Operating with Purpose
Summary
Our teams are living through unprecedented times. With the weight of everything unfolding around us, it’s easy to feel that our work is inconsequential. However, DesignOps teams have more power to influence change than we realize. In this session, we’ll discuss how the small decisions we make every day impact our teams, our companies and our communities. We’ll take a look at how our operations can empower teams to operate with a greater sense of purpose.
Key Insights
-
•
Onboarding 80% of MailChimp’s CX and design department over four weeks creates a strong cultural foundation.
-
•
A clear sense of purpose significantly improves work engagement and personal well-being.
-
•
Purpose-driven messaging encourages better habits, such as hospital workers improving hand hygiene.
-
•
Mentorship during onboarding benefits both new hires and mentors by reigniting passion for work.
-
•
Remote work exacerbates loneliness, making intentional one-on-one connections vital for team health.
-
•
Tailored microlearning and flexible scheduling help employees continue growing without added stress.
-
•
Work-life boundaries are essential for mental health, especially when working from home.
-
•
Celebrating efforts, not only successes, fosters persistence and connection among teammates.
-
•
Managers setting examples by openly prioritizing mental health encourages healthier team environments.
-
•
Understanding teammates’ personal and career goals helps align individual purpose with company objectives.
Notable Quotes
"I’ve onboarded 80% of the design and CX department, and it really shapes their trajectory and connection to culture."
"When you feel your work connects to a greater purpose, you’re more invested and perform better."
"Hospital workers were 45% more likely to wash hands properly when told it helped patients rather than themselves."
"Mentoring new hires actually reignites the mentor’s own passion for their work."
"My manager says never ask me to take a day off, just tell me — it’s a huge cultural shift."
"Onboarding isn’t a one-time activity, it’s an ongoing event that helps people connect and find their place."
"People coming from agencies sometimes need help dropping bad habits like working at 2am or stressful environments."
"It’s important to create space outside work for people to connect to meaningful activities and communities."
"Celebrating efforts, even when they’re not wins, helps people keep moving forward."
"If your purpose is just getting through 2020, that’s okay — survival can be the goal right now."
Or choose a question:
More Videos
"Everyone is circling around similar topics but in very different ways—there’s a battle of models but more similarities than differences."
John CutlerOxbows, Rivers, and Estuaries: How to navigate the currents of change (without burning out)
December 3, 2024
"Creating a roadmap built enough space to make meaningful design changes for developers to implement."
Darian DavisLessons from a Toxic Work Relationship
January 8, 2024
"Tools are a blessing and a curse; they’re not people and they can’t replace the relationships you need to get the work right."
Dave GrayGroup Activity: Making Sense of DesignOps
November 7, 2017
"Quality is value to some person who matters."
John CutlerThe Alignment Trap
November 29, 2023
"When was the last time that you felt stuck? The one where you feel a sense of being stuck trying to understand something."
Abby CovertStuck? Diagrams Help
October 27, 2022
"You can see our organization through the homepage of our site — we each owned a rectangle."
Mark InterranteCollaboration Flows in Product Development
June 9, 2017
"Naming things like the 'vibe shift' is powerful in shaping the narratives around future developments."
Devon PowersImagining Better Futures
March 9, 2022
"Good designers understand you can’t design what you don’t understand."
Prayag NarulaHow to Empower Your Designers to Do Good Research – And Why You Want To
June 10, 2022
"We need to dramatically change the hats, the walls, and the workflow of how we work together in design and development."
Peter Van DijckHands on AI #3: Claude Code for UX people
October 22, 2025
