The IT Sector in Italy: 2025 Highlights & What’s Coming in 2026
THE ICT MARKET IN ITALY 2025: +4.5% GROWTH WITH PERSISTENT DISPARITIES
Italy’s digital economy is growing 10 times faster than its GDP, but it’s not growing evenly.
Behind headlines of billions invested in cloud, cybersecurity and AI, there’s a country that is rapidly splitting in two: on one side, large enterprises racing ahead with automation and advanced analytics; on the other, a vast universe of SMEs still stuck between Excel sheets and legacy software.
📈 2025 Highlights: Key Growth Drivers in 2025
The Italian IT sector in 2025 confirms sustained growth, with companies continuing to invest in digitalization despite global uncertainties. However, significant gaps remain between large enterprises and SMEs, particularly in AI adoption.
According to Assintel and Gartner, the Information Technology segment in Italy led with 9.2% growth, driven by cloud computing, cybersecurity, and hybrid work solutions.
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Cloud and IaaS (+16-20%): multi-cloud, sovereign cloud, AI-ready workloads - accelerated migration to cloud-native architectures, with focus on multi-cloud and hybrid solutions
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Cybersecurity (+7.2%): increased attacks and new EU regulations (NIS2) drove significant security investments
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SaaS platforms (+9%): continued growth in cloud-based ERP, CRM, and collaboration tools
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IT Services (+8.1%): consulting, integration, managed services, - steady growth
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Hardware (-2.3%): decline continues as companies shift to as-a-service models
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AI (+35%): still the fastest-growing digital segment.
🤖 2026 Expectations: AI Take Center Stage
In 2025, the broad Digital Economy in Italy is moving toward €84–85B (+3.8%) while the specific ICT Business market reached ~ €70.1 billion, recording 5.2% growth compared to 2024, exceeding initial forecasts.
In 2026, the broad Digital Economy in Italy is expected to reach approximately €88–90 billion (assuming a moderate growth rate of +4-6%), while the ICT Italian Market is projected to grow to around €73–75 billion, reflecting a similarly positive trend as in 2025 (+5-6%).
Concerning AI, IDC's “Worldwide AI and Generative AI Spending Guide” forecasts global AI spending will reach $632 billion by 2028 and forecasts for 2026 indicate further global acceleration for AI with ~ 25-30% growth.
In Italy, 37% of Italian companies plan significant AI and Machine Learning investments in 2026, up dramatically from just 7% in 2023 and 8.2% of 2025.
Key drivers for 2025 include generative AI at scale adoption, intelligent automation combining RPA with AI, edge computing and IoT integration, digital sustainability initiatives, and new European regulations (AI Act, Data Act).
⚠️ Two Critical Challenges Holding Back Italian Growth
THE WIDENING DIGITAL DIVIDE
Large enterprises (>500 employees) account for over 53% of total IT business spending in Italy, while 91% of large enterprises increased IT investments in 2025, the SME landscape tells a different story.
Only 42.3% of medium-sized companies invested significantly in IT, dropping to 23.1% for small businesses and just 11.2% for micro-enterprises.
More concerning: 180,000 Italian companies (3,6%%) remain in "digital poverty," lacking adequate management systems and relying on spreadsheets or obsolete software.
Main barriers: low awareness of benefits (38.7%), lack of internal skills (35.2%), perception of high costs (29.8%), and organizational resistance (24.5%).
This creates a two-speed market where large companies leverage AI and advanced analytics while SMEs – 99.9% of Italian businesses – risk falling further behind.
LAGGING AI ADOPTION
Despite global AI hype, for ISTAT only 8.2% of Italian companies have implemented AI solutions by end of 2024. This places Italy significantly behind Germany (28%), UK (31%), and France (23%).
Italy will contribute only 0.8% to global AI spending this year ($632 billion total), well below its ~2% share of global GDP.
