CASE Study: DHL / Entrepreneurship & service design

Understanding global logistics through entrepreneurs' lives

scenarioDNA conducted ethnographic research with small business owners in Mexico City, London, and Hong Kong to help DHL understand shipping challenges and future expectations. The findings informed human-centered principles for logistics and digital interaction.

The question: How do entrepreneurs imagine global business?

DHL wanted to understand how emerging entrepreneurs envisioned the future of international business and logistics. The brief called for a view of shipping grounded in the lives and expectations of the people building those businesses.

The research: Looking at shipping in business context

We conducted ethnographies with small business owners in Mexico City, London, and Hong Kong, examining shipping pain points and future expectations. The research connected practical difficulties with entrepreneurial worldviews, bringing everyday service needs and longer-term ambitions into the same inquiry.

The application: Principles for entrepreneur-first services

We translated the findings into human-centered principles for global logistics and digital interaction. The work informed an entrepreneur-first perspective on international commerce and service design, giving DHL a basis for thinking about services through the needs and expectations of small business owners.

Explore our approach: Culture Mapping · Cultural Research & Intelligence