Summary
This talk features a candid discussion among design ops professionals including Courtney, El Salvador, Jason, and others, focusing on key topics such as the ideal backgrounds for design ops roles, motivating design teams through empathetic leadership, and the long-term career paths available in design ops. Courtney highlights the value of a design background mixed with unique skill sets, while El Salvador champions business anthropology as a surprising source of talent. Jason stresses the importance of balancing design appreciation with operational management. Panelists underscore fostering inclusivity, cognitive diversity, and psychological safety within teams, with insights on how design ops can influence diversity initiatives by controlling conversations and speaker lineups. Long-term growth includes transitioning into leadership, expanding influence across an organization, and even stepping into executive roles. Panelists share personal proud moments like building strong teams, encouraging mentorship, and maintaining engagement through challenges such as remote work and global issues, emphasizing adaptability and empathy as core strengths. The session closes on a lighthearted note, highlighting the human aspect of leadership and community.
Key Insights
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Design ops professionals succeed with a blend of design experience and unique operational skills distinct from traditional program managers.
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Individuals from non-design fields like business anthropology bring valuable empathetic research skills to design ops.
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Design ops roles require shielding designers from silos while ensuring they engage with broader organizational contexts.
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Motivating teams to participate in personal diary studies builds empathy and organizational visibility of designers' work.
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Design ops is evolving into a strategic, cross-functional role akin to operations officers within organizations.
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Career growth in design ops includes leadership tracks, cross-team roles, and potential executive leadership positions.
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Onboarding for design ops without a design background thrives through immersive experiences with designers and community engagement.
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Creating non-judgmental spaces to discuss global and personal challenges improves team wellbeing and work output.
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Design ops can drive diversity by promoting cognitive diversity, shaping inclusive conversations, and fostering safe environments.
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Successful design ops leaders leverage their ability to adapt, act as connectors, and foster trust within diverse teams.
Notable Quotes
"Design ops people are mutants coming at this profession from different directions."
"I like to find a talent that is the most unique and not overlapping other roles like technical program managers."
"Business anthropology folks have really gravitated towards design because it is such an empathetic endeavor."
"It’s your job as a leader to be inspiring and show that you care about their success in the business, not just the work."
"Design ops is becoming a strategic role, almost like an operations officer with access to all the information."
"You need to engage with designers personally because they crave that connection and can become cliquey otherwise."
"We need to move beyond accessibility to making things inclusive and safe for as many people as possible."
"Many designers get pushed into leadership roles they aren’t equipped for; design ops can fill those management gaps."
"You have a lot of influence in setting up speaker panels and facilitating conversations to maintain diversity."
"I see myself as an octopus because octopuses are masters of adapting, resilient, and intelligent for a simple organism."
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