Design Management – Corporate Design Operation Optimisation

The design department often considered as a support function in multinational corporations like in the FMCG industry. Big companies, lots of big brands, small global design team to guide, consult, manage and optimise design-related operations. Having a chance to be one of the small global design team gives me amazingly huge experiences.


At Modelez London, I was working in the MEU Design Operations Team. A design management team that takes care of global packaging design. We are a small team based in several countries such as Switzerland, the UK, France, Poland. Our job is to continuously improve the design process and initiate a new design guideline for regional or global practice.


As a part of the team, I was responsible for an Imagery Optimisation project for the EU e-commerce market in; UK, France and Germany. The e-commerce market in Europe is rapidly growing. Brands need to communicate with customers via online channels via distributors' online store. The packshot becomes a very crucial communication medium as people always spend only three seconds slide through the packaging image before purchasing. This shopper behaviour is different from in-store purchasing behaviour where people can spend time reading all the facts and promotional wobbles or shelf-talkers. So, how might we communicate brand and product message effectively in three seconds?


The Imagery Optimisation project aims to optimise the key messages on the packshot. The packshot needs to be re-rendered and re-designed differently from the original physical pack design. The messages hierarchy needs to be prioritised, clear, concise and consistent. The design principle is developed and aim to use for all umbrella brands. The objective is to standardising and optimising Design Operations in the e-commerce market environment (MEU) by exploring the best practice to create a fundamental design guideline and user experience.

Creating a new process or initiate change has never been easy, especially if it requires stakeholders to change their work of working. It demands lots of collaborations with cross-functional teams – as well as across countries! Although I got a chance to do the initial part, I learned a lot and feel thankful for this valuable experience. Wanna thank you all for this opportunity; Penny, Marion, Terry and everyone in Mondelez London, as well as our beloved design agency, Design Bridge London.