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8 Types of Measures in Design Operations (Videoconference)
Thursday, April 16, 2020 • DesignOps Community
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8 Types of Measures in Design Operations (Videoconference)
Speakers: Kristin Skinner and Kamdyn Moore
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Summary

DesignOps as a practice is still relatively new—but the activities have been around long enough that we’re increasingly challenged to justify and quantify what we do. Accordingly, we need to address not just what is DesignOps, but how do we prove its value? What outcomes can we genuinely promise? And how do we know we are successful? In this webinar, we identify techniques, tactics, and tools for proving (and even measuring) value, and describing the outcomes that matter most.

Key Insights

  • Most design operations teams struggle to measure their impact, with 62% unsure how to do so effectively.

  • Spotify focuses on measuring designer productivity by identifying workflow bottlenecks rather than simply speeding up outputs.

  • Resistance to process in design teams often stems from unfamiliarity and concerns about creativity and delivery constraints.

  • Measurement frameworks must be flexible and adaptable depending on the organization's stage in its design ops maturity.

  • Successful design ops measurement requires cross-team collaboration and shared outcomes from the project's start.

  • Quantitative data should be complemented by qualitative metrics like designer happiness and community belonging.

  • Centralized, decentralized, and matrix design ops models each have unique measurement challenges and need strong partnerships to succeed.

  • Design ops teams frequently operate in a reactive mode but must strategically choose what to react to for long-term impact.

  • Empathy is critical when addressing productivity and happiness measurement, especially during remote work and pandemic-related disruptions.

  • Involving analytics and research professionals in design ops measurement efforts improves data collection, analysis, and insights.

Notable Quotes

"People spend about 60% of their time on the work about the work."

"Only one in 10 companies have quantifiable measurement for their design leaders."

"We haven't figured it out, but this community can help define measurement frameworks."

"Designers often resist processes that are meant to help streamline their work."

"Attribution of design impact is tricky because work cycles and releases happen at different cadences."

"Having shared outcomes and leadership support is critical for effective measurement."

"Measurement is never done; it's always an ongoing investigation and refinement process."

"Surveys and feature usage data currently provide the most traction in measuring design systems adoption."

"Reactive mode is natural in design ops, but the goal is to become strategic about what we react to."

"Applying empathy deeply is more important than ever for engagement and process success in current remote work conditions."

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