Design Your Transformation Before You Build It
I help financial institutions create transformation blueprints that align organizations and build what actually creates value - before spending millions on the wrong things.
DIGITAL REBEL
DIGITAL REBEL
Why Most Banking Transformations Fail Before They Start?
You have the strategy. You have the budget. You have talented people.
But somewhere between vision and execution, things go wrong:
The system renewal that doesn't improve customer experience.
IT builds what the tech roadmap says. Business expected something else. Customers see no difference.
The misaligned organization.
Teams work in silos. No one sees how the pieces connect. Priorities conflict. Progress stalls.
The expensive rework.
Months into build, you realize fundamental assumptions were wrong. Back to the drawing board.
The transformation that changes nothing fundamental.
Years and millions later, you have new technology but the same old problems.
The root cause?
Organizations jump from strategic vision to execution without designing the transformation itself.
My approach
I Design the Transformation Before the Program
Before you launch a multi-year, multi-million initiative, I help you create the complete transformation architecture.
The Blueprint Process:
01 — Define the Value
What are you actually creating? For whom? How do you measure success?
Not "digital transformation" or "system renewal" - the specific value you're creating for specific customers/internal users.
02 — Map the System
Current state → future state across services/products, channels, customer experience, processes, behavior, and technology landscape.
What's the real delta? What must change? What can stay?
03 — Design the Change
Which customer segments and/or internal users do you serve and how? How do you create value for them? How does everything connect?
The complete picture - from business value to system changes.
04 — Create the Roadmap
Clear priorities. Connected initiatives. One shared view of how value gets created.
Everyone understands how their work contributes.
What Becomes Possible?
Clarity
Everyone sees the big picture and how everything connects. No more "business vs. IT."
Speed
Teams move faster because there's no back-and-forth on priorities. Decisions happen quickly.
Alignment
Work aligns across the organization. Less rework. Less waste.
Value
You build what creates customer and business value. You skip what doesn't.
Savings
Millions saved by knowing what NOT to build before you start building.
How We Work Together?
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Transformation Readiness Assessment
Before you commit millions, get clarity.
Intensive diagnostic to identify what could go wrong before you start the program.
→ Review your transformation vision
→ Identify misalignment risks
→ Assess organizational readiness
→ Get clear recommendationsBest for: Organizations in planning phase, need validation before committing to full program.
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Transformation Blueprint
Design the complete transformation before you build.
The full transformation architecture - from business value to system changes.
→ Define the value you're creating
→ Map the complete change picture
→ Design how everything connects
→ Create the execution roadmapBest for: Organizations launching major transformation programs, need clarity and alignment.
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Transformation Partner
Keep your transformation on track during execution.
I embed with your program team to ensure the blueprint stays intact as you build.
→ Ongoing program governance
→ Real-time decision support
→ Bridge business-IT gaps
→ Evolve the blueprint as you learnBest for: Organizations executing transformations, need ongoing strategic design guidance.
I Work With Financial Institutions Planning Major Change
Transformation scenarios:
Core banking and system renewals
Digital transformation programs
Customer experience redesign
Post-merger integration
Decision-makers I typically work with:
Chief Strategy Officers
Chief Information Officers
Chief Digital Officers
Transformation Directors
Head of Customer Experience
Business leaders sponsoring major change
If you're planning a transformation program and want to avoid the expensive mistakes most organizations make, let's talk.
I work primarily with banks and financial institutions, but my approach applies to any large enterprise facing complex transformation.
About me
I'm a designer by soul - but from the strategic and systemic perspective.
I don't design interfaces or services in isolation. I design how entire businesses create value.
12 years in financial services:
Core banking renewals
Business and functional level strategies & their executions
Business & Data concepts
Modeling business processes & Customer journeys
Digital service design
Customer experience leadership
Ways of Working & Culture Transformations
Multiple lead & design roles:
Solution and Dependency Lead. Epic Owner. Product Manager. Team Lead. Customer Experience Lead. Senior Strategic & Business Designer. Service Designer.
Different titles, same focus: connecting strategy to execution so organizations build what creates value.
I see systems, not just surfaces. I conceptualize the whole business and how value flows through it.
That's what makes transformation design different from strategy consulting or execution delivery - it's the architecture that connects them.
Selected work
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Product management in MS Dynamics CRM project for financial institution
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Solution & Dependency lead in a core banking renewal program
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Data strategy creation for a global financial institution
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Streamlining processes for a global financial institution
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Overall concept of a customer portal for a global financial institution
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Mobile bank digital channel service deisgn
Jenni Saarenpää/CEO
jenni@digitalrebel.fi
+358 45 868 4790
Before you launch your transformation program, let's discuss:
→ What value you're trying to create?
→ Where the expensive mistakes usually happen?
→ How transformation design could help?
No pitch. No obligation. Just a conversation about your specific situation.