Current AI applications focus mainly on customer service automation (38%), predictive analysis (27%), and fraud detection (19%). High-impact areas like supply chain optimization and predictive maintenance remain underutilized.
Key obstacles: lack of structured data (41%), shortage of AI specialists (38%), compliance concerns (32%), and unclear ROI (28%).
✨ Conclusion
The Italian IT sector closes 2025 with strong results and faces a potentially transformative 2026, especially in AI. However, success depends on bridging the gap between digitally mature large enterprises and lagging SMEs.
For IT sector operators in Italy, 2026 presents significant opportunities: double-digit market growth, surging demand for AI, automation and cloud solutions, and a large pool of SMEs yet to digitalize. Success will require combining technological excellence with consultative approaches to convey the real value of the newest IT solutions while choosing flexible delivery models that can suit the needs of the diversified Italian scene made of Large, Small and Micro enterprises.
We specialize in integrating AI and automations into existing business systems, helping Italian companies close the competitive gap. We start with prior assesment, concrete use cases and measurable ROI, then scale progressively.
📩 Reach out to us at info@itvaluepartner.eu or call +39 02 3826 5204 to discover how our approach fits your needs best.
Time & Material vs TEAM & Material - The IT Value Partner Paradigm
TIME & MATERIAL: THE FLEXIBLE FOUNDATION FOR MODERN IT PROJECTS
The development of modern IT solutions, whether software platforms, data infrastructures, or AI systems, has become increasingly complex. Today, organizations must meet high standards in usability, compliance, scalability, and service continuity. This complexity calls for flexible, adaptive delivery models.
One of the most relevant models is Time & Material, a framework that offers transparency and scalability, but which must evolve to include not only flexible costs but also the right mix of skills, coordination and governance.
🕒 The IT Skills Shortage and the Rise of Time & Material
Across the global IT market, there is a persistent shortage of skilled professionals. From developers and data engineers to cloud specialists and cybersecurity experts: demand far exceeds supply.
The Time & Material model emerged as a first step to mitigate this issue, enabling companies to access external expertise for specific projects without committing to full-time hires. Under this model, clients pay for the actual time (hours or days) and materials used, maintaining flexibility and cost control.
However, as projects became more multidimensional, requiring designers, analysts, data governance, cloud and security specialists and AI integration, we realized that simply allocating hours was no longer enough. We needed a more structured team model to better support our Clients.
👥IT Value Partner's Upgrade: The Team & Material Approach
To manage complexity, we are now promoting an evolved framework: the so called Team & Material model.
This approach combines the flexibility of Time & Material with the organizational strength of a dedicated, multidisciplinary team. Rather than providing isolated resources, we deliver an integrated team - Project Managers, Analysts, Developers, Testers and Web Engineers - working together in Agile, iterative cycles.
The goal: to deliver measurable results to our clients while maintaining the flexibility to shift priorities and adjust scope as business needs evolve.
⚙️ Key Benefits of ITVP's Team & Material Model
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Full-stack expertise: Ensures access to all the competencies needed for complex IT delivery (requirements, development, infrastructure, data, security, QA).
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Continuous alignment: Regular check-ins and short sprints enable fast feedback and realignment with Client's priorities.
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Operational flexibility: Combines predictable team structure with scalable “material” resources for peak workloads.
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Efficiency and governance: Daily syncs and clear reporting, pipelines and continuous delivery, automated testing keep quality high and waste low.
With this model, we merge the flexibility and financial transparency of Time & Material with the strategic clarity and competences of highly managed delivery, creating a balance between agility and accountability.
🤝 From Vendor to Strategic Partner
In the traditional IT market, “software houses”, IT consultancy agencies or system integrators were often seen as external executors. Today, with technologies and requirements evolving at breakneck speed, IT partners must act as strategic advisors, helping clients prioritize, reuse proven assets, and customize only where necessary.
Too much personalization leads to inefficiency; too little reduces competitive differentiation. We firmly believe that real value lies in guiding clients toward the right equilibrium: leveraging reusable components while tailoring solutions where it truly matters.
