practice templates enabled teams to collaborate effectively regardless of initiative size or complexity.
Human-Centered Foundations
Projects were evaluated and approved based on unbiased understanding of customer and employee needs, moving insights from research into ideation and design phases.
Strategic Alignment at Every Phase
Opportunities uncovered in design workshops were continuously evaluated against enterprise strategic priorities and unsolved customer experience challenges.
Capability Building Through Practice
Rather than theory-only training, the program embedded design champions into real initiatives—building skills while delivering business value and creating proof points for broader adoption.