Intel’s transformation to solutions provider.
Intel sought to reinvent its role in the Emerging Market Industrial PC (EMIPC) space—positioning itself not as a component supplier, but as a systems leader. The challenge: research global industrial ecosystems and develop a market-entry strategy tailored to China and Southeast Asia.
RKS led comprehensive global research—engaging industry experts, site observations, and stakeholder workshops—to define future business models and value KPIs for Intel’s expansion into industrial PC systems. We identified unmet customer needs and shaped a roadmap to elevate Intel into a trusted solution partner.
How We Used Psycho-Aesthetics™ to Identify Unique Opportunities in the Project.
Using our proprietary Psycho-Aesthetics® 2.0 framework, we conducted in-depth interviews and ethnographic observation in diverse lab settings. We identified key emotional and usability pain points — such as intimidation with complex interfaces, workspace clutter, and trust in precision. These insights guided both the form and interface strategy, ensuring approachability and confidence in operation.
Collaboratively with Intel teams, we developed a comprehensive playbook—detailing portfolio architecture, go-to-market strategies, solution bundling, service models, and regional positioning. This playbook became the operational blueprint for launching the new business unit in China and Southeast Asia.
Global market research report across EMIPC verticals
Focused on actionable execution, we supported roadmap validation, regional pilot planning, and internal alignment with manufacturing, marketing, and sales teams—ensuring Intel’s evolution was strategic, differentiating, and scalable.
Pilot program briefs for China and Southeast Asia
Executive strategy decks for internal stakeholders
Alignment plans for cross-functional execution teams
The Intel EMIPC project illustrates RKS’s capacity to scale innovation from strategic insight to global transformation. By marrying deep ethnographic research, emotional–functional mapping, and meticulously crafted execution playbooks, RKS helped shift a tech behemoth’s identity—turning Intel into an ecosystem architect rather than a commoditized component supplier.
Status: Delivered EMIPC Playbook and launch strategy (2015)
Strategic Impact:
Enabled Intel’s initial deployment of integrated hardware and service offerings in emerging markets
Positioned the company as a systems-oriented innovator, not just a chipset supplier
Aligned internal teams for business unit activation in China and Southeast Asia within months
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