Workstream development

Company: NatWest: Commercial Banking

Work stream: Service Design

Skills: Delivery process development, Subject Matter Expertise (SME) guidance, work stream growth

Introduction

I played a key role in the introduction and expansion of a Service Design approach within NatWest’s Commercial & Institute Digital Design team. The aim was to embed user-centric thinking across the customer lifecycle, build new capabilities, and establish Service Design as a strategic workstream.

Aim

In 2021, helped trial the introduction of a Service Design approach to product and service development. The objective was to capture end-to-end customer journeys and the direct voice of users and, if successful, establish a mechanism to embed this capability within the team and scale it across the 2022 roadmap.

Approach

In 2021, I trialled the Service Design approach on select projects, capturing end-to-end customer journeys and the direct voice of users to inform product and service development. Following successful delivery and stakeholder exposure, the approach was scaled into a major workstream across multiple scrum teams.

As Lead Product Designer, I provided SME guidance, training, and strategic support to embed Service Design within business case screening, roadmap planning and delivery. I also helped develop team skills, introduced new processes, and ensured projects considered feasibility, financial impact, and organisational constraints.

The approach leverages Agile methodologies, enabling iterative prototyping, co-creation, and validation. Typical outputs include journey mapping, research insights, concept development, and business case recommendations.

Outcome

The approach was successfully delivered and well-received. Service Design is now an established capability, reducing development risk and driving user-centred outcomes. We have a dedicated team of five Service Designers working closely with product designers, researchers, and UX writers, producing outputs such as journey mapping, research insights, prototypes, and validated business cases.