Frog Design
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- Frog Design ShanghaiCase StudyHannah Gong
- Hi, I'm Frog Design Shanghai, I was born in Shanghai, China in 2007, and my grandfather Frog Design was born in Germany in 1969. Our family is in the global creative and design consulting business. Our mission is to create a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive world through design. Our culture is optimism, freedom, openness, and authenticity.A lot has changed in the last 30+ years:*Industrial design — Convergent design and development strategic product consulting*Design new products — Tackle key business problems*Hired by product manager — Hired by executive level
- In the future, in Shanghai, I would like to become the Asian hub with a full range of capabilities. I will carry out the following business:*Provided strategic product consulting advice*Product and interaction design*Market and consumer trends research*Ethnographic design research*New product and service innovation
- Strength:(1) User-Centered design(2) Strong creativity(3) Excellent products and services(4) Service diversification (strategy, design, implementation)(5) Cross-Disciplinary team(6) Extensive cross-industry experience(7) Strong brand power(8) Diversity and global perspective(9) Low turnover rate(10) Focus on training and developing talent(11) Agile, not afraid of change
- I have strengths and weaknesses.
- Weakness:(1) Few local connections in China(2) Few client relationships(3) Cultural barrier(4) Few employees
- Threat:(1) The rapid rise of competitors(2) Competition from shanzhai(3) Many companies in China just focus on product innovation(4) Scarcity of local senior talent in China
- Opportunity:(1) China's rapid economic developments (2) China's growing demand for innovation (3) The Chinese government encourages innovation (4) The Chinese market is huge(5) Few existing competitors(6) Accelerated globalization
- I face manyopportunitiesand many threats.
- We need to build on our strengths, overcome our weaknesses, capitalize on opportunities, and defend against threats.The most important things Frog Shanghai has to do are: (1) Recruit more experienced people with diverse backgrounds from both East and West.(2) Build more client relationships and expand the network.
- From Corporate Focus to Human Resources, I now have 31 human partners, 22 from China, 6 from the USA, 2 from Germany, and 1 from Japan.18 of them joined the company through referrals, 10 through open recruitment, and 3 through transfers.We also need to recruit more people who fit the four archetypes.
- The TechnovatorChineseEast–West BridgeManufacturing EngineeringClient ManagementThought LeaderGovernment Savvy
- Master of OsmosisIndustry VerticalsTeam LeaderIndustrial DesignerExpertise DiffusionContent ExpertiseTalent Magnet
- The Inspired MindChineseContent ExpertCreativeTeam LeaderThought Leader
- The SpecialistVerticalEast–West BridgeBusiness DevelopmentClient ManagementThought LeaderContent Transfer
- We now need to hire four senior executives, I have posted the positions and after screening and interviewing, I have shortlisted a number of candidates. Now it's time to make a decision, let's take them one by one.
- Associate Creative DirectorThis role oversees the daily activities of a team of designers assigned to multiple projects and cultivates an environment of sustained creativity and professional growth. Associate creative directors will assist the creative directors on design direction, team effectiveness, and client relationships. They are also expected to play an active, hands-on role in key projects.Requirements:*At least two years of experience managing a digital design team.*At least seven years of professional digital design experience.*Strong leadership and people management skills.*Proven ability to mentor and develop skills in junior digital designers.*Strong knowledge of design process and project management.*Excellent interpersonal and presentation skills, including the ability to communicate effectively in small and large groups at all levels of a client organization.*Ability to negotiate and coordinate with multiple groups and disciplines.*Bachelor’s degree in a design-related discipline.
- JosephPros:(1) East-West bridge.(2) Chinese, familiar with Chinese culture.(3) Engineering background.(4) Joseph's design research has breadth and depth.(5) Thought leader.(6) Have communication skills.(7) Commitment.(8) Curious.(9) Expertise diffusion.Cons:(1) Inexperience in digital design.(2) Lack of work experience in more prestigious firms.
- MarkPros:(1) Experienced in digital design.(2) Experienced in working in prestigious and startup companies.(3) Bachelor’s degree in a design-related discipline(4) Strong leadership and people management skills(5) Excellent interpersonal and presentation skills.(6) Ability to negotiate and coordinate with multiple groups and disciplines.(7) Expertise diffusion.Cons:(1) Lack of understanding of Chinese culture.(2) Employee relationship problem.
