The Digital Engineers of Nitor: Service Designer Tia is inspired by the impact of long-term client relationships

Hi Tia! To start, could you tell us how you became a Digital Engineer?

Sure! My first career path was in architecture and industrial design, working in fields like urban and building development. I was curious to see what possibilities the digital realm would have in store, and this world eventually just swept me away.

Looking back, the leap from physical structures to working in the digital realm wasn’t as big as I thought. I’ve now been on this path for over 15 years, and I truly love what I do. The pace just keeps accelerating, and the rapid advancement of technology offers an endless stream of new knowledge. This job grants me a lifelong cycle of learning. I joined Nitor as a Digital Engineer a little over three years ago.

Modern digital life tends to be quite fast paced indeed! Could you describe a Nitorean Service Designer’s typical work week?

My role varies a lot. I work extensively on digital transformation projects, which involve developing both new and existing services and processes. The work rarely follows a set pattern for long, which makes this an incredibly exciting field. 

I thrive in the deeper social interaction of client work and have been consulting for the same client for three years now. One of my favourite things about working at Nitor is our focus on building long-term partnerships with clients. I’ve been able to work on projects from start to finish, which has given me a chance to witness the real-world impact of the solutions we’ve introduced. I enjoy that immensely. 

Long-term client relationships also offer a much smoother experience overall, as it enables me to dive deep into the client’s business and underlying structures. This makes it much easier to help clients achieve their targets and goals.

That makes a lot of sense. In a video you starred in, you mentioned your current work in the financial sector. Could you elaborate on that?

We’re currently developing a new tool for our client in finance that will make life easier for both their employees and customers. After over a year of concepts, design, and prototyping, we’re nearing the launch. The pilot phase is already underway, so we’re currently monitoring the tool’s usage to ensure it meets its goals from both a business and end-user perspective. A very exciting phase of the project!

How do you tackle client challenges using service design?

Generally, a Service Designer’s work often begins when a company reacts to changes in the market or experiences similar shifts. These could involve new technology, changes in the commercial landscape, evolving user needs, or the declining effectiveness of old processes. In such cases, we need to break everything down to the atomic level, and assess which pieces to keep, discard, or reinvent. This includes examining market trends, customer feedback, and shifts in the organisation’s strategic direction.

My work involves extensive discussions, research, analysis, and observation. You need to be able to grasp big-picture scenarios. Sometimes the goal is already defined and clearly visible within the client’s business area. In those cases, I help the client articulate and break down the steps needed to reach that goal. That often requires a heavier emphasis on strategic work, involving communication with various stakeholders and mapping out their needs. At its core, it’s about bread-and-butter communication. This is a profoundly human-centric job.

Tia is a skilful and versatile designer. She operates comfortably on all levels of design from vision and business strategy to the nitty-gritty details of digital services. Tia can think big. She is innovative, responsible and fun to work with which makes her a truly wonderful colleague you can always rely on.

- Mervi Rauhala, Principal Service Designer

It certainly sounds diverse! How do the traits of a Digital Engineer manifest in your work?

A Digital Engineer is characterised by a genuine desire to solve client problems and an ability to take note of the bigger picture. In my role, these traits are essential because at least half of a Service Designer’s work involves change management. Concepts often need to be rephrased several times to ensure everyone involved understands the shared goal and what achieving it entails. Once everyone is securely on the same page, it’s easier to focus on details and implementation for the following stages.

A Digital Engineer also needs to possess the courage to dive into the deep end and challenge existing practices. This job is all about innovation and trying out new ideas. I find it incredibly rewarding when a brainstorming session produces a stroke of genius. It’s so exhilarating!

It’s clear you’re very passionate about your work. What’s it like to be part of Nitor’s Digital Engineers?

In my experience, everyone employed at Nitor is a perfect fit for our work culture. People always seem to align very naturally with the company’s values and ways of working. Nitor’s Digital Engineers share a mindset of genuine curiosity, pragmatism, and a sincere desire to learn. People are eager to explore and experiment with new things and involve others in the process.

Nitor cultivates a strong sense of belonging. Even though our workforce is now over two hundred people with varying personalities, a common trait Nitoreans share is the confidence that by digging into the details, we can tackle every new challenge and complexity that comes our way.

That’s truly admirable. Finally, how did it feel to share your work in front of a camera?

It was a really fun and refreshing experience! My work includes conducting a lot of interviews and persona or segment analyses, so it was fun to be on the opposite side for a change. It also felt great to take a step back to take in the bigger picture and articulate what my work involves. I had a lot of fun!

In this campaign, we’ll introduce Nitoreans in different roles. Every Nitorean is a Digital Engineer: a pragmatic and solution-oriented helper who doesn’t settle for assumptions. Instead, they take one step further to seek the right questions and even better answers.