🧩Why Time & Material is Still "HOT"
Even as we adopt more advanced models, we acknowledge that Time & Material remains the foundation of modern IT contracting. It provides the elasticity needed to start fast, experiment, and adapt, especially in environments shaped by uncertainty, from digital transformation initiatives to AI adoption.
Therefore, we do not replace Time & Material with the Team & Material model; we strengthen it. Together, these models represent a continuum: from flexible resource allocation to coordinated, outcome-driven delivery.
🚀 Conclusion
In today’s IT ecosystem, success depends on the ability to combine flexibility, specialization, and governance. The Time & Material model offers a transparent, scalable foundation, while the Team & Material approach turns that flexibility into structured collaboration.
For organizations facing talent shortages, shifting priorities, and technological complexity, this dual framework provides the agility to innovate, without losing control of quality, cost, or direction.
📩 Reach out to us at info@itvaluepartner.eu to or call +39 02 3826 5204 discover how our approach fits your needs best.
We already apply it successfully, supporting leading companies in their IT Projects, and we can help you unlock your full potential.
How to Evolve Legacy Systems Without “Breaking Everything”
HOW TO EVOLVE LEGACY SYSTEMS WITHOUT "BREAKING EVERYTHING".
In today’s fast-changing market, businesses need modern technologies to stay flexible, efficient, and focused on customers. Legacy systems, while once reliable, now slow down growth, create inefficiencies, and increase risks. Upgrading to modern platforms helps companies stay competitive, innovate faster, and quickly adapt to new market and customer demands.
Legacy systems have supported businesses for years, but they’ve become roadblocks. Modernizing may seem challenging, costly, or risky, but standing still is even riskier.
AI and new technologies require fast data processing, scalability, and real-time connections—things old systems can’t deliver. Moving forward unlocks AI automation, smart analytics, and better decision-making for the future.
So how do businesses modernize without disrupting everything that already works?
That’s the challenge - and the opportunity!
🔍 Why Moving Away from Legacy Is So Hard
LEGACY SYSTEMS ARE OFTEN:
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Stable and time-tested
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Deeply integrated into core business processes
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Aligned with complex regulatory frameworks
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Home to critical, customized data structures
BUT THEY'RE ALSO:
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Expensive to maintain
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Rigid and monolithic
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Inflexible to new demands
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At risk of technological obsolescence
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Outsiders to the huge opportunities offered by automation and AI
Here’s the paradox: You can’t innovate by ignoring the past, but you can’t build your future on outdated foundations either.
🛠️ Modernization Without Disruption: The "Incremental Approach"
Modernizing legacy systems is no longer an option—it is a necessity. Legacy infrastructures, while critical in the past, now create operational bottlenecks, limit scalability, and introduce security vulnerabilities. However, replacing them all at once can be risky, costly, and disruptive. A phased modernization approach offers a safer path forward, allowing businesses to gradually build modern architectural components that seamlessly support critical services. This approach not only ensures continuity but also lays the foundation for a resilient, scalable, and secure architecture that meets the demands of today’s digital landscape.
By progressively integrating new technologies and decoupling monolithic structures, organizations can transform at a manageable pace, achieving immediate benefits while preparing for long-term innovation. This strategy minimizes risks, controls costs, and enables the alignment of modernization efforts with business priorities.
The answer isn’t a full-blown revolution: it’s guided evolution.
Here are 4 KEY PRINCIPLES FOR SAFE, SUSTAINABLE MODERNIZATION:
1. Modular and Microservices Architecture
Breaking the monolithic system into modular microservices allows businesses to upgrade or replace individual components independently. This incremental approach reduces disruption and accelerates innovation by isolating services that can evolve at their own pace.
2. API-First and Interoperability
An API-first strategy creates a unified communication layer between legacy and modern systems. This ensures that existing data and functionalities remain accessible while enabling the smooth introduction of new digital services without disrupting operations.
