Humans as enablers of digital transformation of retailers: The design system SKAPA and its users as capabilities for IKEAs digital transformation

Abstract: This thesis aims to explore how a design system can serve as a resource for digital transformation within the retail industry, by drawing from the dynamic capabilities approach and the digital maturity framework by Pinto et al. (2023). Connected to this, it is looking specifically at the adoption of design systems and investigates how humans can act as enablers of digital transformation. To do so, a single case study of the multinational retailer IKEA and its design system SKAPA was conducted. Through qualitative interviews with managers and designers based in Sweden, China, and the US insights about IKEA’s digital transformation and SKAPA were gathered. The findings drawn from this research identified that design systems are a strong capability that is interrelated with an organization’s other resources, allowing the retailer to better face the challenges of digital transformation in a fast-paced and competitive retail environment. A design system can empower co-workers at retail companies such as IKEA, while simultaneously strengthening the brand and breaking down silos across the organization. Furthermore, the findings revealed that the adoption of a design system is not only impacted by a company’s digital culture, technology, and strategy but most importantly by its people such as designers and leadership/management which directly use and manage such systems and implement a company’s culture and strategy. The community aspect around a design system which is also human-related was identified as a new capability tied to the social element to digital transformation. This underlines that humans ultimately impact the company’s digital maturity and ability to undergo digital transformation. Overall, this thesis adds to the academic understanding of design system, adoption research and literature on digital transformation of the retail industry.