From design to use, Berger-Levrault co-builds its offerings with customers

For 30 years, Berger-Levrault has bet on building its offerings by working together with its customers and partners by setting up regular co-building workshops. More than a marketing method, it’s the company’s state of mind that comes through in the way it understands its industries based on collective intelligence to contribute to the common good.

The benefits of collective intelligence

Co-building is not a miraculous recipe. It is the fruit of compliance with conditions that enable it to operate properly and the creation of shared values with the aim of obtaining differentiating results and innovative solutions that meet public expectations.

The development of software requires time and resources that must be used with intelligence and efficiency. Surveys, understanding and validating current and future requirements, iteration in the productive process, continuous adaptation: all ingredients are used by the Berger-Levrault teams using a formula containing all the knowingly orchestrated methods.

Berger-Levrault relies on a combination of tools to create, develop and improve its products. For example, market managers set up co-building workshops (focus groups) and periodically bring together groups of customers, partners and users to delve into a topic and share their experiences.

Product owners gather requirements in backlogs to draw up a list of software features. UX design methods (user experience design methods) are used to adjust interfaces and respond accurately to requirements based on mock-ups.

This co-building culture is part of the company’s history; the company began it and has been cultivating it for 30 years in user clubs depending on the business lines. Magel and Cusma are clubs in which customers and partners share their experiences, exchange and ultimately participate in the making of products they need. Because they are ongoing, these clubs create trust where the common good is the shared target.

Inspiring, the collective intelligence method designed by Berger-Levrault, is part of the company’s DNA and contributes to both its development and the development of its customers and partners.