3. Innovative Libraries and Frameworks
Leveraging cutting-edge libraries and frameworks speeds up development, improves performance, and supports modern application standards. This ensures that new services are built on future-ready foundations, maximizing flexibility and maintainability.
4. Hybrid Cloud and Containerization
Gradually moving workloads to public or private clouds, combined with containerization, ensures high scalability, resilience, and cost efficiency. This approach preserves data governance while providing the agility needed to adapt to evolving business demands.
⚡ Beware: What Can Go Wrong
Even the smartest transformation has its risks.
Here are 3 COMMON PITFALLS TO AVOID:
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Underestimating the complexity of system dependencies between legacy and new components
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Failing to involve users in redesigning business workflows
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Believing technology alone is enough, without investing in governance, training, and change management
Modernization must be both technical and cultural. Vision is essential but so is pragmatism. That’s why it’s critical to lean on the right professionals, partners that have already done it many time before, and therefore able to understand both your legacy landscape and your future goals.
💬 Final Thought: Sustainable Change Is Achievable
Yes, it’s possible to evolve without breaking everything.
In IT Value Partner we apply our proved 3D Transformational Approach—Discover, Design, Deliver— to evolve legacy systems into future-ready architectures. First, during Discover, we assess existing processes, user needs, and business goals to understand current capabilities. Next, in Design, we co-create solutions using design thinking and agile frameworks, aligning IT with user-centered service challenges. Finally, in Deliver, we iteratively develop, validate, and deploy interfaces and workflows that modernize infrastructure and enhance digital experience—all while ensuring continuity, reducing risk, and maximizing value from legacy investments.
With a modular strategy, modern tools, a clear vision and, most importantly, an experienced partner to make it all work. Taking the right steps, legacy systems can become enablers, not obstacle, of intelligent digital transformation.
The companies that succeed are those that balance innovation with respect for existing systems, achieving growth through continuity, security, and adaptability.
📞 Want to Talk About It?
At IT Value Partner, modernizing legacy systems is our passion! We combine modular architecture based on the best emerging technologies with robust governance accrued in countless successful projects.
📩 Reach out to us at info@itvaluepartner.eu to explore the future of your digital infrastructure.
AI in Finance: The Virtual Agents' Revolution
AI IN FINANCE: THE VIRTUAL AGENTS REVOLUTION. In a time of regulatory pressure, rising operational costs, and increasing client expectations, the finance industry is undergoing a profound shift. What used to be a cautious curiosity around AI has now become a strategic imperative. This was especially evident during IT VALUE PARTNER participation in VivaTech Paris 2025.
Artificial intelligence is now at the core of a major digital transformation trend, enabling financial institutions to navigate complexity, enhance resilience, and improve efficiency. This is not just about huge, historical investment banks or Silicon Valley's ubiquitous fintechs. Even mid-sized players like SIMs and SGRs, as well as young, fast-growing fintech firms, are starting to see digital transformation technologies - particularly AI - as critical to staying relevant.
🧭 How AI in Finance Can Make A Real Difference
The financial industry has always been data-driven and receptive to innovation. But in recent years, the volume and complexity of data have exploded far beyond the capacity of traditional systems and teams. At the same time, financial firms face three converging pressures:
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Regulatory complexity (DORA, ESG, MiFID, AML)
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Operational cost containment
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Clients' demand for hyper-personalization
In this context, AI in finance becomes a key enabler, helping firms shift from reactive to proactive, from manual to intelligent, and from fragmented to integrated.
🧠 Virtual Agents: Streamlining Banking Operations and Client Interaction
In the context of digital workplace transformation, virtual agents powered by AI and Natural Language Processing (NLP) are becoming essential tools in modern banking environments. These intelligent systems go far beyond basic chatbots and studies show that they can dramatically enhance both internal efficiency and customer experience.
