Ford Learning
Design a new global Design Thinking organization inside of Ford.
The Solution
Design a framework, and subsequent full learning curriculum platform, for the Design Thinking process that would successfully work for Ford’s global culture.
The Process
Take a deep dive into Ford’s global culture to understand all that has come before us, and understand the current state of framework/consultant paralyses. Working with our executive stakeholders and with the blessing of Jim Hackett, the team tirelessly iterated on and tested many versions of a framework that worked.
Client
Ford
Industry
Automotive
Team
Creative Direction & Design Strategy / Anthony Stimola
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Project Lead & Design Strategy / George Joseph
Content & Comms Strategy / Leesa Gallaher
Org Design / Mackenzie Strong Luong
Relationship Guide / Deborah de Vries
Videographers / Nico Zurcher & Stian Rasmussen
Animator / Claudio Fresneda
Building a learning system framework.
Providing a path forward that made sense for the culture.
The team worked rigorously with stakeholders inside Ford to build a framework for Design Thinking that would work within the global culture of Ford. After a month of testing ideas, and iterating from each round of learnings, the team had become very familiar with the culture of Ford. Successfully building a model that tied into existing frameworks.
Building a Brand Strategy
Brand is more than just good looks. It’s the coherence between how we think, act, and behave over time.
The team built upon Ford’s corporate brand guidelines to communicate the Design Thinking change narrative in a way that feels familiar, yet distinct enough to stand apart.
The Design Principles
1. Grounded in the Past
2. Distinct to Signal Change
3. Bold & Practical
4. Hero Learning Element
Verbal Identity
Simple Swagger
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Be Practical, Not Pedestrian. We ground our writing in everyday experience & explain complex concepts with actionable, engaging language.
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Be Confident, Not Arrogant. Confidence begets confidence—so we speak with authority and a ‘we got this’ attitude.
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Be Evocative, Not Provocative.
We’re starting a movement. That means we command action with bold, inciting statements.
Telling stories of Ford innovation.
Anchoring the new, in the old. Using the history of what Ford does best to inspire.
Ford is an iconic brand. They have time and again pushed the boundaries of the automotive industry, and they did it at their own pace.
We wanted to tell the stories of innovation across Ford that have been happening in small pockets. By surfacing these stories we were able to show that the framework, and the tools we were building for Ford was nothing new.
These videos became anchors, they became an integral part of the greater organization welcoming this new way of working.
From the streets of Shanghai and Nanjing, to Ford’s home town of Detroit.
The team documented stories across the organization to inspire a work force with a rich history. Stories that, more importantly, inspire an organizational movement.
Building a learning portal.
Providing a space to learn and evolve.
The Design Thinking portal was build out to be a one-stop shop of all the resources for the Design Thinking Learning System.
The content architecture is intended to guide the user through a hierarchy of information: from the key high-level points, to the deep dive. Allowing users to easily access the information, and the resources they need.
