Alphega

Alphega (Cencora group) operates across multiple European markets, managing relationships between pharmacies and pharmaceutical manufacturers. The organization was shifting from spreadsheet-based reporting to a unified, data-driven decision system with the ambition to monetize insights at scale.

01 Challenge

How might we transform fragmented KPI reporting into a shared diagnostic system that enables strategic decision-making across Europe?

The solution needed to navigate diverse regulatory contexts, varying market maturities, and distinct organizational cultures.

02 Core Problem

The real challenge wasn’t building a better dashboard; it was creating a shared diagnostic system. We faced a significant maturity gap between central and country teams, cultural resistance to standardization, and inconsistent definitions of success. This was a systemic challenge involving governance, data literacy, and decision-making logic.

03 My Role

I led the engagement end-to-end, managing scope and budget while acting as the primary interface between the European Data Lead, C-level stakeholders, and cross-country teams. My responsibilities spanned from conducting in-depth ethnographic interviews and mapping mental models to designing the conceptual structure and navigation hierarchy of the final platform.

04 Impact

Beyond interface improvements, the project reshaped how performance is managed across Europe:

Operational: Unified KPI categorization across borders and a drastic reduction in spreadsheet reliance and cognitive load.

Strategic: Established a shared diagnostic language (Investment vs. Market Share) and aligned central/country logic, directly strengthening manufacturer negotiations and investment optimization.

Scalability: Delivered a robust data governance framework ready for long-term growth.

05 Takeaways

Design as Decision-Making: This project proved that clarity only exists when understanding is shared. We didn't just build charts; we designed how decisions are made.

Constraints as Catalysts: Working closely with developers within Power BI’s technical boundaries ensured that our strategic intent was both implementable and scalable.

06 Research & Framing

We moved beyond surface-level metrics to analyze diagnostic intentions. By comparing central vs. country questions and manufacturer vs. pharmacy perspectives, we discovered that countries organized data differently because they were solving different problems. Our breakthrough was standardizing the diagnostic logic, not just the metrics.

07 Key Insights

Measurement is not Diagnosis: Teams had data but lacked interpretation. We transformed the tool from passive reporting to active decision-making by anchoring every KPI to a strategic question.

Hierarchy Over Grids: Stakeholders think from macro to micro. We replaced flat tables with a structured decision path, reducing cognitive overload.

Directional Design: We structured the interface like a "traffic light" system, prioritizing action over mere reporting.