Here’s how virtual agents support financial institutions:
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Instant access to customer insights
Virtual agents can instantly retrieve and summarize key customer information for bank employees - such as account status, transaction history, open requests, or credit score - directly within their internal dashboard. This means faster, more informed decisions during client interactions. -
Embedded Q&A support for customers
Customers can receive accurate answers to routine questions (e.g., “What’s my available balance?”, “How do I update my contact details?”) directly from the bank’s online platforms or mobile app, without needing to speak to a human agent. The virtual agent handles the interaction but passes more complicated questions to a human operator when necessary. -
24/7 Availability across channels
These AI-driven assistants work round the clock across web, mobile, and even messaging platforms, ensuring clients can get help at any time, while reducing the burden on contact centers. -
Context-aware suggestions
For bank staff, virtual agents can act like co-pilots, suggesting next best actions, notifying compliance issues, or prompting upselling opportunities based on customer profiles and behavior.
Ultimately, virtual agents help financial institutions save time, reduce operational costs, and deliver more responsive, personalized service: all while freeing up human teams to focus on value-added activities.
⚠️ Challenges: What AI in Finance Can't Solve Alone
Despite its potential, AI adoption isn’t plug-and-play. It brings challenges that must be acknowledged:
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Data quality: Poor or inconsistent data limits the value of even the best AI models.
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Interpretability: Financial decisions require trust. "Black box" AI is risky unless complemented with quality and explainability.
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Skill gaps: Many mid-sized firms lack the internal capabilities to deploy AI effectively.
In short: AI needs governance. It’s not just about the algorithm, but about aligning people, data, and strategy, and companies should rely on experienced and trusted partners to help them integrate AI effectively into their existing systems.
💡 Final Thought: AI as a Technofinance Accelerator
The intersection of finance and tech - or technofinance - is one of the most exciting and transformative spaces in the digital economy. However, even the most sophisticated AI is not replacing professionals, but amplifying their capabilities.
Those who embrace artificial intelligence solutions the right way as part of their broader digital workplace transformation will:
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Work smarter.
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Comply faster.
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Compete stronger.
The firms that act now - with clarity, purpose and the right partner - will be those leading the next wave of financial innovation.
📣 Want to Learn More?
At IT Value Partner, we help financial institutions integrate AI Virtual Agents within tailored digital transformation programs, combining strategic governance with technological innovation.
📩 Reach out to info@itvaluepartner.eu to explore how we can support your transformation journey.
Why IT Consulting Is So Important for the Finance Industry?
Finance Is Changing Fast
The financial world is evolving at breakneck speed. Clients expect rapid, personalized services. At the same time, regulations are tightening, and technology is racing ahead. For financial institutions, keeping up isn't just a challenge: it's a necessity. That’s where IT consulting for financial institutions comes in. It helps companies stay sharp, compliant, and competitive.
Why IT Consulting Makes a Difference
IT consultants bring a powerful mix of tech expertise and business strategy. With their help, financial organizations can:
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Replace outdated systems with modern, cloud-based architectures.
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Stay compliant with ever-changing regulations—without slowing down operations.
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Reduce operational risks through automation and smarter data use.
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Enhance customer experience with easy-to-use digital tools.
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Develop and deliver safer digital processes.
Where IT Consulting Adds Real Value
1. Leading the Way in Digital Transformation
Although Italian financial firms score "above the European average" results in the last years, research shows that they often still depend on inefficient legacy systems. A legacy system is an hardware, a software or a technology infrastructure that is still in use but is considered outdated and no longer ideal. These systems slow down innovation and cost much more to maintain. IT consultants guide the transition to faster, scalable, and more flexible operative platforms - like cloud solutions and automated micro-services - ensuring a smooth and secure shift to more efficient internal organization and better clients' experience.
2. Keeping You Compliant and Audit-Ready
Regulations such as MiFID II, GDPR, and DORA are complex and constantly evolving. IT consultants design systems that not only comply with current laws but are also built to adapt. Clear documentation, traceable workflows, real-time tracking and lean operational processes help reduce compliance headaches and facilitate operators' work.
