KPMG Beyond
Beyond's Success Story: Millions in Revenue, 3500+ Clients Onboarded and the Implementation of a New Design System Globally
Brand identity • Research • UX & prototyping • UI component library • Design System
Beyond! Where leaders belong
Beyond aims to help businesses develop bold ideas and turn them into action, empowering them to push the boundaries of what's possible. The platform provides immediate access to collaborative connections with peers and KPMG Private Entreprise advisors.
The challenge
By conducting a discovery process from a client perspective, we uncovered three essential pillars that form the foundation of our solution: curated content, peer communities, and self-assessments/benchmarking. These pillars became the main keys to enhancing client engagement with the Beyond platform.
Based on the initial research, Beyond needed to stand out from typical marketing platforms. The aim was for a passive strategy where the product naturally attracts clients to KPMG Private Enterprise for business support. As lead designer in the team, implementing this approach was crucial and so the user experience that as a team we continue to curate was not limited to the functional build of the product, it extends to the operational (content templating, video production, event experience) and the integration (a seamless experience with the growing digital ecosystem).
The approach
Beyond was delivered using a design-led dual-track scrum methodology. An initial team of strategists, designers, analysts, engineers, and QAs collaborated to create a minimum viable product (MVP). The MVP validated our assumptions and proved the concept, leading to significant reinvestment in the business case. This investment supported a multi-squad team in regularly delivering new features, enhancements, and integrations, adding value to the growing user base. In my role, I maintained a community of non-KPMG clients who provided continuous feedback, allowing me to pivot and prioritise effectively, which is essential to a design-led, agile, and user-centered approach.
1. Analysis & Research
For the analysis and research we employed a multi-faceted approach, including user interviews, competitors, market needs, goals, benefits and success metrics. It sought to understand the needs, behaviours, and preferences of both existing and potential clients within the target market.
2. Concept & Design
The ideation and design work for KPMG Beyond platform involved a collaborative and iterative process to define brand principles, user flow, wireframes, UI moodboard, high-fidelity screen and interactive prototypes.
Our approach was to assign each feature a dedicated user flow, followed by wireframes, then the creation of high-fidelity design screens and, when needed, test the flows supported by interactive prototypes.
Before moving into the high-fidelity design screens, we conducted a competitors analysis to understand the existing landscape of similar platforms. It became evident that creating a distinctive and unique user experience for KPMG Beyond was one of the key to stand out in the market.
Delivery
Prior the delivering and handoff of the high fidelity screens, we created a comprehensive and structured set of guidelines, components, and assets that are used to create consistent, cohesive, and visually appealing user experiences across the platform. It serves as a central reference point for design and development teams within the firm and external, ensuring that all Beyond related digital products and interfaces maintain a unified and coherent look and feel.
The outcome
The designs we assembled informed a brand identity adopted on a global scale to advance KPMG Private Enterprise. Beyond is now being positioned as the centre of a new digital ecosystem of KPMG Products and Services, all of which have adopted our design approach. Employing human-centred design techniques to pursue innovative solutions to the business problem has resulted in a flagship high-quality, high-value product for client.
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