Embedding UX in Business Strategy
Organizational Re-Design at McKinsey
McKinsey’s Data & Analytics function plays a critical role in supporting consultants with self-serve analytics tools. However, low adoption rates and inefficiencies in the internal organization structure limited impact and usability.
As a Senior UX Researcher and Transformation Lead, I worked with stakeholders to identify gaps, realign teams, and streamline processes—ensuring that UX was integrated into business strategy and decision-making.
SECTOR - Data & Analytics / Technology
SETTING - Enterprise consulting, cross-functional UX transformation
EXTENDED TEAM - Data & Analytics Leadership and stakeholders, Department leaders, Risk function
MY ROLE - UX Research, Transformation Strategy, Change Management, Organizational Design, Team building
TIMELINE - Research: 1 year | Advocacy & Planning: 9 months | Implementation: 3 months
COMPLEXITY - Very high
Challenge
McKinsey’s Data & Analytics (D&A) team had three separate departments, each managing different analytics tools. The fragmented structure caused:
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Confusion & inefficiency – Teams operated in silos, leading to inconsistent user experiences.
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Low adoption of self-serve tools – Users struggled with navigation, overlapping functionality, and lack of UX oversight.
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Missed business opportunities – With no central UX framework, valuable insights weren’t driving strategy.
Through UX research and end-to-end mapping of the analytics journey, it became clear that organizational structure—not just individual tools—was the real bottleneck.
Approach
To solve the underlying organizational challenge, I led an end-to-end UX-driven business transformation by:
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Mapping the analytics user journey – Identifying pain points, inefficiencies, and barriers.
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Defining a new organizational model – Consolidating three teams into one centralized D&A function.
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Embedding UX into strategic decision-making – Ensuring UX research informed tool development and executive choices.
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Aligning cross-functional teams – Introducing new workflows, governance models, and UX-driven KPIs.
Strategic UX Initiatives
Organizational Design & Change Management
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Consolidated multiple D&A teams into a single, strategic group
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Created new governance models ensuring UX involvement in decision-making
UX Research & Customer-Centric Strategy
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Conducted 360° customer reviews to uncover deep adoption barriers for the self-serve analytics tools (Tableau, Alteryx)
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Triangulated stakeholder needs, technical limitations, and user feedback into a unified strategy
Data-Driven UX Advocacy
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Established UX success metrics to track adoption, efficiency, and engagement
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Presented insights to executive stakeholders to drive investment in UX
Continuous Improvement Framework
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Developed a feedback loop for ongoing analytics tool optimization
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Implemented quarterly UX audits to ensure alignment with business needs
Throughout the transition, I focused on four critical UX initiatives to scale adoption and drive efficiency:
The impact
01
10% increase in client-facing efficiency
Improved end-to-end journey lead time and overall usability
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Higher tool adoption rates
By focusing on workflow optimization rather than individual tool rollout and team structure
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Large-Scale Organizational Transformation
Consolidated five analytics teams into a single, aligned department, creating long-term operational efficiency and UX integration.
01
25% reduction in FTE costs
Eliminated duplicate roles and streamlined analytics operations
03
$35M+ in annual savings
By integrating UX into Business decision-making resulting in a streamlined analytics portfolio
CERTIFICATIONS
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Performance Management and Tracking (Metrics, KPIs) – McKinsey Academy, 2023
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Leading Transformations: Manage Change – Macquarie University via Coursera, 2023
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McKinsey Transformation L1 Program – McKinsey (internal expert training), 2022
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Certified Agile Leadership – Scrum Alliance, 2019
FRAMEWORKS
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The Influence model. McKinsey & Company. The four building blocks of change
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5 Frames of Performance and Health. McKinsey & Company. A better way to lead large-scale change
"One of our team’s greatest achievements was our initiative to drive a cross-function merger of multiple McKinsey Data & Analytics teams. Marianne’s UX research insights were essential because they revealed opportunities for better alignment of a new, streamlined Data & Analytics organization structure; one that also drove increased internal efficiency."
Brian Bussing, PM, Analytics Team