- Joseph is a combination of the Technovator and the Inspired Mind. In addition to his expertise, he is Chinese and has a background of studying and working in the West, so his joining the company will help us to better communicate and collaborate with employees from different countries. There are currently 31 people in the company, most of whom are Chinese. The three existing directors of the creative department are all non-Chinese, which may lead to communication problems among the departments. Therefore, it is a good choice to choose a Chinese manager to join the creative department.The problem with Joseph is that he was mainly a design researcher before, with little experience in digital design and working in prestigious companies. However, I think his curiosity and willingness to learn new things will help him adapt to a new job quickly. I believe his curiosity and commitment can let him grow with Frog.Mark is a Master of Osmosis. Mark is excellent in both his professional skills and his leadership and communication skills. Not only has he worked at well-known companies, but he has also co-founded companies, which gives him a great understanding of how to use his experience to help a startup company grow.However, he has no experience working or living in China and does not understand Chinese culture. This means that he may feel overwhelmed if he suddenly has to deal with a large number of Chinese people. Most importantly, he may have a problematic relationship with another employee who already works at Frog Shanghai, and this conflict is likely irreconcilable. I think it's a very bad sign that there's a conflict in employee relations before he's even started.
- I decide to choose Joseph as Associate Creative Director. Joseph is able to adapt Frog Design Shanghai to the Chinese culture as quickly as possible, allowing the staff to work smoothly with each other to keep the project running smoothly. And the problems he has are acceptable.
- Business Development DirectorThis role is responsible for the support of business development efforts. A candidate should have strong sales and communications skills and be an effective writer. S/he should bring business and related industry knowledge with a proven ability to develop messages based on data gathered from designers, program managers, business development, and engineering. This role is responsible for the efficient management of the account development process, including leads generation, the comprehensive collection of prospect requirements, the accurate development of prospect solutions, and the effective presentation of solutions in the form of proposals and request for proposal (RFP) responses.Requirements:*Bachelor’s degree in business, communications, or marketing; MBA preferred.*Strong creative sales writing, RFP development, and branding background. *Strong presentation skills and ability to articulate frog message. *Demonstrated ability to work in teams, as well as individually. *General knowledge of digital and/or product design a plus. *Ability to think creatively, as well as manage multiple initiatives simultaneously.*Energetic, self-motivated, and flexible to corporate pace as well as the dynamics of working with multidisciplinary internal teams.*Adapt to varying workloads and task requirements under tight deadlines. *Personable and able to interact well with co-workers, customers, and vendors. *Agency experience desired. *Write, edit, format, and review proposals under tight deadlines.*Solid references from previous employers as well as clients.
- ThomasPros:(1) Strong network in China.(2) Understanding Chinese Culture.(3) Experienced management in different industry.(4) Experienced in small projects.(5) Desire for innovation.Cons:(1) Unfamiliar with Frog's business.(2) Insufficient language skills.(3) Not Chinese.(4) Insufficient work experience in large companies.
- YangPros:(1) Chinese.(2) East-West bridge.(3) Low recruitment risk(4) MBA.(5) Well-established network in China.(6) Had corporate experience.(7) Experienced in strategic planning.Cons:(1) Curiosity and innovation may be lacking.
- The Business Development Director has to deal with all kinds of people from upstream and downstream industries, including the Chinese government, which is a great test of the candidate's communication skills and network of contacts. In addition, people (especially government officials) are more likely to be close to and trust Chinese people in China. Therefore, it would be a good idea to hire a Chinese person for the Director of Business Development position.Thomas is the Inspired Mind, he has knowledge from all walks of life and can bring new inspiration to Frog. He has been living and working in China for many years and has opened a few companies, which are small in size, but he has accumulated rich management experience and a network of contacts.However, Thomas is an American. His Chinese language skills were limited and he couldn't really become proficient in dealing with a wide variety of Chinese people. And Thomas didn't really understand Frog's business and design, he has a steep learning curve. Moreover, Thomas doesn't have experience working in a large-scale company, it is questionable whether he would be able to coordinate the work between the various departments.Yang is a combination of the Technovator and the Specialist. He is a Chinese with quite senior and a well-established network. He also has extensive experience in strategic planning. Furthermore, he was introduced by a mutual friend of Ying's, which showed that Yang's business skills and character were recognized, which greatly reduced the recruitment risk.Brandon was concerned that Yang might not be open-minded. But I think the fact that Yang would choose to pursue the opportunity through a friend means that Yang understands Frog and is interested in the opportunity. Then he must be ready to be creative and open-minded.
- I decide to choose Yang as Business Development Director. I am confident that Yang will be able to apply his experience to his work at Frog and use his networks to help Frog quickly build new client relationships.
