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Plant accounting systems 

Introducing design thinking to a global manufacturer

This project worked with an American chemical company with manufacturing plants across the globe. Their Finance Operations team faces challenges related to its plan accounting processes. These technical and human challenges create churn and frustration with wasted time. This is especially true for closing the cockpit in Material Ledger (ML)—the focus of the day-long workshop facilitated by Designit. This workshop was structured to help the company arrive at a clearer vision for the future of closing the cockpit in ML and better understand the challenges of today.

Role

Facilitator

Service Designer

Visual Designer

Skills

Workshop facilitation

Co-creation

Systems thinking

Chemours_JourneyMap_StandardizedState_Final-03.png

UX Problem

Our Solution

Along with a co-facilitator, I conducted two internal working sessions with plant accounting SMEs to understand the current journey for a sub-process within plant accounting—closing the cockpit in ML. During these workshops, we also envisioned how the accounting process could be improved in a standardized state (3 months in the future), and a transformed state (3 years in the future). 


At a workshop facilitated in-person, the Client's Chief Accounting Officer and her team met to further discuss these journeys, their pain points, and the feasibility of the suggested process changes.

The Impact

Following the workshop, the client expressed interest in continuing the exploration of plant accounting processes using design thinking. A proposal for a new scope of work that analyses other accounting processes is being developed.

Discovery & Co-Creation

Working sessions with SMEs

Using Miro to collaborate virtually with SMEs allowed for alignment on current plant accounting processes and informed the visualization of these processes. Through workshop activities I co-facilitated, the team was able to create two proposed future states.

Above: Screenshots from Miro working sessions

After co-creating the journey maps as a team, I acted as the lead visual designer to prepare the information visually. Using Illustrator, I created large-scale visualizations of the journeys for use during the in-person workshop with the client's senior leadership.

Visualizing insights

Designing the journey maps

Above: Images of final journey maps presented to client

Final Workshop

Presenting insights and co-creating with senior leaders

During the workshop, I led participants in writing ways Finance Operations embodies their

company's values. Through this activity, we aligned on Finance Operation’s commitment to creating efficient and simple processes.

We then introduced the journey maps and invited the clients to add sticky notes and writing to each of the maps to ask questions, align on pain points, and discuss the feasibility of the proposed future states. 

 

Above: Photo of workshop space with sticky notes and writing added to journey maps

Right: Clients interacting with journey maps during workshop

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