Innovation by Design

Innovation can sometimes seem complex, but the key to innovating is simply getting started. We assist our clients in initiating change through impact strategy, inclusive design, and ethical tech. Together, we ensure that your organization is prepared for transformation by building platforms that your end users eagerly await and that genuinely address essential needs. A sustainable relationship and long-term collaboration are the keys to success.

 

A platform is often complex, due to the volume of data or multiple stakeholders with sometimes conflicting interests. It could be that there is a collaborations between multiple parties in a temporary consortium or projects initiated by a single office or department, with input from various countries. To address all these interests while keeping the end user in focus, a well-thought-out strategy is essential.

To successfully tackle complex projects, GRRR follows a unique approach based on Service Design and Design Thinking principles. We remain user-centered, always prioritizing the needs and experiences of users in every phase of the design process. We examine their requirements, priorities, and interactions with a product or service. Through service blueprints and customer journeys, we document the user’s journey and explore ways to optimize it.

During the strategy phase, we create service sketches, explore potential routes, and engage in “crazy 8s” – a rapid drawing exercise challenging us to sketch eight different ideas in eight minutes, often in collaboration with the team. Sometimes, this process reveals the need to take an entirely new direction to better serve the end user. For example, in the case of APG, we didn’t develop the requested pension app but built Kandoor instead. Kandoor now provides free financial advice to over one million Dutch citizens annually. The sketches from this phase can also be used to convince, consult, or inform stakeholders.

Bold design choices for an optimal user experience. The strategy takes shape in the design phase, where we constantly balance the need to explain everything with the need to omit information. We make daring decisions by critically evaluating every piece of information. We ensure that complex data becomes understandable to a broad audience and remove unnecessary information if it doesn’t serve the end user. Accessibility is also integrated into the design.

Using design systems, a central environment where reusable UX elements such as colors, buttons, and typography are defined, we ensure design consistency and make it easier for you to scale-up in the future.

Technology is the silent but driving force behind a smooth user experience. At GRRR, we understand the technical choices that need to be made and consider their long-term implications. To ensure a sustainable site, clean code is crucial, allowing any team member to carry out future developments. By using a clear foundation in both code and front-end design systems, we make it easy to scale to multiple websites in the future if you wish to expand your services.

To ensure the safety and accessibility of our clients’ services, we consider privacy and data protection in every project. The websites and apps we develop naturally comply with current and future regulations on privacy and data use. We also take extra steps to protect users by minimizing data storage.

Accessibility is also a key element in our project approach. We have a lot of knowledge of web standards and write flawless HTML to ensure our websites are optimal for assistive software such as screen readers. Ensuring that everyone can participate digitally means that our websites provide an equally beautiful experience on a third-hand, aging PC as on the latest MacBook Pro.

Our tech meets all accessibility regulations. An additional benefit is that our inclusivity efforts are recognized by external experts. Occasionally, we let an independent agency conduct an audit, ensuring that the sites we build are usable for everyone and comply with all guidelines.

Want to learn more about our perspective on tech? We’ve written an in-depth article about it.