Setting the Table for Dynamic Change
Summary
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."
Or choose a question:
More Videos
"Design thinking can feel like a magical black box or utterly overwhelming; it has to be made immediately usable and valuable."
Erin HauberDesign is Not the Frosting on the Scaled Agile Layer Cake
October 24, 2019
"The only person who gets to decide what it means to be badass is you."
Megan KiersteadYou Are a Badass at UX: Overcoming Imposter Syndrome
March 10, 2021
"Ship Magic raised the bar on quality across our writer experiences with monthly bugbashes and cross-functional support."
Maggie DieringerCreating Consistency Through Constant Change
January 8, 2024
"If everyone’s looking at different versions of the plan, you get frustration and confusion."
Meaghan Waters Fotina KoutropoulousLack of Product Thinking will Doom Your Legacy Modernization
June 9, 2021
"Market researchers have an air of arrogance like an old cat, confident and unbothered by disruption."
Jemma AhmedBringing together market and user research
October 17, 2019
"Building trust should absolutely be a core value for design ops teams aiming to steward knowledge effectively."
Maria TaylorKnowledge is Power: Managing the Lifeblood of the Design Org
October 3, 2023
"Screen curtain mode isn’t for sighted people simulating blindness; it’s a privacy feature to keep screens safe from prying eyes."
Sam ProulxUnderstanding Screen Readers on Mobile: How And Why to Learn from Native Users
June 6, 2023
"Project leadership can be at any level; the right discipline leads, not necessarily the most senior person."
Catherine BlizzardUsing Integrated Insight to Drive Growth
March 10, 2022
"Carol was really grateful for our conversation."
Randolph Duke IIWar Stories LIVE! Randy Duke II
March 30, 2020
