How a consultancy firm built a state-of-the-art facility to deliver innovation services to its clients

Introduction
A consultancy firm is a global network of professional services firms that helps its clients create value and solve complex business problems. A consultancy firm offers a range of services, including audit and assurance, tax and legal, consulting, and deals. One of the key drivers of a consultancy firm's success is its ability to innovate and adapt to the changing needs and expectations of its clients.
To support its innovation strategy, a consultancy firm decided to create a dedicated facility that would provide a collaborative and immersive environment for its clients and staff to co-create solutions, test ideas, and learn new skills. This facility, called Experience Center, was designed to be a hub of creativity, technology, and expertise, where a consultancy firm could showcase its capabilities and deliver value-added services to its clients.
This document presents a case study on the creation, construction and setup of the Experience Center, focusing on the objectives, challenges, solutions, and outcomes of the project. It also highlights the key features and benefits of the facility, and how it supports the firm's vision of being the leading innovator in the professional services industry.
Objectives
The main objectives of the Experience Center project were to:
- Build a physical space that would enable a consultancy firm to offer a range of innovation services to its clients, such as design thinking, prototyping, user testing, digital transformation and agile delivery.
- Create a flexible and modular environment that could accommodate different types of activities, events and workshops and cater to the diverse needs and preferences of the firm's clients and staff.
- Integrate the latest technologies and tools that would facilitate collaboration, communication and creativity, and enhance the user experience and engagement.
- Establish a culture of innovation and learning that would inspire a consultancy firm's staff and clients to embrace new ways of thinking and working and foster a community of innovators and change-makers.
Challenges
The Experience Center project faced several challenges, such as:
- Finding a suitable location and space that would meet the requirements and specifications of the project and comply with the health and safety standards and regulations.
- Designing and constructing the facility within a tight budget and timeline and ensuring the quality and functionality of the deliverables.
- Selecting and installing the appropriate technologies and equipment that would support the various innovation services and activities and ensure the reliability and security of the systems.
- Training and educating the staff and clients on how to use the facility and its features, and how to apply the innovation methodologies and tools.
- Measuring and evaluating the impact and value of the facility and its services and collecting feedback and insights from the users and stakeholders.
Solutions
To overcome the challenges and achieve the objectives, the Experience Center project adopted the following solutions:
- Conducting a thorough market research and feasibility study to identify the best location and space for the facility and negotiating with the landlords and contractors to secure the deal and manage the costs.
- Applying the design thinking and agile principles to the design and construction process and involving the users and stakeholders in the co-creation and testing of the facility and its features.
- Partnering with the leading technology vendors and providers to source and install the most advanced and suitable technologies and equipment for the facility and ensuring the integration and compatibility of the systems.
- Developing and delivering a comprehensive training and education program for the staff and clients on how to use the facility and its features, and how to apply the innovation methodologies and tools.
- Implementing a robust measurement and evaluation framework to assess the impact and value of the facility and its services and collecting feedback and insights from the users and stakeholders.
Outcomes
The Experience Center project resulted in the following outcomes:
- A state-of-the-art facility that provides a range of innovation services to clients, such as design thinking, prototyping, user testing, digital transformation, and agile delivery.
- A flexible and modular environment that can accommodate different types of activities, events, and workshops, and cater to the diverse needs and preferences of the clients and staff.
- A cutting-edge technology platform that facilitates collaboration, communication, and creativity, and enhances the user experience and engagement.
- A culture of innovation and learning that inspires staff and clients to embrace new ways of thinking and working and fosters a community of innovators and change-makers.
- A positive impact and value for its clients, in terms of increased customer satisfaction, loyalty and retention, improved service quality and delivery, enhanced brand reputation and differentiation, and higher revenue and growth.
Conclusion
The Experience Center project was a successful and innovative initiative that demonstrated the commitment and capability to deliver value-added services to its clients and to position itself as the leading innovator in the professional services industry. The project also showcased the benefits and best practices of applying the design thinking and agile principles to the design and construction process and involving the users and stakeholders in the co-creation and testing of the facility and its features. The project also highlighted the importance and challenges of selecting and installing the appropriate technologies and equipment, and training and educating the staff and clients on how to use the facility and its features, and how to apply the innovation methodologies and tools. The project also provided a robust measurement and evaluation framework to assess the impact and value of the facility and its services, and to collect feedback and insights from the users and stakeholders. The Experience Center project was a model of excellence and innovation, and a source of inspiration and learning for the firm and its clients.