Rosenverse

This video is only accessible to Gold members. Log in or register for a free Gold Trial Account to watch.

Log in Register

Most conference talks are accessible to Gold members, while community videos are generally available to all logged-in members.

Setting the Table for Dynamic Change

Gold
Thursday, October 24, 2019 • DesignOps Summit 2019
Share the love for this talk
Setting the Table for Dynamic Change
Speakers: Jacqui Frey and Alison Rand
Link:

Summary

Change is the rule, not the exception, and it’s the catalyst for innovation and growth. Design as a discipline is rooted in the process of iteration and change. However, scaling design requires a certain level of preparation in the system for it to be understood, absorbed, and implemented. This process manifests itself in and through Design Operations. In this session, Alison and Jacqui will lead the audience through some interactive exercises to better understand change and outline how DesignOps can help their design orgs navigate ambiguity.

Key Insights

  • Failure is inevitable and a critical part of learning in design operations and change management.

  • Attempting to implement large-scale design thinking or design ops solo is unrealistic; it requires broad organizational involvement.

  • Design operations is still an emerging discipline without widespread formal education or standardized practices.

  • Starting change initiatives with small, achievable, high-impact projects builds trust and momentum for larger transformations.

  • Building a coalition of cross-functional stakeholders with executive buy-in is essential for successful change management.

  • A strong communication strategy, including repeated targeted messaging (effective frequency), aids adoption of change ideas.

  • Change management involves both scientific frameworks and relational, empathetic human approaches.

  • Organizational readiness and culture dramatically influence how change initiatives must be adapted and paced.

  • Design ops leaders often juggle ambiguity, start unraveling a complex ‘hairball’ of processes and relationships without clear beginnings or ends.

  • Emotional journeys, psychological safety, trust, and empowerment are foundational to making change stick in organizations.

Notable Quotes

"I thought I could single handedly bring design thinking to MailChimp. Turns out it took 1,000 people."

"You will have zero successes if you’re not trying it all."

"Design ops is not just about design; if we aren’t considering the system, then we’re destined to fail."

"Don’t be surprised by change. Expect change."

"Move softly and fix things."

"Say it until someone says it better back to you."

"Change is a game of inches; we take two steps forward, six steps back."

"We haven’t just invited them, we’ve set the damn table, and sometimes we have to host the damn party."

"Listening with tactical empathy means understanding the full emotional journey during times of change."

"Change requires more than a single vision or a few projects; it takes careful orchestration throughout the organization."

Ask the Rosenbot
Jack Behar
How to Build Prototypes that Behave like an End-Product
2022 • Design in Product 2022
Gold
Marieke McCloskey
User Science: Product Analytics & User Research
2021 • Advancing Research 2021
Gold
Kritika Yadav
Optimizing AI Conversations: A Case Study on Personalized Shopping Assistance Frameworks
2025 • Designing with AI 2025
Gold
William Newton
How to Lead With Data, and Without Data
2023 • Enterprise UX 2023
Gold
George Hinchliffe
Delivering Amazing Experiences
2021 • Design at Scale 2021
Gold
Jake Burghardt
Stop wasting research: Unlock more value from research insights
2025 • Rosenfeld Community
Aleksandra Korczynska
Survey Tools
2026 • Advancing Research 2026
Gold
Michael Weir
Mixed Methods and Behavioural Science
2023 • Rosenfeld Community
John Calhoun
Bring your DesignOps Story to Life! The Definitive DesignOps Book Jam
2023 • DesignOps Summit 2023
Gold
Natalie Dunbar
DesignOps and Content Strategy: Envisioning the Future Together
2021 • DesignOps Summit 2021
Gold
Aditi Ruiz
A PM State of Mind: Empathy Mapping Your Product Manager, Pt. 1
2022 • Design in Product 2022
Gold
Louis Rosenfeld
Do you want to work on climate? (Climate UX Discussion Series)
2023 • Climate UX Interest Group
Steve Portigal
War Stories LIVE! Steve Portigal
2020 • Advancing Research 2020
Gold
Dan Hill
Strategic design, slowdown, and the infrastructures of everyday life
2022 • Enterprise Community
Tanya Snook
Designing the team experience: Building culture through onboarding
2021 • Enterprise Community
Joseph Williams
Unlocking impact and influence through inclusive hiring in research
2021 • Advancing Research Community

More Videos

John Cutler

"Some of the most important decisions for service design happen on whiteboards among engineers, often without service design representation."

John Cutler

Oxbows, Rivers, and Estuaries: How to navigate the currents of change (without burning out)

December 3, 2024

Darian Davis

"We’re all capable of creating and perpetuating toxic work relationships."

Darian Davis

Lessons from a Toxic Work Relationship

January 8, 2024

Dave Gray

"If you have a feeling you’re having the same conversation over and over, a canvas like this can ratchet the conversation forward."

Dave Gray

Group Activity: Making Sense of DesignOps

November 7, 2017

John Cutler

"If you are a glue person expecting to be indispensable, you are more dispensable than you think. But if you’re a catalyst moving information and translating to action, that’s more valuable now."

John Cutler

The Alignment Trap

November 29, 2023

Abby Covert

"Diagrams are life rafts crossing the sea of volatility, helping to get everyone on the same page."

Abby Covert

Stuck? Diagrams Help

October 27, 2022

Mark Interrante

"Assume positive intent from their point of view — they’re trying to have a good day, not work against you."

Mark Interrante

Collaboration Flows in Product Development

June 9, 2017

Devon Powers

"Too often, futures imaginaries want to erase or align difference rather than reckon with it."

Devon Powers

Imagining Better Futures

March 9, 2022

Prayag Narula

"Design research—they need each other. They are much, much better together."

Prayag Narula

How to Empower Your Designers to Do Good Research – And Why You Want To

June 10, 2022

Peter Van Dijck

"Trust the user and trust the model are the two lessons I’m getting over time."

Peter Van Dijck

Hands on AI #3: Claude Code for UX people

October 22, 2025