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SDAIA Innovation Lab

Innovation lab experience

Client Saudi Authority for Data and Artificial Intelligence

CategoryIntranet Platform

Time Line 4 Months

Associated With HUED

Project Overview

SDAIA – The Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority – is a government organization focused on advancing data and AI-driven initiatives across the Saudi Kingdom. They needed a centralized Innovation Lab and Intranet System to boost internal collaboration, streamline projects, and drive digital transformation.

Project Goals:
Build a digital Innovation Lab to foster ideation and collaboration among employees.
Design a modern intranet platform to connect teams, share knowledge, and manage internal initiatives.
Ensure the platform is intuitive, scalable, and aligned with the authority’s digital-first vision.

Research Process

1- Stakeholder Interviews:
We began by interviewing SDAIA leadership and department heads to align on:
Business goals
Operational challenges
Technical requirements
Success metrics
Key Insight:Stakeholders emphasized the need for a centralized, secure platform to break down silos and encourage innovation.

2. User Interviews:
Next, we conducted interviews with employees from different levels and departments to capture:
Current pain points in collaboration
Frustrations with existing tools
Expectations from a new system
Key Insight: Users wanted intuitive navigation, a place to submit ideas.

3. Ideation Workshops :
We held collaborative sessions with internal teams to brainstorm solutions and features.
Used How Might We questions and affinity mapping
Prioritized features by impact and feasibility
Outcome: Ideas like an “Idea Wall”, “Innovation Challenges”, and customizable department pages were highly favored.

 4. User Journey Mapping:
We mapped end-to-end journeys for key personas:
Innovator (employee with an idea)
Knowledge Seeker (employee looking for resources)
Project Manager (coordinating internal initiatives).

Key Findings

based on all the previous efforts and activities we conducted these key findings:

Project Problems :
Current lack of a centralized platform for employee innovation
Fragmented internal collaboration and idea tracking
Difficulty in capturing, evaluating, and nurturing ideas internally

Project Challenges :
Increase User Engagement
Improve Information Accessibility
Drive Program Applications & Registrations
Enhance Brand Perception & Trust
Provide Accessibility Features

Target Users :
Standard Employees
Innovation Evaluators
Portal Admins
Executives

Define a prioritized Feature List

The Feature List is a comprehensive overview of the key functionalities and capabilities of our product. It serves to highlight the unique aspects that set our solution apart and provide value to users.

Creating Information Architecture

We Conducted Information Architecture (IA) and mapped out the hierarchy of content to align with both business priorities and user mental models. The resulting IA served as the foundation for:
A clear navigation structure
Logical grouping of features and content
Scalable taxonomy for future expansion

Final Result

We Hopefully Delivered an enhanced version of the website considering best User experience practices and also adapting new design trends that suits the targeted audience. below there’s an example for our achievements:

Created a centralized platform ready to scale with SDAIA’s digital transformation.

Delivered high-fidelity screens and a modular design system to empower future enhancements.

Received positive feedback from users for clarity, accessibility, and feature relevance.

Noha Yasser