Getting a global wholesale giant off to a good start with a user-centered approach

METRO AG had set itself a nearly insurmountable task: achieving digital readiness and agile transformation for a 50-year-old, globally operating wholesale group with tens of thousands of employees. Paper-based processes were to be replaced by digital ones. The starting point: complex IT landscapes and legacy systems, ad-hoc solutions, and uncontrolled growth. Added to this was the requirement to centralize IT, but without pressure from above. Instead of standardized rollouts, the solutions were to be implemented by the individual countries themselves. Accordingly, they had to be attractive and user-friendly.

The be-all and end-all for METRO Systems was consistent and goal-oriented user guidance and a pleasant user experience. No small feat with over 700 developers, some of whom were external.

The METRO user experience must be enjoyable; it must be seamless, simple, and personalized, and it must inspire through good design and UI/UX. Or as UX professionals say: All touchpoints offer a pleasant and consistent user experience, through high-quality interfaces and a clear focus on user needs rather than business requirements.

In the initial project, we were able to prove that we don’t just throw around buzzwords: we roll up our sleeves and show what we can do. Building on our operational strengths, we were brought into strategic initiatives and soon took on a supporting, cross-functional UX role that balanced delivery and discovery.

We advised teams on all aspects of user-centered development and collaboratively implemented user interfaces for both customers and employees. These included a digital map, a master data management system for employees, and a self-service system for major clients.

Starting with an initially static digital style guide, we worked with the slowly growing design and UX community to set up the first collaboratively developed design systems and established the company’s first true React pattern library using Storybook. At the same time, we helped solidify UX thinking within the company and drive the agile cultural transformation forward. We led collaborative workshops with various teams, resolved cross-functional challenges, and were among the initiators of a UX guild, which eventually evolved into a dedicated internal UX team.

One of the strengths of our collaboration was that we were on board, on-site, right from the start of the digital transformation initiative. From the very first project, every UX&I team member acted as if we were METRO Systems employees ourselves, with all that entails. We supported internal trade shows, introduced guerrilla testing, and helped the company think outside the box. We asked tough questions and never settled for the status quo when a better solution was available. This fostered a close and trusting relationship that gave our work real momentum.