Summary
We currently describe, frame, and promote Design Operations as being all about efficiency. While we might not ever say the term “ROI” out loud, we certainly sell DesignOps as means for optimizing our organizations’ investments in their design and research teams and infrastructure. But if DesignOps is going to truly be the game-changer it can and should be, we need a better framing. We need a new framework, one that emphasizes the topline—the creation of value—over bottomline fixation on resource optimization. We need a framework that accounts for supporting the projects, people, and practice of design over the groupings of pixels and management of components. This new framing is at the root of DesignOps framework that Dave Malouf will share in his closing keynote.
Key Insights
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Design is fundamentally about amplification—raising the value of products, teams, and systems beyond their original state.
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Great design happens through great designing, emphasizing the verb of design as an active, ongoing process rather than a fixed noun.
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Different design activities require unique cadences; a one-size-fits-all sprint or timebox approach does not suit design work.
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Intentional physical spaces with adaptable features encourage serendipitous collaboration and balanced individual focus.
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Balancing qualitative and quantitative data into actionable insights is crucial for effective design operations.
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Collaboration is distinct from coordination; true collaboration involves shared workspaces and simultaneous engagement.
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Designers require different motivation and reward systems than other organizational roles to unlock their best work.
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Exploration and ideation ('the first diamond') are vital phases that must be nurtured in design processes to foster innovation.
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Design operations has existed implicitly but naming it helps formalize the practice that supports better design outcomes.
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Safe environments where designers have agency to take risks are necessary for meaningful exploration and adaptive work.
Notable Quotes
"I discovered that what I love in life is design amplification — that's what I do, that's what makes my calling."
"Design's chief value is that design amplifies, turning a 10 from an engineering team into an 11 or a 12."
"The sweet spot isn't static; it's a continuum defined by how much more value we can create in the system."
"Great design happens because of great designing — if you think of design as a noun, you're missing the value."
"Different design activities happen best at their own appropriate cadence — a week, two weeks, or three weeks isn’t a universal answer."
"You’ve been giving away your own language by playing with the language of others — break through that Stockholm syndrome."
"Collaboration is when you work together; coordination is when you work apart and then come back."
"Better design happens when we explore many narratives that put people at the center."
"You need to meet people where they are and who they are to engage them properly in design."
"A team has to know how to do its work unconsciously so it can detect when things go awry and react instantaneously."
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