Democratize Design by Balancing 5 Pillars

Tactic Description:
IKEA balances 5 elements in every product: form, function, quality, sustainability, and low price. No single element can dominate – all must harmonize to deliver value at scale.

Priority: Long-term
Difficulty: High
Best Stage: Scaling

Example / Use Case:
A chair could be stronger with metal, prettier with color, greener with bamboo – but it must also remain affordable and practical. The team evaluates tradeoffs within a fixed 5-point system.

Executive Quote / Mindset:
“Democratic design means no compromise dominates – all values must be present.”

Guest: Fredrika Inger, Chief Product & Commercial Officer, IKEA

This post has been sponsored by aweux.com

Trap / Challenge:
Over-indexing on aesthetics or sustainability at the expense of price or usability

Time: Ongoing

Impact: 5/5

Cost: $$$

Team Owner: Design + Product + Brand

Tool Type + Example: Design Balance Scorecard – 5-Pillar Evaluation Tool

Source: Building One – Episode with Fredrika Inger

Stage Tag: Product Principles, Brand DNA

Top Play Flag: ✅

Delivery Format: Podcast Interview

💡 How a Good Marketer Would Solve This:
They’d frame this as the IKEA advantage: “Others pick one – we balance all five.” Visual storytelling would show how each element shapes the product.

✅ Implementation Checklist:

• Score all new products across the 5 IKEA pillars
• Build internal review gates based on balance (not just innovation)
• Use a visual “5-pillar badge” in packaging and digital
• Teach design + marketing teams to speak the same pillar language
• Share tradeoff stories publicly to humanize decision-making

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