Phil Gilbert
About Phil Gilbert
Phil Gilbert is the Head of IBM Design, known for integrating IBM Design Thinking globally and transforming the company's culture towards inclusive and collaborative design practices.
Head of IBM Design
Phil Gilbert serves as the Head of IBM Design. In this role, he leads the global design function at IBM. His work primarily involves driving the strategic vision for design across the company, ensuring that design principles are integrated into all facets of IBM's business operations. His leadership facilitates a design-oriented culture within the organization, promoting innovative and effective design-thinking practices.
IBM Design Thinking
Phil Gilbert has played a key role in deploying IBM Design Thinking across the company. This initiative engages IBM employees from over 50 countries in daily collaborative activities aimed at solving complex problems through a user-centered approach. IBM Design Thinking prioritizes understanding user needs, iterative prototyping, and continual feedback to enhance the design process across the organization.
Transformation of IBM's Company Culture
Phil Gilbert has been at the forefront of transforming IBM's company culture towards more inclusive and collaborative design practices. Under his guidance, IBM has shifted to a culture that emphasizes teamwork, inclusivity, and the harnessing of a diverse set of perspectives to drive design innovations. This cultural change aims to break down silos within the company and foster a more integrative approach to problem-solving.
Cost Savings from Design Thinking
Through Phil Gilbert's leadership, IBM has realized significant cost savings associated with design thinking sessions. By transforming how these sessions are conducted, the company reduced travel expenses by $16.4 million over a span of three years. These savings were achieved by leveraging digital collaboration tools and methods, allowing team members from around the world to participate in design activities without the need for extensive travel.