3. Streamlining Operations = Client Satisfaction
Digital tools don’t just streamline workflows, they elevate the client experience. Faster onboarding, fewer errors, and cleaner reporting help make the entire journey smoother, more transparent, and more professional.
- Easy Onboarding of Clients
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Smart investment proposals with "as is / to be" portfolio visuals.
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E-signatures and direct transmission of orders to markets.
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Instant updates on order execution status.
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Pop-up alerts for contract or pricing policy deadlines, with easy tools to update or renew them.
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Secure delivery of compliance documents, including:
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The MiFID questionnaire (updated every two years).
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The W-8BEN form for Italian clients earning U.S. income.
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Valid ID verification and updates.
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4. Boosting efficiency the right way
At IT Value Partner, we provide target IT and governance consultancy: we can integrate micro-tools in existing systems in order to strongly simplify everyday processes, or we can work with the Company in synergy to develop complete, high performing platforms that improve employees outcomes and clients satisfaction.
Consulting Is a Competitive Edge
IT consulting isn’t just about fixing systems, it’s about building smarter, future-ready financial institutions. At IT Value Partner, we tailor our approach to your challenges. Whether you need to modernize legacy systems, stay ahead of compliance, or improve and speed up service delivery, we’re ready to help.
Let’s talk!
If you're a financial institution planning a transformation, we’d love to support you. Contact us at info@itvaluepartner.eu for a free auditing of your governance processes and IT system assessment.
Design Thinking and Finance: The Power of the Design Sprint
Context: We have created a new User Experience and Service Design for one of the leading institutions in Italian finance sector.
Outcome: A digital user interface and a more efficient service system design
Methods: Google Design Sprint workshops, User personas, Use Case Scenarios, Service Blueprint diagram, Product Backlog, User review.
THE STORY
Ever imagined a digital product that embraces a huge amount of financial data, operates on a large scale, even across the globe, while still being intuitive and simple to use? We did. It was in fact a collective imagination where we guided users to unleash their creativity and express their needs as they guided us to innovation and solution.
Our digital product’s story started with exploration of the existing digital platform. We’ve made an in-depth discovery of the existing user experience and based on our analysis. Through the input we’ve collected from clients, we have prepared use cases for Design Sprint and collected further feedback from the client, including evaluation of task priorities and new suggestions. Analysing all the input, we have created a new service design that embodies a new experience, across all the touchpoints and interactions within different stakeholders.
The end result was a new User Experience; a digital Client Portal, detailed business analysis and an enhanced service scenario.
In this article we will take you through the story of this product and our approach throughout the process.
DESIGN THINKING IN FINANCE
There’s an increasing amount of demand towards Design Thinking methodologies in Finance sector, where there’s an undeniable need of user friendliness to ensure a smooth experience. As working with huge data archive can be challenging, especially considering the cultural way of handling operations across countries, it becomes even more crucial to put emphasis on intuitiveness of a digital product. Choosing the right strategy to approach clients is as important as the process itself. Users need to feel comfortable and not intimidated while they approach design tasks.
We have started off with Design thinking methods to understand the needs and problematic parts of the existing platform and come up with solutions in a bottom up manner. Since we did not have an option of having the Design Sprint in a physical space, we carried it out remotely. We have utilised 3D method, that we explained in more detail in our previous article, which takes its name from Discover, Design and Deliver phases.
DESIGN THINKING WORKSHOP FROM REMOTE
Remote work seems more convenient as it eliminates the effort to bring together everyone in a physical space but it brings its challenges. Users may be from different age groups, not familiar with digital tools or might even simply have connection problems. There were some key points to make remote workshops easier while working with different client profiles.
Step 1: Giving priority to client needs
The world is going through a tough period and in times like this, empathy and flexibility are more fundamental than ever in carrying out a digital transformation process. We can make use of a tailor made adaptation of the methods in order to respond better to client’s needs.
