Transforming Enterprise Application Rationalizations: A Design Thinking Approach to Customer-Centric Innovation

This article explores the capacity of design thinking (DT) to transform corporate application rationalization in multinational companies. This article is broadly targeted at IT stakeholders, from expert levels to chief technology officers (CTOs) in large multinational companies with a mandate to make complex application portfolios easier. This case study was conducted at one of the world’s largest tobacco companies, with around 2,600 applications running across the world to cater to its 180 markets. In the context of thousands of applications in the IT landscape, simplifying the portfolio aids in maximizing efficiency and facilitating digital transformation objectives. We outline a user-focused application evaluation process that decommission, consolidation via design thinking via empathy, ideation, and prototyping. The study employs the UX Honeycomb model to quantify usability and user satisfaction within applications and proceeds to employ A/B testing to confirm its validity. The study reveals that the incorporation of end-user feedback within the rationalization process significantly raises adoption levels and aligns the IT environment with business objectives. The research establishes that a customer-centric approach is required in a bid to achieve long-term innovation and operational success.