DesignMap
DesignMap is a San Francisco-based strategic design consultancy founded in 2006 that helps mid-to-large enterprise technology companies reimagine products — especially for AI — using proprietary frameworks like Visiontypes, Design Diligence, and organizational design readiness models.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2006
- HeadquartersSan Francisco, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What DesignMap does
DesignMap is a privately held strategic design consultancy founded in 2006 and headquartered in San Francisco, specializing in complex B2B and B2B2C software environments. The firm operates as a senior team of strategists, designers, and researchers (51-100 total employees per firmographic data, with ~20 senior members listed publicly) serving mid-to-large enterprise technology companies and adjacent regulated verticals including healthcare, financial services, security, and cleantech.
The service catalog is organized around three pillars — Progress (strategy and vision), Product (design and AI integration), and People (skills development and team augmentation) — codified through proprietary methodologies including Visiontypes (interactive prototypes of future product experiences spanning 3-10 years), the Levels of Organizational Design Readiness maturity model, Design Diligence diagnostics for investors and acquirers, and the Shadow Design Survey framework. Offerings include AI Workshop (5 sessions), Rapid AI Product Reimagination (4-6 weeks), Legacy Product + AI (6-8 weeks), Next-Gen Strategy, Product-Service Design, Coaching & Advisement (2-3 months), Workshops & Training, Fractional Design Leadership (30-90+ days), and an online Research & Synthesis course distributed via a Voltage Control partnership. The technology stack is human-delivered consulting augmented by general-purpose LLMs (ChatGPT/GPT-4) used internally for qualitative research synthesis.
DesignMap generates revenue through fee-based, quote-priced professional services engagements sized by scope and duration. The go-to-market is sales-led, leveraging a thought-leadership engine (blog, whitepapers, webinars, a published book) plus enterprise referrals from a prestigious client logo base that includes Adobe, Google, Salesforce, Cisco, Atlassian, Asana, PayPal, Charles Schwab, Wells Fargo, Kaiser Permanente, Cloudera, Docker, eBay, VMware, RSA, and Mastercard. The firm is founder/partnership-owned with no institutional venture or growth funding disclosed and no public revenue figures.
DesignMap firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- DesignMap
- Legal name
- DesignMap
- Website
- https://designmap.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2006
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- DesignMap is a San Francisco-based strategic design consultancy founded in 2006 that helps mid-to-large enterprise technology companies reimagine products — especially for AI — using proprietary frameworks like Visiontypes, Design Diligence, and organizational design readiness models.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
DesignMap industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Strategic Design Consulting Services
- NAICS
- Other Specialized Design Services (54149), Graphic Design Services (54143)
- SIC
- Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Digital Creative & Experience Design Agencies (Web/App/UX) (MPAAAAAD)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Industrial/Product & Furniture Design (BPAHAKAM)
Keywords
Where DesignMap is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Francisco
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
DesignMap business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Professional Services — Strategic Design Engagements: DesignMap generates revenue through fee-based consulting engagements including Visiontypes, Design Diligence, AI workshops, Coaching & Advisement, Workshops & Training, and Fractional Design Leadership. Engagements are priced by scope and duration, typically running from 30 days to 3+ months.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | AI Workshop: 5-session engagement for team alignment on AI strategy |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Rapid AI Product Reimagination: 4–6 week engagement |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Legacy Product + AI: 6–8 week engagement |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Coaching & Advisement: 30–90 day programs with weekly check-ins |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Design Diligence: 2-week design diagnostics for investors/acquirers |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Fractional Design Leadership & Staff Augmentation: 30–90+ days |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Workshops & Training: Half-day to 3-week engagements |
| Subscription | Monthly | Research & Synthesis Online Course (hosted with Voltage Control) |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels10 records
DesignMap product offering
Product offeringCore offering
DesignMap is a strategic design consultancy that partners with enterprise software companies to design AI-powered and complex B2B products. The firm delivers professional service engagements including AI workshops, rapid product reimagining, legacy product modernization, next-gen strategy and visiontype prototyping, product-service design, coaching and advisement, design diligence for investors, and fractional design leadership.
Product overview
DesignMap is a strategic design consultancy offering a portfolio of professional services organized around three pillars: Progress (strategy and vision), Product (design and AI integration), and People (skills development and team augmentation). The core offering consists of AI-specific services (AI Workshop, Rapid Reimagining, Legacy Product + AI), strategic consulting (Next-Gen Strategy, Visiontypes/North Star), product design services (Product-Service Design), and organizational capability building (Coaching & Advisement, Skills Development, Fractional Design Leadership). Design Diligence provides investment-focused design diagnostics. The firm also offers an online Research & Synthesis training course through Voltage Control. All services are human-delivered consulting engagements, not software products.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- BAU(N) Candle Collection: A candle collection inspired by design jargon and acronyms, featuring scents named after common business terms like 'Blue Sky Thinking', 'Deep Dive', 'Circle Back', 'Low Hanging Fruit', 'Wireframes', 'WFH', 'ROI', 'In the Weeds', and 'Collaboration'.
Products and services
- AI Workshop A five-session workshop engagement that helps product teams explore AI's potential, align on strategy, and produce a blueprint for next steps. Targeted at product leaders and design teams in B2B technology companies.
- Rapid (Re)imagining Your Product A 4-6 week engagement that helps teams zoom out, reframe their product for an AI-first world, and validate bold new concepts through user-validated prototypes. For business and product leaders in B2B companies.
