StepStone’s Head of Product Experience talks about Central’s design sprints
At Central, a Brussels-based digital design studio, we’ve been working with StepStone for a little under a year. StepStone is a job listing website present in 21 different countries. Our collaboration started with a set of Boosts: our own version of design sprints. These are hands-on design workshops which focus on one specific challenge at a time. In 4 days, a sound solution is imagined, prototyped and tested.
We met with Xavier Massaut, who’s responsible for managing the design team at StepStone, to chat about his experience with Central. StepStone did a few Boosts and then moved on to our design subscription.
Why did you contact Central?
I was looking for a design sprint. I was looking at Google and the Google Venture approach and how design can support product organizations. I was surprised to find something so close to me and that’s how it started.
For what specific project did you use Boost?
We’re launching a new product at StepStone. It’s been a while we’ve been working on the problematic of having job offers displayed on multiple devices. We started in a world where the digital experience was desktop only. We all know that we’re moving towards a multichannel experience. We started working with Central on that exercise. We started with 2 Boosts to look at that multiple-device job offer experience. Pretty quickly we had results.
After the first sprint I was kind of amazed, coming from such a large company, to see how quickly Boost was enabling designers and product owners to have tangible results. I think after the first or the second sprint we were able to present prototypes to stakeholders and users that showed how the experience could be. It didn’t mean that it had to be the final experience but it was an experiment to make sure we were on track. This also helped me understand the importance of using design sprints.
What do you think of Boost?
It’s a great way to keep the scope of what you’re doing. You always stay on track. That’s what I find precious about it. As a designer and a team leader, it gives you structure and it ensures some sort of continuity in how you do things.
Some people see Central as so little that they have a hard time believing that such a small team can change a large company.
What is it like for a large company to work with Central?
Some people see Central as so little that they have a hard time believing that such a small team can change a large company. Nevertheless, when I started working for StepStone it was a time when the management realized we needed to go for a leaner, more ‘agile’ approach. So the management was ready; the mindset was open to work with Central.
StepStone is the #1 job board in Germany. We are far ahead of Monsters and Xing. LinkedIn is also far behind. What you tend to do when you’re a successful organization is to believe that you don’t need to change. What worked yesterday will also work today. Central helped us reconsider this and view StepStone somehow like a start-up again.
Why did you get a design subscription with Central?
It enabled us to have a more long-term relation and start building on areas other than the ones we focused on in the Boosts.
In the end, there is no real difference between the design framework of the Boost and the subscription model. The subscription model is just a way to make sure the resources are secured for you. You can get 2 Boosts if you pre-order the team. But if the team has other projects, then you have to wait a bit until the team is available. The subscription model ensures the availability of the team.
Another advantage is less paperwork. It may seem obvious but for me, working for a big company, it’s also something that is important.
For more information about Boost design sprint, check out our dedicated page or send us an email at hi@central.team. We’d love to hear from you!
We are Central. A close-knit, experienced team passionate about digital design. We’ll work together to get your product, website or online service designed better and faster than you thought possible. Since 2007, we’ve helped a number of teams and start-ups get things done.