We have prioritized our client’s needs throughout the process. Being one of the leading institutions in Italian finance sector, our client was not able to dedicate a full one week for workshop due to the nature of the fast paced work they are occupied with, so we mapped out a different agenda for them. We divided the tasks of Google Design sprint into small chunks and based on the client’s calendar, executed these micro activities in various days.
Step 2: Dedicating enough time to make a thorough discovery phase
Understanding financial systems requires respecting the own methodologies of this discipline and being well informed before proceeding with design phase. Since financial systems are complex scenarios that involve data flow amongst various actors, dedicating sufficient time to task analysis at the discovery phase will make the following steps more rapid, as there would be less clarifications to be made by the client’s end. We have planned series of online interviews in which we made an in depth task analysis and defined the pain points of the existing financial ecosystem, and thanks to these insights, moved on to the digital service innovation phase with a better vision.
Step 3: Introducing the tools and timing
We have used Miro during our Design Sprint workshops. Since it was a new tool for the client, we started off by informing them about the format of workshop, pre requisites and a brief introduction to the platform.
Creative flows can get longer than expected, and in order to use the limited time that the clients can dedicate for the Design Sprint, it is convenient to talk about the timings for each step before hand.
Step 4: Agile working throughout the next steps
Design Sprint is our starting point to create a new user experience, but digital transformation is a continuous cycle in which iterations are made, tested and approved by being in contact with the client. Agile method saves us time and cost, and helps us define the challenging parts of the new user experience at an early stage. Our approach to agile method consists of organising tailor made Design Sprints based on the micro tasks of user testing and remote interviews with clients in which we introduce the new service blueprint and gather feedback.
Conclusions
Design thinking is still a new approach in Italian financial ecosystem, but institutions are starting to adopt it and observing concrete benefits. At ITVP, we consider the business needs as priority, just like in Design Thinking methods where the user is at the centre of innovation. While we worked with one of the biggest institutions in Italian finance sector and through a Design Thinking approach, we utilised Google’s Design Sprint on a remote basis and gained valuable insight about the sector, user needs and their ecosystem before proceeding into design and development. There’s an IT transformation strategy that can take any organisation at a further level and at ITVP, we have the right tools and knowledge to work across these instruments.
How does Human Centered approach revolutionise finance products
Context: We have created a new User Experience and Service Design for one of the leading institutions in Italian finance sector.
Outcome: A digital user interface and a more efficient service system design
Methods: Google Design Sprint workshops, User personas, Use Case Scenarios, Service Blueprint diagram, Product Backlog, User review.
Our client, who is amongst the biggest financial institutions of Italy, had been operating within the same digital platform since years and was in need of an enhanced user experience and service system design. We have initiated a digital service innovation working in collaboration with client, following agile method, and delivered a new user experience working across all service system stakeholders.
PROCESS: DISCOVER – DESIGN – DELIVER
We followed the 3Ds method as main approach to this case, which consists of 3 main steps through digital transformation; Discover, Design and Deliver. Thanks to this approach, we were able to have a holistic view of the system before proceeding into drafting solutions.
Generally speaking, at the discover phase, we use methods to collect data such as user interviews and task analysis. Through interviews we map the system requirements, analyse tasks and understand necessities. Reflecting on the results of the task analysis, we project user personas in which the main actors and their function within the service ecosystem are defined. Then we proceed to create use case scenarios and user journey maps where we analyse macro and micro functions the system actors need to accomplish. Based on these use case scenarios, we move on with the creation of the actual service system idea.
The design phase is where we initiate the first ideas that generate the new user experience.
To arrive at the solution ideas in collaboration with the client, we utilise Google Design Sprints, where we make the client an active participant of the design process. At this phase we still conduct user interviews where we introduce the micro changes on the design draft, always having an agile mindset, then test and verify these updates with the client through user testing.
