Practice Areas

In a growing technology company driving the digitalization of a leading online retailer, the formats for professional development had become confusing and inconsistent over the years. Knowledge often remained tied to individual projects, and exchange across locations and language barriers was difficult—exacerbated by the fact that many employees had been hired during the pandemic and barely knew their colleagues or the office.

The solution developed is a consolidated structure of professional Practice Areas, specialized Practice Groups, and open Communities that cut across the classic line organization and provide employees with a professional “second home.” Regular exchange is ensured by recurring formats such as the “Practice Area Days” and a company-wide professional conference where the various areas of expertise come together. The benefit lies in building and sharing knowledge in a more targeted way, enabling professional careers across team boundaries, and increasing employees’ attachment to the company.

Methodologically, the approach was consistently user-centered: using empathy maps, personas, and user journeys, the needs of both new and experienced employees and of managers were identified and translated into concrete formats. Work was done iteratively in sprints; new formats were first tested as MVPs and in experiments and continuously refined via surveys, including at international sites.

The initiative was supported and directed in the role of Change Manager, who was responsible for the profound organizational transformation from the initial concept through to implementation. For this purpose, an interdisciplinary team was assembled, brought together, and continuously led. Work was consistently carried out according to agile principles, with clearly timed sprints, transparent reviews, and close involvement of all stakeholders. This ensured that an ambitious vision was translated into robust structures that can be used in everyday practice.

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