Novartis: Embedding Design Thinking and Lean at the Design Council

Client: Novartis

The Challenge

How can we help leadership teams embed design thinking and lean principles into how they run projects and solve complex organizational challenges?

Our Approach

In partnership with Treehouse Innovation and Experience Point, a custom training experience was created for Novartis leadership at the Design Council in London. The programme combined design thinking principles with lean methodologies, giving leaders practical frameworks they could apply immediately to their work.

Leaders were given a tour of the Design Council, using it as inspiration to think differently about the challenges they were facing. Rather than just learning theory, participants worked through specific real challenges from their projects, applying design thinking and lean principles in a hands-on, collaborative environment.

The session focused on helping leaders understand how to balance user-centered approaches with operational efficiency, exploring how design thinking could enhance their existing lean practices rather than replace them.

The Impact

Leaders left with practical tools and frameworks they could apply immediately to their projects. The experience at the Design Council provided a tangible example of how design-led thinking shapes innovation at a national level, inspiring participants to bring similar approaches back to their own teams. The combination of design thinking and lean gave leaders a more complete toolkit for tackling complex organizational challenges.

Our Role

Capability building collaborator with Treehouse Innovation and Experience Point, contributing to curriculum design, facilitation, and helping leaders connect design thinking principles with lean methodologies for their specific project challenges.