Design Hub
The SAP Design Hubs Program aims to unite and empower all SAP designers, providing us with support and opportunities for growth. The initiative started in Q1 of 2023 with Design Hubs in India, Sofia, and Brazil. In Q2 of the same year, I became one of the three leaders for the Berlin branch. Our local community comprises over 90 employees in design-related roles, with eclectic backgrounds and more than ten nationalities represented.
The problem
SAP has more than 1000 employees in design-related roles, including UI, UX, researchers, inclusion experts, and program managers. However, having such a large number of people across the globe does not mean we all feel like we belong to a community. The SAP Design Hubs program exists to address this need. To do so, we have a shared events calendar that makes sense for local communities while aligning with the SAP Design global strategy, bringing our designers together to orbit around shared values, ideas, and objectives.
The process
At the SAP Design Hubs, we believe that teamwork is essential for innovation. That's why we closely collaborate with other Hub leads, the Program Manager, and the SAP Chief Design Officer. However, we also have the freedom to develop distinctive rituals, practices, and cultures within our local communities.
In Berlin, our kickoff event was a highlight because it allowed us to conduct a workshop and gather insights and needs from the designers. We followed up with an online survey, which helped us create our OKRs and align our metrics with the SAP L1 UX Goals. Through this process, we have identified the most impactful activities and action items for 2024 and put topics such as Design for AI, Design Quality, UX Mindset, Product Usability, and End-to-End Experiences on our radar.
The solution
As a tribute to the power of diversity, I collaborated with two other talented Visual Designers from our Berlin community to propose a new branding for the UX Immersive 2024: a global event organized by SAP, focused on fostering awareness about design among colleagues with various roles.
In parallel, we, the Design Hub Berlin leaders, have been engaged in several activities to bond and spread knowledge over the past months. For instance, we recently initiated Soft Skills and Creativity workstreams to support our designers' career paths. We also proposed a monthly Designers' Lunch in our office canteen and Coffee Corners to encourage regular and personal interaction with them.
Besides that, we also collaborated closely with the Design Hub Sofia on the Open Minds virtual sessions. With the support of Labs Berlin, we sponsored a Berlin Product Design Meetup at our office and will provide an SAP speaker for one of their following events. All of that in less than one year of existence.
The outcome
Our proposal for the UX Immersive 2024 Branding Competition was awarded first place among twelve distinct projects submitted. Our Chief Design Officer, Arin Bhowmick, expressed publicly and privately his admiration for the quality and thoughtfulness of our work. However, the most significant benefit of our creative efforts is the opportunity to showcase our design vision to a broader audience.
Besides this achievement, we have observed a rise in attendance at our Design Hub Berlin lunches, coffee corners, and external events. These regular engagements and fun interactions are helping us tailor our scope, increase our reputation, and give visibility to our designers across different SAP and external communities worldwide.
Although it is just the beginning of my journey with the Design Hub, I have learned that 1) vulnerability and humor are powerful tools to build strong connections, 2) being assertive and setting clear boundaries is possible even with a pull-influencing style, and 3) co-leading a project might trigger conflicts, but the timely communication of expectations and intentions can help avoid misunderstandings.
MAIN TEAM
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Chief Design Officer: Arin Bhowmick
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Desinh Hubs Project Manager: Carolina Marquis
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Desing Hub Berlin Leads: Nanda Sa Dias, Rebeca Guedes, and Zahra Hajialibeigi
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UX Immersive Branding Team: Lina Gonzalez, Luiza Berté, and Rebeca Guedes