Dragonfish is an award-winning culture and performance consultancy based in the UK. They help organizations develop and strengthen their cultures while measuring cultural performance to achieve sustainable growth.

Niall Cluley, Managing Director of Dragonfish, reached out to our JBUXD team to create tools and strategies to help organizations integrate a strong culture, vision, and values with customer and employee experiences. Their goal is to assist organizations in preparing, implementing, and experiencing the benefits of successful cultural integration. Dragonfish focuses on making work more meaningful by supporting genuine behavioral changes and maximizing the potential of individuals within organizations.

Niall Cluley and the Dragonfish team have several objectives they aim to achieve through the Dragonfish platform, including:

• Better Culture Management
  They want to help organizations better manage and understand their cultures, making culture a strong competitive advantage.
• Successful Culture Integration
  Their goal is to assist organizations in integrating a strong culture with their vision, goals, and values, ensuring alignment between organizational culture and business objectives.
• Sustainable Growth
  Dragonfish aims to facilitate sustainable growth for the organizations they serve. With a strong culture, organizations can achieve long-term sustainable performance.
• Meaningful Work
  They strive to make work more meaningful for individuals within organizations, which can increase employee satisfaction and motivation.
• Behavior Change Support
  Dragonfish wants to support genuine behavior change within organizations, helping individuals truly embody desired values and culture.
• Maximizing Individual Potential
  Their objective is also to maximize the full potential of individuals within organizations. With a culture that supports development, employees can reach their highest performance levels.
• Alignment of Experiences
  They aim to align customer and employee experiences, helping organizations deliver consistent and satisfying experiences to all stakeholders.

By achieving these goals, Dragonfish aims to provide added value to the organizations they serve and help them attain long-term success.

In the Dragonfish project, my team and I at JBUXD chose a User-Centered Design (UCD) approach and applied the Design Sprint process to achieve Dragonfish’s goals within a short timeframe. By implementing UCD, I prioritized a deep understanding of user needs, ensuring that the resulting solutions aligned with Dragonfish’s goal of helping organizations better manage their culture.

Active user engagement throughout the development process was a key step in maximizing individual potential within organizations, a primary goal that Dragonfish aims to achieve.

Furthermore, by applying the Design Sprint process, my JBUXD team and I were able to rapidly produce prototypes and ensure that the solutions I designed aligned with Dragonfish’s vision for improving cultural performance and achieving sustainable growth. This process allowed us to focus on features that provided the best user experience, thus supporting Dragonfish’s goal of creating meaning in work and aligning the experiences of employees and customers

I had the opportunity to participate in a workshop session featuring the Dragonfish team, where I deeply listened to the project presentation by Niall Cluley, Managing Director of Dragonfish.

In this workshop, Niall Cluley conveyed that the Dragonfish project was born out of their profound understanding of the importance of culture in every aspect of work. They saw their own organizational culture as a unique opportunity to apply evolving insights, understanding, and methodologies to other organizations.

Some of the problems that can be seen as opportunities for Dragonfish include:

• Culture Management Challenges
  The majority of organizations face challenges in effectively managing workplace culture. Culture is often not well-managed, resulting in misalignment with the company’s vision and objectives.
• Difficulty Integrating Core Values
  There is difficulty in integrating the organization’s core values into day-to-day actions. This leads to ambiguity and gaps between the highly held values and actual practices.
• Negative Impact on Performance
  Ineffective culture management has the potential to negatively impact organizational performance. Misalignment between culture and the company’s vision can hinder the achievement of long-term goals.
• Need for the Right Solution
  Organizations need solutions to help them address cultural challenges. These solutions are expected to bring about a more directed culture, improved performance, and alignment of culture with the company’s vision and objectives.

