Summary
Tess has been building design teams with a relentless focus on team culture. Join us for a fast paced Q&A where she will share stories and actual Miro boards that she has used to facilitate team engagement at Condé Nast. We will dig deeper into her re-framing of "team happiness", and what she has learned from her tactics and experiments to cultivate this. If you attended her talk on Wednesday, this is a chance to ask your follow up questions in an intimate setting. This Q&A will be hosted by Shipra Kayan, a design leader at Miro who has over a decade of experience building distributed design teams.
Key Insights
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Design ops at Kondyna operates as a team of one, supporting 40+ creatives by managing ops so others focus on design work.
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Team happiness is often mistakenly judged by outward signs like smiling and laughing, which are poor metrics for genuine well-being.
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Using anonymous tools like OfficeVibe and Slack bots helps capture authentic sentiment without forcing direct disclosure.
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Embedding personal connection activities within regular work meetings increases participation and reduces 'zoom fatigue'.
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Creative, playful activities in Miro, like building snowman collages or drawing fantasy pets with timed constraints, engage diverse team members.
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Allowing team members to opt out quietly without pressure respects individual comfort levels while maintaining engagement opportunities.
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Encouraging team members who push back to propose or lead alternative rituals fosters ownership and relevance.
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Virtual retreats can be designed as multi-room Miro experiences with asynchronous and synchronous participation, accommodating time zones.
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Following up transparently on feedback, even when issues can't be immediately resolved, is crucial for trust and morale.
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Remote design teams benefit greatly from rituals that balance productivity with play and human connection, preventing isolation.
Notable Quotes
"I think leaders often say that was a bad meeting because nobody was laughing and smiling, but that’s a ridiculous metric."
"Most designers can’t interview everyone twice a week to check happiness, so simple surveys or bots help a lot."
"We pivoted our weekly design all-hands to focus a large slice just on personal connection, because work stuff can happen anytime."
"Getting weird in Miro lets us play together without anyone needing to prepare or speak publicly."
"If someone really hates participating, they can just sit quietly for six minutes during the meeting, no pressure."
"If someone pushes back on an activity, I tell them that’s a great idea and ask them to lead it next time."
"We did a massive virtual retreat called the design chalet, with different rooms for activities and shout outs."
"Designers want things perfect and always look for problems, so follow-up and honesty from managers is key."
"I’ve told people if the problem never changes and they leave, I will support them and wish them the best."
"Making the gesture that you care—whether people share or not—that’s really important for team morale."
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