Summary
In many companies, Design is viewed as a tactical resource; in fact, it’s often a subsidiary of Product, there to support the Engineering team. Basically, Design is viewed as “the wire frame people.” This results in a lot of frustration and feeling like the design team doesn’t have a seat at the table, and creates resentment between Design and their Product and Engineering partners. It also results in the organization not realizing the full value of its investment in the design team. The solution to this problem is to transition Design from being a tactical resource to a strategic partner. The question is, how? This session will cover ways that Design can make this transition, exponentially increase their influence, and become a key strategic resource/partner for everyone in the organization.
Key Insights
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Design is often viewed as a tactical resource rather than a strategic partner, leading to exclusion from planning and decision making.
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Measuring design impact requires aligning granular design metrics with higher-level business metrics like OKRs or North Star metrics.
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Organizing teams in a fractal structure with product, engineering, and design as equal roles fosters better partnerships.
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Design systems should include not only components but also guidance on when and how to use them to support self-service design.
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Adopting a business mindset means designers act pragmatically, focusing on solving business problems rather than insisting on perfect design.
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Saying no in design risks being seen as a roadblock; instead, asking why and clarifying problems builds partnership.
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Designers should understand their product and engineering partners’ pressures and goals, treating partnership as a design challenge itself.
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At Procore, redefining metrics with product and engineering through workshops aligned user success moments with business goals and shifted design’s role.
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Small iterative measurement efforts build momentum and buy-in within organizations rather than monolithic projects.
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Even when design leadership isn’t at the same level as product and engineering, staff designers can still 'punch above their weight' to influence strategy.
Notable Quotes
"Design is often a subsidiary of product, really there to serve engineering—wireframe people."
"If design is not viewed as a player moving the needle on business strategy, designers feel disempowered and frustrated."
"Turning the company’s view of design from tactical to strategic is like turning a super tanker—it takes a long, wide arc."
"If you don’t measure, it’s like a tree falling in the forest with no one around to hear it."
"Design systems typically lack content on when and how to use components—adding this makes design more self-service."
"Try to approach your work like a business person with design skills rather than a designer in a business."
"Instead of saying no, try asking why and focus on the problems to be solved rather than specific stakeholder solutions."
"Look at your partnership with product and engineering as a design task—understand their pressures and needs."
"We were allowed to taste the cake, not bake the cake; this process got UX into the kitchen."
"Usability testing is the gateway drug for research; similarly, small measurements are the gateway for strategic design impact."
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