Overview
As we focus the core security design team for the near and long-term planning we want to align our: strategy, ideals and goals to IBM Security division as well as the larger IBM design community.
These items are codified in our SWOT analysis, design manifesto and our goals; which primarily focus on the brand personality, a common UI framework and general education.
Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT)
Strengths
IBM’s two greatest strengths are the positive brand positioning that we maintain across the globe and, more specifically, the ability of IBM Security to cover the entire spectrum of needs for companies of any size.
The Security design team’s strengths include a deep domain expertise, exceptional design capabilities and an innate ability to reduce complex problems into simple discreet tasks.
Weaknesses
Regardless of IBM’s high brand recognition and diverse offerings in the Security market, the public is simply not aware of our products. If they have any awareness it usually revolves around our legacy in personal computers and is not relevant to our current business offerings.
Despite the design team’s understanding of the industry, there is still an significant amount of learning needed to be able to provide design solutions that work within the constraints of the archetypes and their workflows.
Opportunities
Since IBM continues to be one of the most respected global brands, we are afforded a certain level of permission to be a part of the discussion about security from enterprise-wide clients to subject matter experts.
The Security design team is part of the larger IBM Design community, and we have the ability to effect change within the company from the highest levels. As a larger corporate initiative, our team can expand on the mission to create solutions and learning opportunities that solve business problems, build brand equity and elevate the quality of our products in the marketplace at scale.
Threats
Competitors in the marketplace have more established recognition in the space and have built customer loyalty through their services.
The single biggest threat that the Security design team faces as we move forward with our charter is the collaboration with our dedicated partners. There is still a bias against design thinking across pockets of the company and an understanding of the value of design as a business practice that we need to overcome.
Our Manifesto
We believe…
- in our customers.
- intelligently designed experiences can solve the most complex problems.
- in the power of collaboration to build better products.
- in, ideas but, people more.
We want to…
- break barriers and build bridges.
- develop solutions, where others only see problems.
- create new ways of thinking about design’s importance in business today.
- challenge the status quo not to be contrary, but to be evolutionary.
- think big, fail fast, learn and move on.
We know…
- simple doesn’t mean easy.
- an opposing viewpoint is a chance to iterate.
- the strongest ideas can come from unexpected places.
- ideas are cheap, execution is paramount. no one ever built a statue to a critic.
- GA is only the beginning.
- that we love our customers.
Short-Term Goals
Staffing
Continue to enhance the design team’s design capabilities and understanding of the security domain.
Work with the embedded designers (Trusteer, AppScan, X-Force, QRadar, etc.) on a regular basis to more closely align their efforts to the core team and elevate their skills and output to the level required by IBM Design.
Update the welcome kit (overview for new security team members) to include broad thinking of the security division as well as tactical elements that help new partners get productive quicker.
Core Personality
Unify the broad presentation of IBM Security from internal communications (i.e. Power Point/Keynote, guides, etc.) to product implementation(s) and begin influencing the customers’ perception of the brand through alignment of common UI framework, design patterns and editorial tone via:
User Research
Persona Development
Brand Guidelines
Style Guides & Documentation
UI Framework
Ambassador Program
Projects
Guide associated Hallmark projects through their development process with the Security core team.
Work with the legacy products that require assistance in a manner that supports our goal of elevating the quality of their offerings to the level of IBM Design. Ensure they are gaining the appropriate level of support through sprints, design consultations and direct interaction with the core design team.
Become an integral access point for our partners and team members to align our projects across the Security division.
Long-Term Goals
Staffing
Increase the core team that can manage the personality, Hallmark projects and ancillary work. Also allow for the fluctuations of workflows across those projects and be able to better manage the exceptional requests that come into the studio.
Core Personality
Expand internal branding efforts and work with the marketing and plm teams to integrate appropriate elements into the customer-facing brand. Integrate the successful internal branding elements into external components to align our brand’s inward and outward presentation. Creating one security brand for both internal and external communication.
Projects
Work with Security leadership for long-term visioning projects that support business goals of the division.
Integrate new acquisitions into our established design processes to insure there is a path for new products to align with core Security design.
Increase the number of Hallmark projects we can support to three at any given time.
3-Year Plan
Year 1 – Foundation
- Appraise existing projects to determine standard user interface (UI) components
- Codify design standards in an extensible, consumable format for our teams and partners
- Normalize design standards across embedded design teams
- Work across Marketing, PLM and Development teams to evangelize the benefits of design in product design.
Year 2 – Fortify Vision
- Work with Security leadership to expand the reach and influence of design in our product process
- Expand core design to include dedicated motion designers and writers into the pool of required skills for Security Design
- Develop “ambassador” program to educate about core Security Design thinking
- Begin to support Marketing on customer-facing brand projects
Year 3 – Scale
- Refined career path for all disciplines within Security design
- Ensure all Security projects have access to design resources to support their product needs.