- Legacy Product + AI A 6-8 week engagement that helps clients identify and prioritize high-impact AI opportunities within existing systems, modernizing without breaking what works. For product teams managing mature B2B products.
- Next-Gen Strategy Strategic consulting service that helps clients step back from noise to make smarter decisions, unlock new value, and align teams for the next generation. For executives and product leaders seeking product strategy clarity.
- Product-Service Design Design service focused on creating intuitive experiences, thoughtful AI integrations, and unified platforms centered around end users. For enterprise software teams building complex B2B products.
- Skills Development & Workshops Training programs that break down silos, up-skill teams, and foster a growth-minded culture through workshops and facilitation. For product managers, designers, and cross-functional teams.
- Coaching & Advisement A 2-3 month program with weekly check-ins that elevates UX strategy, supports design team growth, and coaches executives and business leaders on building design as a differentiator.
- Design Diligence A 2-week engagement providing actionable design diagnostics for investors and VCs, assessing design maturity, opportunities, and risks with a proprietary scoring methodology. For VC/PE firms conducting design due diligence.
- Fractional Design Leadership & Staff Augmentation Flexible staffing service providing interim design leaders, senior designers, and specific design skillsets (user researchers, UX designers, visual UI designers) on a 30-90+ day basis.
- Visiontypes (North Star) Next-generation strategy service creating interactive prototypes of the future that turn organizational goals into tangible customer experience improvements, spanning 3-10 years forward. Used for strategic alignment and funding decisions.
- Research & Synthesis Course Online course on qualitative user research, conducting research, capturing data, synthesis frameworks, organizing data, writing insights, and jumpstarting ideation. Hosted by Voltage Control with 24 videos, priced at $250 per enrollment.
Quantifiable outcome
- Every dollar invested in UX brings on average $100 in return (Forrester Research cited in Design Diligence materials)
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use DesignMap
Customer profileNamed customers20 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
DesignMap technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability5 records
Feature6 records
DesignMap partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Voltage ControlminorDesignMap partners with Voltage Control to co-produce and distribute the 'Research & Synthesis' online course through Voltage Control's elective platform. DesignMap provides the course content and expertise; Voltage Control handles platform hosting and distribution.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
DesignMap competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Work & Co: Digital product studio that designs and builds flagship digital experiences for major B2B and consumer brands (e.g., Google, Apple, Gatorade) — competes directly with DesignMap for complex enterprise software product engagements.
- frog (frog design): Global product and brand design consultancy (now part of Capgemini Invent) specializing in digital product and experience design for technology and consumer clients — directly comparable in service mix and target buyer to DesignMap.
- Punchcut: Product design consultancy building consumer-grade digital products and connected experiences for technology brands; competes with DesignMap in the enterprise software product design category.
- Method (GlobalLogic): Design-driven digital experience agency (now part of GlobalLogic) focused on customer experience and product design for technology and financial services brands — comparable scope and target customer set.
- ustwo: Global digital product studio with a strong product strategy and UX practice serving enterprise clients on multi-platform product design; comparable size and B2B-leaning client mix to DesignMap.
- IDEO: Pioneering Bay Area–headquartered design consultancy serving global enterprises on product, service, and organizational design; competes with DesignMap for the same C-suite design strategy mandates and is the most-recognized brand in the category.
- R/GA: Global creative and innovation consultancy building products, services, and brand experiences for enterprise technology clients — direct competitor for the kind of B2B UX/AI-product work DesignMap sells.
Broad incumbents
- McKinsey Design: The design practice of McKinsey & Company, attaching strategic design to large transformation mandates; competes for the same senior executive buyers that DesignMap targets with its Visiontypes and Organizational Design Readiness offerings.
- Fjord (Accenture): Accenture Interactive's design and innovation arm covering service design, brand, and product experience at global scale; competes with DesignMap on enterprise transformation RFPs while offering the breadth of a larger parent.
Emerging players
- EightShapes: Specialized design systems consultancy helping enterprises operationalize design at scale — adjacent to DesignMap's Organizational Design Readiness and shadow-design work and a likely referral partner or partial substitute.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
DesignMap social profiles
Digital presenceDesignMap financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
DesignMap leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles12 records
DesignMap funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
DesignMap M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about DesignMap
What does DesignMap do?
DesignMap is a strategic design consultancy that partners with enterprise software companies to design AI-powered and complex B2B products. The firm delivers professional service engagements including AI workshops, rapid product reimagining, legacy product modernization, next-gen strategy and visiontype prototyping, product-service design, coaching and advisement, design diligence for investors, and fractional design leadership.
Is DesignMap a public or private company?
DesignMap is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was DesignMap founded?
DesignMap was founded in 2006. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is DesignMap based?
DesignMap is headquartered in San Francisco, United States, in the North America region.
How does DesignMap make money?
One revenue line is on record: professional Services — Strategic Design Engagements.
Who are DesignMap's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Work & Co, frog (frog design), Punchcut, Method (GlobalLogic), ustwo, IDEO and R/GA. Broad incumbents are McKinsey Design and Fjord (Accenture). EightShapes is listed as an emerging player.
Does DesignMap have an API?
No public API is recorded for DesignMap.
What industry is DesignMap in?
DesignMap's product category is Strategic Design Consulting Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAAAAAD, Digital Creative & Experience Design Agencies (Web/App/UX), with a secondary code of BPAHAKAM, Industrial/Product & Furniture Design. Its NAICS code is 54149 and its SIC code is 8700.