banedanmark 

challenges

Banedanmark was about to implement a new public supply portal and an internal procurement portal because their previous solution was based on expired and outdated systems. Therefore, Banedanmark wanted to develop design and requirements specification as well as a vision for an overall portal/solution regarding supply and procurement.

Banedanmark about Effective Design Thinking

invokers avatar female

Asta Maria Jepsen 

Project Manager for Purchasing, Banedanmark




Asta has comprehensive experience with development of complex IT projects and is familiar with many of the methodologies and approaches which have been popular over the years. She has been running two Design Thinking processes with invokers – for very differing projects: a public supply portal and an internal procurement portal.

"The workshops are incredibly efficient and compressed"

“We had representatives from many different employee groups on the workshops, and they all had a very good experience. Both because they are happy to be involved so early in the process, and also because they have respect for the invokers-team. Martin and his team are professionally strong and have a great industry knowledge, which is a great force when they interview the employees and facilitate the process. The process has really helped to broaden our understanding of our real needs.”

"We achieve that people are using the new systems. Exactly the way it is intended"

‟And it looks really promising, especially in relation to e.g. compliance. When we start a Design Thinking workshop, it becomes easier to use the system than not to use it. We achieve that people actually use the new system - and use it as intended. It gives great value from day one.


When developing, you have to remember that all users are actually interested in doing it right! Many projects fail because even skilled developers have not been good enough to imagine the actual work situation. If you make it easy to access the system, users will do it. The conceptualization, visualization and the mock-ups we work with at the Design Thinking workshop, make us all experience the actual use and the system is being developed correctly from the start.


The process therefore invites the employees to participate. I already see more than one advantage: one thing is that people from the start get the chance to contribute with their input and feel heard and seen. The other is that they also better understand the challenges and obstacles that needs to be balanced. One has to consider the price of wanting to get it all. Make sure to get the necessary to get the needs covered. But it is not always possible to fulfil all wishes - and here the cause becomes visible. Then comes the understanding as well.”

"Eye opener that reveals shortcomings and problems on time"

‟Registration requirements have only grown over the years, complexity increases, but you no longer have several years to develop the systems.

Design Thinking is good because it is compressed and helps to ensure that you consider certain things in detail – before you start the development work. Such as how your solution should really look and feel. In specific and visible terms. This will also enable you to intercept any problems more efficiently and in due time. Because the process is really good at highlighting the possibilities and potential obstacles in relation to the needs. In this process, for instance, we realized that we were not properly supporting parts of the process. And that was clearly an eye-opener to us. So the error was intercepted before it even occurred.”


"Respect for invokers. They are professionally strong with extensive industry knowledge"

“The co-operation with invokers is a good experience – for leaders as well as employees. The invokers team were respected from the start because they demonstrate a strong technical knowledge and industry insight. Our functional needs were clearly and efficiently visualized. And when I compare Design Thinking to other models, e.g. Business Blueprint, and the plain written word – well, this is just so much more efficient.”

About Banedanmark

Banedanmark is a state enterprise under the Ministry of Transport, Building and Housing with more than 2000 employees. They are responsible for contact wires, rails, signals, passenger and freight trains throughout Denmark and maintain the track as well as carry out railway projects.