Transforming CommBank iQ service delivery through blueprinting

Expanding design impact beyond products

While working on various product challenges in our banking and data organisation, I recognised an opportunity to enhance customer experience by examining how our entire service delivery system worked. As the sole designer, I sought to create a holistic view of how customers experienced our services across multiple touchpoints and teams.

Creating visibility through service blueprinting

To understand our service delivery landscape, I conducted a comprehensive service blueprinting project that mapped workflows across different teams and departments. I interviewed team members from various areas and facilitated collaborative sessions to document both customer-facing interactions and behind-the-scenes operations.

The service blueprint created visibility into the entire customer journey, revealing how staff activities supported each interaction, where system dependencies created friction, and how communication flowed between departments. Most importantly, it highlighted pain points affecting both customers and staff that hadn't been visible when looking at individual processes in isolation. This cross-departmental view gave everyone a shared understanding of how different teams contributed to the overall customer experience, breaking down silos that had previously limited visibility.

Uncovering systemic opportunities for improvement

The blueprinting work revealed several key insights that wouldn't have been visible through product-focused approaches alone:

• Siloed reporting systems: Teams were operating with disconnected information sources, making it difficult to gain a complete picture of customer interactions
• Duplication of effort: Workflow mapping highlighted unnecessary duplication across teams, with many people performing similar tasks in isolation
• Parent company tool limitations: Our parent company's tools weren't optimally configured for our specific needs, creating less efficient workflows
• Customer experience gaps: Handoffs between teams created potential gaps in the customer experience that affected consistency and transparency

Instead of treating these as isolated issues, the blueprint helped everyone see them as interconnected parts of a larger system that could be improved holistically.

From mapping to action

Following the blueprinting work, I helped leadership identify where to focus our improvement efforts. Rather than pursuing small fixes that might not address root causes, we needed a strategic approach to transformation. My recommendations centred on four key areas:

• Integrated reporting: Creating consolidated views that would eliminate siloed information
• System integration: Improving connections between various tools to reduce manual work
• Process alignment: Streamlining cross-team workflows for greater consistency
• Customer visibility: Enhancing transparency throughout the customer journey

Throughout this process, I encouraged the organisation to look beyond quick fixes toward deeper structural improvements that would create lasting change.

Building shared understanding and driving change

The service blueprint created a common language for discussing operational challenges across the organisation. By giving everyone a holistic view of how different parts worked together, teams could see beyond their individual areas to understand the complete customer experience. This shared understanding led to immediate momentum for improvement:

• Enhanced systems: Leadership prioritised upgrading key operational systems to address identified pain points
• Integration strategy: Teams began connecting previously siloed systems to provide more complete information
• Cross-functional collaboration: The blueprint fostered dialogue between teams that had previously worked in isolation

One team member was so inspired by the approach that he adopted the method to create his own future state blueprints for his area. Using the processes I had highlighted, he secured management approval to invest time in making improvements to his team's workflows. Beyond identifying problems, the blueprint set direction for solutions and created shared ownership of improvements across the organisation.

Expanding design's strategic influence

Beyond the immediate operational improvements, the service design work positioned design as a strategic function within the organisation. The project demonstrated how design thinking could be applied beyond product features to address systemic challenges. The blueprint created a foundation for ongoing improvement by:

• Establishing a baseline: Providing a clear picture of current processes that could be measured against
• Creating transparency: Making complex interdependencies visible to all stakeholders
• Building shared ownership: Engaging team members from across the organisation in problem-solving
• Elevating strategic decisions: Helping leadership focus on fundamental improvements rather than just tactical fixes

My work demonstrated that design could serve as a connector between different organisational functions, helping everyone see how their work contributed to the overall customer experience.

Key lessons for system-level design

This service design initiative taught me several valuable principles that continue to guide my approach to complex organisational challenges:

• Visualisation creates alignment: Making complex systems visible creates a shared understanding that drives action
• Focus on strategic leverage points: Identifying improvements that solve multiple problems simultaneously creates greater impact
• Design as strategic connector: Design can serve as a bridge between different organisational functions, helping everyone see their contributions
• Create shared ownership: When team members participate in identifying problems and solutions, they become invested in the outcomes

By creating visibility into complex operational systems, I helped the organisation move from siloed problem-solving to a more integrated, customer-focused approach.