CASE STUDY

Shaping a Cohesive Customer Journey: Leading Cross-Functional Alignment

Project Summary

This initiative focused on aligning fragmented customer journey maps across multiple teams, creating a cohesive framework to guide all product and marketing efforts. By conducting research, synthesizing insights, and leading collaboration across design, product, and engineering, I ensured that the customer journey became a shared focal point for the company. This work strengthened the company’s strategic direction and improved how teams engaged with customers, ensuring that design, marketing, and product strategies were united.

My Role

  • Led a cross-functional team of 2 designers, collaborating with product, engineering, and marketing teams

  • Defined and drove a cohesive customer journey strategy

  • Facilitated workshops and working sessions to align stakeholders on vision and priorities

  • Advocated for human-centered design practices and embedded them into team processes

THE CHALLENGE

Multiple cross-functional teams were divided into different pillars, each responsible for various stages of the user journey. This led to varying perceptions of the customer journey and made alignment on experiences and outcomes challenging. The key was breaking down silos and aligning on a unified vision for the end-to-end customer experience

STRATEGIC APPROACH

Discovery & Research

  • Conducted stakeholder interviews to understand the gaps in current customer journey understanding

  • Analyzed existing customer journey maps across teams to identify overlaps, inconsistencies, and opportunities

  • Developed a unified framework that positioned the customer experience as the central focus for all teams

  • Synthesized customer data, product feedback, and market research to validate assumptions and align goals

Strategy Definition

Computer screen with research data in the background and a light bulb in the foreground

  • Created a shared journey framework that all teams could use as a reference point

  • Prioritized experiences based on customer pain points and business objectives

  • Defined clear touchpoints and stages in the journey to guide marketing, product, and support efforts

  • Aligned key initiatives with business goals, ensuring every step in the customer journey was purposeful and impactful

Cross-functional Leadership

Icon of three people standing together, symbolizing unity or teamwork.

  • Facilitated workshops with key stakeholders to ensure buy-in and alignment across departments

  • Coordinated between product, marketing, and engineering teams to streamline efforts and reduce duplicative work

  • Established clear communication channels and feedback loops to maintain transparency throughout the project

  • Led the ongoing process of iteration and refinement, ensuring that the customer journey evolved with company and market needs

OUTCOMES AND BUSINESS IMPACT

  • Strategic Alignment: Ensured that all teams were working toward a common goal, resulting in a more cohesive customer experience.

  • Operational Efficiency: Journey maps were adopted into team planning sessions, referenced in cross-functional presentations, and cited during strategic decision-making — signaling increased clarity and reduced friction in understanding the end-to-end experience.

  • Unified Strategy: Developed a unified customer journey map that aligned cross-functional teams, improving product, marketing, and support experiences.

  • Improved Collaboration: Streamlined processes to reduce misalignment and duplication of efforts across departments, fostering stronger cross-functional alignment.

MEASUREABLE IMPACT

Framework Adoption: The journey framework became part of annual planning rhythms across multiple orgs, referenced in stakeholder and exec reviews.

Velocity Gains: Discovery-to-prioritization cycle times decreased as internal teams began referencing shared customer insights instead of running ad hoc research.

Predictive Value: By mapping the risks of fragmented AI experiences, I helped stakeholders understand the downstream costs of misalignment — including inefficient investment, rework, and lost customer trust.

Silhouette with a light bulb in the brain symbolizing thought or bright idea.

REFLECTIONS & LESSONS LEARNED

This project reinforced the importance of breaking down silos to create a shared vision. I realized that while alignment across teams is crucial, it’s just as important to continually advocate for the customer perspective. The experience honed my leadership skills, teaching me how to lead through influence, build trust, and drive strategic initiatives that matter to both the business and the customer. It was a critical step in my journey of aligning product, marketing, and design teams toward a common customer-centered goal.