The deliver phase is where we put ourselves in 1:1 contact with IT department and discuss the feasibility of our design solution, evaluating backlog activities and product specification requirements. Thanks to our knowledge in IT we have feasibility as main requisite.
DISCOVER PHASE
In complex systems like finance sector, discovery is the backbone of the digital transformation. Making a thorough discovery in which the necessary amount of time was dedicated helped us understand the system that the users are operating in and facilitated the creation of a user friendly and feasible design proposal. Here are the steps we followed at this stage.
Discover: Understanding the client profile
This is undeniably an important part of the creative process of design journey, but during the research part, it becomes highly essential. Different client profiles require a different style of communication, as people with different skills and mindsets approach issues differently. Since our client is in the finance sector, we had a didactical approach; making the task analysis part detailed and thorough, ensuring to understand the functions of the existing system completely. This approach has speeded up the following steps as the clients did not have to go over the same things again as we move on with digital service creation phase.
Discover: Importance of task analysis
While working across finance sector, especially in such complex systems where many actors are involved in user workflows, it is essential to understand the tasks that need to be carried out to accomplish service functionalities.
We have utilised online mind mapping tools and user interview method during task analysis process. We have organised online interviews and meetings with stakeholders that work on different functionalities of the service system to map out all the tasks of the system scenario.
Through having a clear vision of the existing user, we were fully equipped for the Design Sprints we carried out that were the essential elements of the digital transformation process.
Discover: Mapping out possible use case scenarios
In order to map use case scenarios and define pain points of the existing system, an elaborate understanding of the system and its actors is necessary. We conducted 1:1 interviews based on Design Thinking methods and share the use case scenarios via Miro tool during our workshops with clients, aiming to understand their point of view and requesting their intellectual contribution.
DESIGN PHASE
After having insights from the discover phase, we moved on with the creation of the digital user interface, starting from low fidelity wireframes until we arrive at an interactive digital mock up.
Design: From low fidelity mock ups to the real digital user interface
During our workshop, we had worked on the use case scenarios with clients and through dot voting method, we already have a selection of possible design solutions based on their feedback. Reflecting on these solutions, we moved on with the creation of low fidelity wireframes that represent and improve these solutions, making them come alive on paper. Then we transformed these sketches into a functioning prototype, which brought us to the next steps in which we tested and verified it with actual users.
Design: Agile methodology
At ITVP we utilise agile methodology to carry the client though all steps of the innovative process, reducing costs and time spent. We are in touch with client on a regular basis, as we test together different features and unfold different functionalities of the system idea. Clients are involved in the digital transformation journey when necessary, respecting their time limitations, and are updated about the iterations.
We carried out User Testing methods with our clients in order to receive their feedback on the usability of the prototype as they browse through various workflows. As we carry out also the user testing remotely, we encouraged our client to keep their focus on the user workflow and express their feedback out loud, meanwhile supporting this feedback through questionnaires and our personal contacts.
DELIVER
Being an IT Consultancy firm and Software house, we construct our digital design proposals considering efficiency and possible restrictions. We have worked with Product Specification tool to communicate every single aspect of our design proposal and ask for their feedback.
As a next step, we created a product backlog to ensure all the micro tasks are mapped within a feasibility frame. Then, keeping in touch with the IT team, we have discussed the limitations and frameworks of feasibility.
The product lifecycle, of course, does not finish at this stage. Through a flexible way of working, we keep ourselves open to carry out further iterations on the digital product, keeping in mind the notion of adding value to business across the right digital transformation strategy, keeping the service delivery cycle in ongoing development.
Conclusions
Having a human centered approach throughout the digital transformation journey in the field of finance is particularly crucial since financial systems have a massive load of data flow and user friendliness becomes highly important to ensure ease of use and comprehensibility of these flows. Dividing the process into phases with structured manner is essential to understand the micro steps needs to be taken. Having a user centered mindset and putting the business needs above all can enhance the chances of arriving at a user friendly digital transformation solution.