Talk | Can Design Shape the Airline of Tomorrow – Increasing Innovation Impact at KLM Through Design Aviation is a very challenging industry as it acts on the complex intersection of technology, regulations, competing commercial organizations and environmental concerns. KLM, the royal Dutch airline, can proudly look back on 100 years of history in aviation. They anticipated that the next 100 years will require a new way of innovating, with more impact. KLM is convinced that design is a key ingredient in this shift. In 2019, KLM developed and kicked off a program, in collaboration with Livework, that combines design training, coaching on the job, and impact measurement. The program sets out to empower employees across departments to use a design as a means to increase collaboration, process efficiency, solution adoption and informed decision making. As KLM finds itself in the middle of unprecedented times going through a global pandemic, they have to cope with a completely changed context. We will share our honest story about how we needed to adapt our ambition of the Increasing Innovation Impact program.

1. 1
Increasing
Innovation Impact
A strategic approach combined with
innovation in practice
SDGC 2020

2. 2
“At KLM we believe that design
contributes to a better, more efficient and
innovative development of new products
and optimizing existing KLM processes”

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… a co-production from KLM, and….
KLM was established on
7 October 1919, making
it the world’s oldest
airline still operating
under its original name.
Operating out of its
home base in
Amsterdam.

4. 4
… and Livework.
Livework strives to
create smarter, more
user-centred and
sustainable services
that deliver real value
for all parties and our
planet.
Since 2001

5. 5
Nice to meet you
Anouk RandagRyanne van de Streek
+

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You might be curious about KLM in current
times….
…. today is about: KLM design
program - ambition and impact

7. 7
Varying:
Employees
Business units
Services
Internal users
External users
Best practices
Design initiatives
KLM, a challenging and complex context
∞

8. 8
Bundle KLM design initiatives
KLM X
Design
Doing
TU Delft
students
& PhDs
(service)
designers
...

9. 9
Mature & scale KLM design initiatives, to
Move to
digital
experiences
Increase
innovation
impact
Leveraging
best
practices

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Northstar
By 2023,
> 1500 KLM employees
will be
inspired & empowered
to innovate with impact,
because they will be able
to realize lasting value
for internal & external
customers
Ambition set in 2019

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KLM employees align efforts in the innovation ecosystem and
collaborate with stakeholders to realize overarching strategic value.
KLM employees realize their full potential and are empowered
to take control over their own innovation learning journey.
KLM employees innovate
efficiently and de-risk by continuous
iteration and validated learning.
KLM employees understand
customer value, define success,
prioritize our efforts and validate
our impact.
2023
>1500 KLM
employees
empowered
Integrally Connected
Set-up Talent for Success
Process ControlValue Creation
Ambition set in 2019

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8 skills that support innovation impact
Reframing
the problem
Validating
solutions
Turning a vision
into action
User-centered
prioritization
Defining
success
Aligning
efforts
Creating a
vision
Gaining user
insights

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Program: Assess - build - learn - impact
Assessment: innovation maturity & needs
Modular learning
journeys: training
‘Lego blocks’ and
coaching.
Impact measuring
on three levels

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10 teams assessed
4 first learning journeys developed & iterated
created request for more teams & journeys
started ‘train-the-trainer’
Impact in March 2020
8 teams, 118 employees trained, in 24 training days
continuous coaching on the job
15 projects directly accelerated
plan for capability building & more scaling

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The KLM - Livework collaboration
What makes it tick & stick:
● Prototyping & co-creating the
program
● Trainer mix; KLM X Product owners
& Liveworkers
● Mindset & skills based
● Practical & applicable to own
process
● Learning journeys + coaching
● Cases & projects in live operation
● Balanced tailoring / scaling

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And then the pandemic hit the world
Reduce
cash out
Smaller
team
Work from
home
and the program...

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How to know what
customers want
The request for ‘design support’ evolved
Understand
problem of the
new situation
Wish to adapt and
act quickly
Prioritize and
connect
Rules and
regulations
change rapidly
Sense of
insecure
travelers
Different tasks
Smaller and
changing teams
Validating
solutions
Turning a vision
into action
Gaining user
insights
Reframing
the problem
User-centered
prioritization
Aligning
efforts

18. 18
Need to adapt
Shift from running the projects to
teach a basic design process and
support with coaching on the job

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Still spreading the mindset:
● Teach basic design process
(KLM X Way of working);
● Training is hands-on and directly applicable;
● More people become capable in design doing.
With a design mindset we’re:
● Being able to change faster (more agile)
● Staying focused on delivering things that really
matter (ambitions)
The upsides and downsides of this shift
Less depth:
● Crash course - Just the basics
● Less ‘capability building’
● No complementary and reinforcing effect
between the KLM X workfield experience and
the knowledge of LiveWork
● No knowledge development by train the trainer
● No major innovation projects by KLM X

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To be continued
The pandemic might have slowed down
the speed of the KLM innovation program;
yet not our joint ambition & mindset.
We are looking forward to
work together again!

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Thank you
Ryanne van de Streek - KLM
Anouk Randag - Livework