- Project Management DirectorThis role provides overall account leadership, developing executive level relationships that positions frog as a design expert and strategic advisor. The program management director serves as the leader of the core frog team that partners with our client for long term mutually beneficial results. An ideal candidate is an experienced, business-savvy individual who is well-versed in managing a team while providing outstanding client support relative to the projects in progress. S/he is focused on project delivery, assuring overall quality and customer satisfaction. S/he must be able to identify a client’s business and communication needs and readily coordinate with the delivery teams to adapt project plans to meet those needs.Requirements:*10 years related experience. MBA Preferred.*Previous experience in a client service organization, preferably with top-tier consulting firm or major design studio. *Strong experience and knowledge of design and design process.*Proven experience developing and managing long-term, multiple project client relationships.*Deep understanding of project management, work flow, and infrastructure.*Ability to interact with client at all levels, from project administrators to CEOs.*Deep understanding of account management.*Ability to focus on long term business and design goals of clients.*Knowledge of contracts and commitment to contract compliance.*Strong experience with budget tracking and analysis; and strong business software skills.*Ability to manage and mentor.
- JohnnyPros:(1) Strong knowledge of software verticals.(2) Experience working in China.(3) Experience in product management.Cons:(1) Lack of experience in multiple industries.
- BrianPros:(1) Internal applicants.(2) Familiarization with Frog (culture, business).(3) Experience building a team from scratch.(4) Have worked with Frog Shanghai.(5) Low recruitment risk.(6) Low recruitment costs.(7) Ability to manage and mentor.Cons:(1) Create a talent vacuum for the Amsterdam studio.(2) Lack of understanding of Chinese culture.
- Jonny is the Specialist. He has extensive knowledge and product management experience in the software vertical. He has also worked in China and has a good understanding of Chinese culture. However, Frog is involved in many different industries, not just software. And Frog Shanghai has just been established and the Director of Project Management needs to be able to handle the business and needs of clients from a wide range of industries. Jonny's experience in the software field may not transfer well to Frog's work, and will not be able to support him in dealing with the diversity of the business.Brian is a combination of the Specialist and Master of Osmosis; Brian's greatest strength is that he previously worked in the project management team at the Amsterdam studio. The good thing about the internal transfer is that we know his character and work ability very well, so if we hire him, it will greatly reduce the recruitment risk. Brian is very familiar with the Frog project management team and knows how to build a team from scratch. If we hire him, we won't have to train him too much, which will help us reduce hiring costs. He's also worked with Frog Shanghai before and his positive attitude towards Asia will help him integrate into his work in China more quickly. As for creating a talent vacuum at the Amsterdam studio, as Brandon said, "Frog would rather keep an employee, have him go to another studio than to have lost the person completely. "
- I decide to choose Brian as Project Amangemet Director. I hope that Brian's arrival will help us quickly establish a mature and efficient project management team to ensure the smooth implementation and delivery of our projects.
- Human Resources DirectorThis is a hybrid role encompassing both recruiting and studio partner responsibilities. A successful person in this role will drive talent acquisition and management, organization design and development, and leadership capability.Requirements:*Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Organizational Psychology or equivalent.*Competent in all HR functional areas (staffing, benefits, employee relations, compensation, learning development, etc.).*Proven HR business partner and talent acquisition skills. *Knowledge and experience with team dynamics and application of organizational development and design principles. *Knowledge of employment laws, compensation philosophies, and HR operating mechanisms.*Demonstrated computer literacy to include experience with MS office suite, applicant tracking systems, and tracking of recruitment outcomes (ROI).*The ability to quickly build relationships and establish trust with leaders, hiring managers, colleagues and candidates/applicants, employees, and public at large. *Knowledge of talent acquisition concepts, processes, and their interdependencies.
- VivianPros:(1) Fitting in with Frog culture.(2) Experience working in a multinational diversified company.(3) Outstanding human resources capacity.(4) Understanding design-related knowledge.(5) Talent magnet.Cons:(1) Promoted to Director of Human Resources at current company.
- AdaPros:(1) Master's degree in human resources.(2) Experienced in human resources work.(3) Outgoing, energetic, confident.Cons:(1) Very different industry backgrounds.(2) High recuitment risk.