- Release common framework to the community to illustrate our design leadership in the Security industry
Overview
As we focus the core security design team for the near and long-term planning we want to align our: strategy, ideals and goals to IBM Security division as well as the larger IBM design community.
These items are codified in our SWOT analysis, design manifesto and our goals; which primarily focus on the brand personality, a common UI framework and general education.
Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT)
Strengths
IBM’s two greatest strengths are the positive brand positioning that we maintain across the globe and, more specifically, the ability of IBM Security to cover the entire spectrum of needs for companies of any size.
The Security design team’s strengths include a deep domain expertise, exceptional design capabilities and an innate ability to reduce complex problems into simple discreet tasks.
Weaknesses
Regardless of IBM’s high brand recognition and diverse offerings in the Security market, the public is simply not aware of our products. If they have any awareness it usually revolves around our legacy in personal computers and is not relevant to our current business offerings.
Despite the design team’s understanding of the industry, there is still an significant amount of learning needed to be able to provide design solutions that work within the constraints of the archetypes and their workflows.
Opportunities
Since IBM continues to be one of the most respected global brands, we are afforded a certain level of permission to be a part of the discussion about security from enterprise-wide clients to subject matter experts.
The Security design team is part of the larger IBM Design community, and we have the ability to effect change within the company from the highest levels. As a larger corporate initiative, our team can expand on the mission to create solutions and learning opportunities that solve business problems, build brand equity and elevate the quality of our products in the marketplace at scale.
Threats
Competitors in the marketplace have more established recognition in the space and have built customer loyalty through their services.
The single biggest threat that the Security design team faces as we move forward with our charter is the collaboration with our dedicated partners. There is still a bias against design thinking across pockets of the company and an understanding of the value of design as a business practice that we need to overcome.
Our Manifesto
We believe…
- in our customers.
- intelligently designed experiences can solve the most complex problems.
- in the power of collaboration to build better products.
- in, ideas but, people more.
We want to…
- break barriers and build bridges.
- develop solutions, where others only see problems.
- create new ways of thinking about design’s importance in business today.
- challenge the status quo not to be contrary, but to be evolutionary.
- think big, fail fast, learn and move on.
We know…
- simple doesn’t mean easy.
- an opposing viewpoint is a chance to iterate.
- the strongest ideas can come from unexpected places.
- ideas are cheap, execution is paramount. no one ever built a statue to a critic.
- GA is only the beginning.
- that we love our customers.
Short-Term Goals
Staffing
Continue to enhance the design team’s design capabilities and understanding of the security domain.
Work with the embedded designers (Trusteer, AppScan, X-Force, QRadar, etc.) on a regular basis to more closely align their efforts to the core team and elevate their skills and output to the level required by IBM Design.
Update the welcome kit (overview for new security team members) to include broad thinking of the security division as well as tactical elements that help new partners get productive quicker.
Core Personality
Unify the broad presentation of IBM Security from internal communications (i.e. Power Point/Keynote, guides, etc.) to product implementation(s) and begin influencing the customers’ perception of the brand through alignment of common UI framework, design patterns and editorial tone via:
User Research
Persona Development
Brand Guidelines
Style Guides & Documentation
UI Framework
Ambassador Program
Projects
Guide associated Hallmark projects through their development process with the Security core team.
Work with the legacy products that require assistance in a manner that supports our goal of elevating the quality of their offerings to the level of IBM Design. Ensure they are gaining the appropriate level of support through sprints, design consultations and direct interaction with the core design team.
Become an integral access point for our partners and team members to align our projects across the Security division.
Long-Term Goals
Staffing
Increase the core team that can manage the personality, Hallmark projects and ancillary work. Also allow for the fluctuations of workflows across those projects and be able to better manage the exceptional requests that come into the studio.
Core Personality
Expand internal branding efforts and work with the marketing and plm teams to integrate appropriate elements into the customer-facing brand. Integrate the successful internal branding elements into external components to align our brand’s inward and outward presentation. Creating one security brand for both internal and external communication.
Projects
Work with Security leadership for long-term visioning projects that support business goals of the division.
Integrate new acquisitions into our established design processes to insure there is a path for new products to align with core Security design.
Increase the number of Hallmark projects we can support to three at any given time.
3-Year Plan
Year 1 – Foundation
- Appraise existing projects to determine standard user interface (UI) components
- Codify design standards in an extensible, consumable format for our teams and partners
- Normalize design standards across embedded design teams
- Work across Marketing, PLM and Development teams to evangelize the benefits of design in product design.
Year 2 – Fortify Vision
- Work with Security leadership to expand the reach and influence of design in our product process
- Expand core design to include dedicated motion designers and writers into the pool of required skills for Security Design
- Develop “ambassador” program to educate about core Security Design thinking
- Begin to support Marketing on customer-facing brand projects
Year 3 – Scale
- Refined career path for all disciplines within Security design
- Ensure all Security projects have access to design resources to support their product needs.
- Release common framework to the community to illustrate our design leadership in the Security industry