Strategic redesign for Bundesliga's digital transformation
Context
Bundesliga had just completed a major brand identity redesign and needed to explore how that new visual language could translate across their digital products. Their in-house digital team saw an opportunity but lacked the internal resources and design expertise to make a compelling case to leadership.
They needed a win—something concrete enough to secure budget approval for their broader digital transformation.
As an independent consultant, I was brought in to design a vision for their iPhone app that could demonstrate what was possible with a user-centered approach and their existing content.
My focus
The challenge wasn't just to redesign an app—it was to create a strategic artifact that could unlock investment.
- ⦿Conducted rapid research to understand how football fans actually interact with content on mobile devices
- ⦿Designed multiple levels of interaction that made complex navigation feel simple and intuitive
- ⦿Established visual direction that honored the new brand identity while solving real usability problems
- ⦿Delivered fully prototyped experience with heavy documentation—designed specifically for their development team to understand and build
The work was intentionally crafted to be both inspiring and actionable—showing leadership what could be achieved while giving the development team a clear path forward.
Outcome
The digital team presented the proposal to Bundesliga's executive leadership. The work helped them secure approval for the budget needed to pursue their digital transformation.
While the app itself wasn't built as designed, the project achieved its real purpose: it demonstrated the strategic value of design thinking and gave the internal team the credibility and resources to move forward.
Sometimes the most important design work isn't what gets shipped—it's what gets unlocked.