Dragonfish’s target audience consists of senior professionals and those in change management roles within large organizations. They are individuals with significant responsibilities in managing organizational culture and designing change strategies. Specifically, Dragonfish’s target audience includes:

1. Senior Leaders
   Including CEOs and top-level executives, they need to understand how culture supports the company’s vision and objectives.
2. Change Management Professionals
   Change professionals who design and implement changes within organizations need the right tools and strategies.
3. HR Professionals
   HR professionals who influence culture and employee experiences need to understand the relationship between culture and employee performance.
4. Organizational Decision-Makers
   Individuals involved in strategic decisions that affect culture need relevant information.
5. Large Organizations
   Dragonfish targets large organizations with complex cultures that need effective management for sustainable growth.

Dragonfish’s expectations for the next two years are to generate 30% of their revenue through recurring product-based income. To achieve this goal, they have a plan that involves rapid innovation, quick assumption testing with real customers, delivering high-quality products at the Minimum Viable Product (MVP) stage, and ensuring that these products also enhance their consulting brand. In other words, they strive to create products that not only generate recurring revenue but also enhance their consultant’s image and reputation in the market.

The primary issue that Dragonfish aims to address is the inability of organizations to effectively manage their culture. The negative impacts of this cultural problem on organizations include:

1. Misalignment with Vision and Objectives
   Poorly managed culture can lead to a misalignment of employee behaviors and decisions with the company’s vision and objectives.
2. Lack of Effective Leadership
   Unclear or poorly managed culture can hinder the development of effective leadership within the organization.
3. Impact on Employee Performance
   A culture that does not support and motivate employees can result in decreased performance and productivity in the workplace.
4. Low Employee Satisfaction and Retention Rates
   Inadequate culture can affect employee satisfaction and retention rates, which, in turn, affect organizational stability.
5. High Levels of Conflict
   Imbalanced or misaligned culture can create conflicts among team members or departments, inhibiting collaboration and innovation.

Through this project, Dragonfish aims to help organizations address these cultural issues and create a culture that supports their vision, values, and improved performance.

Niall Cluley Sees Golden Opportunities in Addressing Organizational Culture Issues. From the cultural barriers frequently encountered by organizations, opportunities arise to drive cultural innovation, enhance overall organizational performance, revamp business strategies, and provide cultural consultancy services increasingly sought after by successful organizations. Through Dragonfish, Niall Cluley aims to embrace these opportunities and guide organizations toward stronger and more successful cultures.

To tackle the highly complex issues mentioned above, I have framed ‘how might we’ questions to stimulate ideation, as follows:

• How might we encourage and facilitate innovation within organizational culture to create an environment that supports new ideas and creativity?
• How might we improve and expand cultural consultancy to make it more accessible and effective in guiding organizations in managing culture effectively?
• How might we use organizational culture as a catalyst to enhance productivity, employee retention, and customer satisfaction effectively?
• How might we ensure that organizational culture consistently supports and integrates with the necessary business strategies to achieve long-term goals?

Through the ‘How Might We’ approach, I can develop ideas and strategies to address the cultural challenges organizations face and guide them toward more effective cultures aligned with their visions.

To establish Dragonfish in line with its core values, I ensure that every action and communication of the company aligns with these values. In every step I take, I focus on creating a positive impact, continuous learning, and daring to try new things for mutual growth. Consistent branding messages convey Dragonfish’s vision and purpose, reinforcing its reputation as a reliable cultural consultancy. Through this approach, I aim to influence the audience by demonstrating that Dragonfish lives and practices the values it espouses

I have successfully explored solutions that I believe are perfect for implementation in this project based on a user-centered approach. The solutions include:

