Cross-Functional Relationship Design
Summary
As designers, we all know that the majority of our time is spent on people, not on designing. Nearly every designer has experienced some kind of “people problem” at work - such as a cross-functional partner that won’t collaborate. In this talk, Alla will offer an introduction to relationships - what they are, how they work, and how designers can create relationship interfaces so they can be 10 times more effective at work.
Key Insights
-
•
Harvard Business Review finds 75% of cross-functional teams are dysfunctional due to persistent silos.
-
•
Cross-functional relationships often fail due to competing priorities, differing communication styles, and lack of shared goals.
-
•
Relationships at work cycle through connection, disconnection, and repair, similar to a breathing process.
-
•
Connection happens when people feel seen, heard, and valued, which boosts collaboration and motivation.
-
•
Disconnection leads to treating people as obstacles or tools, increasing conflict and lowering productivity.
-
•
Repair attempts, including simple apologies or appreciation, prevent negativity from spiraling and restore connection.
-
•
Mapping your top five cross-functional relationships on the connection-disconnection-repair cycle reveals blind spots and opportunities.
-
•
The Enneagram personality system dramatically improves cross-functional understanding, trust, and communication.
-
•
Designing explicit relationship agreements (designed alliances) clarifies expectations and conflict management, improving teamwork.
-
•
Leadership must protect time for connection-building; otherwise, teams remain disconnected and inefficient.
Notable Quotes
"75% of cross-functional teams are dysfunctional because silos perpetuate themselves, even in cross-functional teams."
"Work gets done through our relationships, and that becomes more true the higher you go in your career."
"A relationship cycles through connection, disconnection, and repair, just like breathing has an inhale and an exhale."
"Connection is the energy that exists between people when they feel seen, heard, and valued."
"Disconnection is the breeding ground for conflict."
"When people feel disconnected, they start to objectify others as obstacles or vehicles to get work done."
"Repair is any action that prevents negativity from spiraling out of control and helps bring people back to connection."
"The quickest way I found to create connection is through the Enneagram personality assessment."
"Designed alliances make explicit the implicit ways our relationships work and how it feels to be engaged with them."
"You don’t have time not to build connections; the lack of connection is why everything is taking longer."
Or choose a question:
More Videos
"The estuary is highly resilient but also very sensitive to industrial waste—creative collaboration areas in organizations are similar."
John CutlerOxbows, Rivers, and Estuaries: How to navigate the currents of change (without burning out)
December 3, 2024
"It takes at least one member of a team to choose to set healthy standards for collaboration."
Darian DavisLessons from a Toxic Work Relationship
January 8, 2024
"Executive air cover is having someone in a senior role who protects and supports the design team from other business pressures."
Dave GrayGroup Activity: Making Sense of DesignOps
November 7, 2017
"What would it look like if we could ask, how do I make this the absolute best environment for complex problem solving, instead of how do I take away all the annoying hard problems?"
John CutlerThe Alignment Trap
November 29, 2023
"Providing alternative content is often a kinder gesture than any lengthy alternative text could be."
Abby CovertStuck? Diagrams Help
October 27, 2022
"Small micro changes every week add up — ask your team what tiny improvements they’ve made recently."
Mark InterranteCollaboration Flows in Product Development
June 9, 2017
"We can’t just think technology or innovation will solve our problems; we have to embrace and work with those problems."
Devon PowersImagining Better Futures
March 9, 2022
"Design research—they need each other. They are much, much better together."
Prayag NarulaHow to Empower Your Designers to Do Good Research – And Why You Want To
June 10, 2022
"You can’t just be a designer adapting UX workflows assuming everybody else’s workflow stays the same; everything is changing with AI."
Peter Van DijckHands on AI #3: Claude Code for UX people
October 22, 2025