- Frog Shanghai does not have a Human Resources department and there are currently only 31 employees within the company with a goal of 50 employees. This requires the HR Director to recruit 19 employees in a short period of time. Therefore, it is desirable that the candidate is familiar with the design industry, experienced in recruiting, and has a well-established network pool of talent in the design field.Vivian is a Master of Osmosis. She has a wealth of HR-related experience and works in a multinational, diversified company now, which will help her to quickly integrate into Frog and build relationships with employees at all levels. She is also responsible for hiring designers at her current company, which means she knows design and has a well-established network pool of talent in the design field, which helps her with her hiring tasks.Vivian's problem is that she has been promoted to Human Resources Director at her current company, which means that there is a possibility that she may be unwilling to leave her current company and pass up the opportunity at Frog. But I think the fact that she chose to come for an interview even though she was promoted means that she is interested in Frog and this opportunity. We can actively follow up, maintain communication, and meet Vivian's requirements within acceptable limits to get her.Ada is outgoing, energetic and confident, with a strong knowledge base and experience in human resources.However, she had been working in the semiconductor industry, and she knew nothing about design. This means that if she takes on the role of HR director, she will need to quickly familiarize herself with the detailed requirements of each Frog position and rebuild the pool of talent networks. If Ada is hired, we will take the risk that she will not be able to recruit talent within the specified time, or that the talent hired will not meet the requirements.
- Interview 2Interviewer: Zhenghan Wei --- ChairCompany: Shandong Tangwei Design Co.
- I decide to choose Vivian as Human Resources Director. I am confident that Vivian can quickly build trust with employees at all levels of the company, accomplish hiring goals, do a good job of developing internal talent and do well with succession planning.
- Okay, that's the end of recruiting for the four key positions, and I hope the people I've chosen will help the company grow better. Thanks for being with me on this difficult journey. Bye!
- Interview 1Interviewer: Xiaomeng Gao --- Human Resource ManagerCompany: Blue Focus
- Interview Transcripts
- Interview 1 Translation
- (1) What do you think are the most important competencies to develop for a multinational startup?I think it's adaptability. A company goes to another country to start a business and doesn't know everything about the host country, culture, systems, market preferences, and so on. Even if they do research beforehand, it's a different story when it comes to actually running a business, and they will encounter a lot of uncertainties and unexpected situations. At this time, it is very important for the company to be able to change quickly according to the market feedback. Be adaptable and open to change.(2) What are the most important things to focus on when talent acquisition for multinational startups?Because multinational startups have to be adaptable, then you need to recruit people who can improve the company's adaptability. These people need to understand the host country and also the business of the company. This means being able to expand externally as well as grow internally. Employees who know the host country will be able to help the company expand its business and bring in customers. When they get feedback from the market they can know why the feedback is there and how to improve it. It helps the company to enter new markets more smoothly. Another thing is to know the business of the company. It may not be possible to do all the employees are experienced, but try to do it. For a startup company, the most important thing is to do business, increase reputation, and increase profit, experienced employees can help the company grow quickly.
- Interview 2 Translation
- (1) What competencies do you think are most important for a startup to develop?For a startup company the most important three points: the first focus on shaping the uniqueness of their products and core strengths, to find their own products compared to competitors' differentiated features to form their own style to attract customers. Second, establish a core team, focus on staff training and team building, improve team cohesion, and give full play to the professional ability of team members and the ability to cooperate, in order to be able to complement each other. Thirdly, the ability to learn by oneself, that is, to create and diffuse knowledge within the enterprise, or to absorb external knowledge and transform it. This is closely related to the second point, and requires employees to have a strong spirit of innovation, professionalism, and learning ability. Companies can also recruit external talented people and apply their experience to the business. The culture and management style of the company is also important, and companies need to encourage their employees to innovate and learn.(2) What are the usual duties of the sales, design, and engineering departments?Sales Department: Understand the market, analyze customer needs, and develop sales strategies and goals, according to the sales plan to complete the sales task, to achieve excellent results.Design Department: According to customer needs and simple description, give professional reference and design program. They can try their best to emphasize our products and design advantages under the situation of integrating customers' ideas as much as possible. Cooperate with the sales department colleagues to complete the sales target, and cooperate with the engineering department colleagues to install the construction smoothly.
- Engineering Department: Manage the construction sites under renovation, including material inspection and worker management. Ensure the successful completion of each project installation and after-sales construction tasks, in strict accordance with the design drawings construction. Actively cooperate with the sales department and design department colleagues to make each project can be perfect landing.(3) How did you recruit the heads of sales, design, and engineering?Recruitment channels are industry recommendations, network recruitment and so on.Sales department, design department, engineering department, and other departments in charge should have outstanding skills of this professional knowledge, can enhance the professional ability and quality of their departments, to provide the team with the right guidance and support. Have a big-picture view, not to be petty. Be able to lead the team and other departments of the company to work closely together and achieve mutual fulfillment. Leadership skills to communicate effectively with team members, stimulate potential, establish a positive working environment, and build a good team.
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