• Home Page & Value Proposition
  Designing an attractive home page with content that explains the app’s value to entice users to take further action. The goal is to engage users to explore the app further.
• Packages & Pricing
  Offering paid packages with a $0 price tag to provide value to users. The aim is to offer value to initial users while reducing uncertainty about pricing.
• User Guide (Stepper)
  Using a stepper to help users understand the onboarding process and the time required. The objective is to ensure users feel comfortable and secure in continuing their onboarding journey.
• Goal Setting (“Find Out Why”)
  Adding a “Find Out Why” element to help users better understand the app’s goals. The goal is to provide users with a better understanding of what they can achieve with the app.
• Setup Questions
  Providing questions that reinforce user commitment to the onboarding process. The purpose is to ensure that users are actively engaged in the learning process.
• Dashboard & Reporting
  Providing informative dashboards and reporting, as well as an opportunity to understand industry benchmarks. The aim is to provide in-depth insights into organizational culture performance.
• Performance Checklists
  Providing checklists that help users connect actions with cultural improvements. The goal is to assist users in taking concrete steps to enhance their culture.
• Floating Action Buttons
  Adding floating action buttons to encourage users to take more actions based on the insights they receive. The objective is to motivate users to take further steps based on cultural insights.
• Product Value Validation
  Testing the free version to ensure users see sufficient value in the product. The goal is to motivate users to invest further in the product.
• Differentiated User Experience
  Creating a user experience that is simple, detailed, and user-friendly to differentiate the product from competitors. The aim is to offer a better experience to users.
• High-Value End Report
  Creating an end report that provides high value, motivating users to try and implement internal changes. The goal is to provide an effective tool for taking cultural insights-based actions.

With these solutions, Dragonfish Consulting aims to provide users with a useful, user-friendly, and high-value tool for managing and improving organizational culture.

In order to find the best-sketched concept with the best user experience, I, along with Jackson and Clara, conducted the ‘crazy 8’ method and voted on the best concept sketches.

In designing these solutions, there are several concepts that I would like to highlight, as they have great potential to assist organizations in managing their culture. The reasons behind my selection of these solutions are as follows:

• Home Page & Value Proposition: With a clear home page and a strong value proposition, the hope is that users will quickly understand the benefits offered by Dragonfish and be motivated to explore further.
• Packages & Pricing: With flexible package options and pricing, this solution is expected to meet various organizational needs. Users will have more control in choosing a solution that fits their budget and goals.
• User Guide (Stepper): With step-by-step guidance, I hope users will feel more confident in using this platform without confusion and also get a concise, hassle-free impression.
• Setup Goal for Employees and Leaders: This solution is expected to help organizations formulate clearer and measurable cultural goals. It will enable organizations to measure their progress in achieving their cultural goals.
• Setup Questions: With the ability to prepare questions, users will have more control over their culture assessment process. They can adapt questions to suit their organizational context.
• Dashboard & Reporting: Hopefully, dashboards and reports will provide users with valuable insights into their organizational culture. They will be able to quickly identify areas that need more attention and plan appropriate actions. With this solution as well, I believe it can add value to Dragonfish as a cultural management consultant in recommending effective solutions for their clients based on their unique conditions.
• Performance Checklist: With this tool, users will have a useful tool to turn insights into concrete actions. They can plan the necessary steps to improve organizational culture.
• Floating Action Buttons: The hope is that this action button will motivate users to take immediate action based on the insights they have gained. This can help organizations be more proactive in improving their culture.

With the above solutions, I hope Dragonfish can provide useful tools for organizations to better manage and understand their culture so that they can achieve sustainable growth and better performance. In doing so, the brand and purpose of the Dragonfish team can also align with the expected outcomes.

I conducted testing with 10 real users who matched Dragonfish’s target user profile. Using a qualitative survey with scenarios based on the testing objectives, I obtained the following summary highlights of the results:

