In an era where innovation moves at a speed faster than ever before, the challenge of keeping up with the race is no longer exclusive to up-and-coming companies. More often than not, the acceleration leaves the industry’s leading players at wit’s end, as their past strategies lose their relevance in the modern context of fintech and rapid digitization. Sometimes, like in the case of ING’s PACE methodology, success can be discovered with a simple change of perspective.
At its core, PACE is an alternative path of innovation. While its name would suggest an accelerated product development cycle, the methodology goes far beyond making the process more time-efficient. In an effort to produce solutions which will truly benefit the financial experiences of customers, PACE enables developers to consult with their projects’ potential recipients ahead of release. The methodology not only ensures a warm welcome for each newly implemented solution, but also makes the best use of the bank’s innovation budget.
In Poland, PACE methodology can be observed in action in ING’s two Innovation Labs in Warsaw and Katowice. Each year, the facilities house a number of idea-brewing initiatives, such as the PACE Everyday program, where the bank’s innovators seek to improve existing products and services. Meanwhile, ING Accelerators group together small interdisciplinary teams of entrepreneurs who embark on a journey alongside ING’s team of mentors and coaches to solve problems of the contemporary banking industry.
“One of the clear trends in banking is the co-creation of new products and services with clients.” – explains Małgorzata Jarczyk-Zuber, Chief Innovation Officer at ING Bank Śląski. “This requires a change in the way we think, act and work. Innovation ING Lab is a space designed to inspire, discuss, and above all, create revolutionary solutions.”
So, how is this done, exactly? PACE combines Design Thinking, Lean Startup, and Agile Scrum into one. The first approach puts the customer at the centre of the equation – throughout their designing process, ING’s leading innovators try to step into the customers’ shoes as they come up with the newest ways to make their financial lives easier. Meanwhile, Lean Startup brings validated learning to the table, and allows rapid-fire experimentation to enter the innovation process. Finally, Agile Scrum ensures a shortened development cycle by providing a sense of flexibility in determining priorities and moving ING Innovation Lab structure away from rigid department divisions. Throughout the development process, ING’s team is able to move back and forth between its phases to verify their assumptions and ensure a truly perfect end-product.
In case you’re a visual learner, you’ll surely appreciate the short video presentation ING has prepared on the way they have adapted PACE into their innovation process. The three-minute guide summarizes the key values of the methodology, and presents the way ING hopes to utilize its benefits to bring practical solutions to their clients faster than ever before.
If you’d like to learn more about the way ING Bank Śląski fosters the spirit of innovation in the world of finances, make sure to join us for the upcoming Impact Fintech’18 in Łódź!
