The team partnered with a prominent Chinese family-run smart energy provider to develop a strategic vision that drives business growth and innovation. The vision centered on identifying future scenarios where the company could excel — balancing market viability with strategic feasibility.

Bridging Western design thinking with traditional Chinese values is never easy.

As the lead design researcher, I connected IDEO’s methodologies with the client’s rich Chinese heritage — anchored by the founding family’s connection to spiritual teacher Nan Huai-chin.

I crafted a narrative framework inspired by Nan’s teachings to offer holistic guidance from product design/innovation to opportunities for vision building. This approach built trust with the CEO, secured early buy-in, and established a shared language that honored the client’s values while preserving IDEO’s innovative edge.

Key research activities

• Client stakeholder and domain expert interviews

• Desk research
  combined with futuring

• Overseas study trip

• Prototype testing with inspirational consumers  

Process Highlights

Drawing inspiration from Nan’s works,I used a relationship-based framework to create a governing narrative that anchored our signals, opportunities, and innovation roadmap.

The narrative was seamlessly integrated into the corporate vision concept video — a pivotal deliverable that set the stage for the project’s next phase.

“I’m very intrigued by the thinking of Chinese philosophy here. What kind of responsibilities do we convey as humans—between individuals, families, societies, and the environment? … We need to cultivate an altruistic heart because social responsibility is essential.”

- Client’s CEO (2nd gen of the founding family) in response to the narrative