1. Initial Orientation:
   Users found the orientation very helpful in understanding the process.
   Users felt comfortable and secure using the onboarding stepper.
2. Culture Questionnaire:
   The process of creating culture questions was considered beneficial, easy, and enjoyable.
   There was some confusion when reading the first two questions in the ‘Job Satisfaction’ section.
   Recommendations were made to better align questions with the primary persona.
3. Dashboard:
   Users wanted a better understanding of the ‘Benchmark’ and how it works.
   The search feature based on ‘Industry Benchmark’ received positive feedback.
   Users gained independent understanding after interacting with the dashboard.
4. Performance Checklist:
   Users saw value in the checklist for connecting actions with culture improvements.
   There was a suggestion to better align actions with insight categories.
5. Floating Action Button:
   The floating action button received positive responses from users.
6. Goal Setting:
   Users understood the importance of goals well.
   There was a suggestion to add an ‘Info’ icon for each goal.
7. Final Report:
   Users found the final report highly valuable and wanted to try implementing changes based on the results.
8. Subscription Testing:
   All users rated the user experience and application simplicity highly.
9. Distinguishing from Competitors:
   Simplicity and setup speed were considered significant advantages.
10. Packages and Pricing:
    Early users had initial doubts about the $0 package but understood the value after interacting with the application.
    Interest in the subscription model existed, but users wanted more details.
11. Benchmark Resources:
    Users saw potential in expanding benchmark resources.
    Some concerns were raised about the relevance of industry comparisons compared to time and location.

Overall, testing showed that users felt engaged with the application and saw value in the orientation and final report.

Simplicity and speed of setup have become significant added values, along with interest in the subscription model. However, there are some recommendations, including adjusting questions, providing further explanation about the benchmark, and improving how we communicate the differences with competitors. Here are some highlighted recommendations for further development to provide MVP version 2 recommendations to Niall Cluley, taking into account the effort and value of these solutions, using the HMW questions below:

• How might we make the results easy to read for maximim impact?
• How might we ensure that the performance checklist does not feel generic and adds value in relation to the insight and goals?
• How do we position this to make sure that people don’t just do it as a one-off ‘thing’ and that people come back and measure progress?

I’ve implemented several solutions, and I’d like to highlight three solutions to address the above HMW questions:

• Solution for the First Question (“How might we make the results easy to read for maximum impact?”): To make the results easier to read and have a maximum impact, we can develop interactive data visualization features. This includes graphs, diagrams, and icons that clearly explain the results. Users can quickly explore the data and understand trends and areas that need improvement without difficulty. Engaging visualizations will provide a more captivating and informative experience.
• Solution for the Second Question (“How might we ensure that the performance checklist does not feel generic and adds value in relation to the insight and goals?”): To ensure that the performance checklist does not feel generic and adds value related to insights and goals, we can personalize the checklist based on the obtained results and the user’s specific goals. This can be done by allowing users to prioritize and customize actions to be taken based on their culture results. This feature will make the checklist a more relevant and useful tool.
• Solution for the Third Question (“How do we position this to make sure that people don’t just do it as a one-off ‘thing’ and that people come back and measure progress?”): To ensure that users don’t use this tool just once and return to measure progress, we can integrate progress tracking and reminders. Users can set targets and deadlines for the actions they take, and the tool will remind them periodically. Additionally, we can consider providing regular reports showing progress over time. This will encourage users to engage continuously and keep measuring the impact of their cultural changes.

By integrating these recommendations into further development, Dragonfish can enhance the user experience, product relevance, and provide more effective solutions for organizations in managing their culture.

After my team and JBUXD delivered the improved MVP design following the initial testing to Niall Cluley, some time later (a few months), we received exciting news that Dragonfish had successfully received various awards, including:

1. The Winner Business Culture Awards 2021 in Nomination of Consultancy of the Year
2. High Commended Business Culture Awards 2021 in Nomination of Tranformation
3. Finalist of Engange Awards
4. Gold Award of UK Employee Experiences Awards’19
5. Bronze Award of UK Employee Experiences Awards’19

With the MVP design we provided, Dragonfish also achieved its KPIs. Two years later, in 2023, Dragonfish managed to achieve a 34% increase in revenue.

I am delighted to see that the solution we provided to Dragonfish has had a significantly positive impact on them and has added to my success story in delivering user-centered innovative solutions.