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The Past, Present, and Future of DesignOps: a 2-part DesignOps Community Call (Part 1)
Summary
If you’ve been wondering just how DesignOps has evolved to its current state, where it’s going, and how you can influence its future, you won’t want to miss our upcoming two-part series of DesignOps community calls. It’s your chance to learn from expert panelists and participate in a community exercise centered around mapping out the practice of DesignOps. Esteemed emeritus DesignOps curator Dave Malouf and emcee Meredith Black provide a firsthand account of the trends and factors that have influenced the direction of the practice over the past five years. We then begin working on our own mapping of DesignOps as a community, led by curator Farid Sabitov.
Key Insights
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Design Ops search interest on Google peaked around the annual Design Ops Summit events but dropped during virtual summit years, while community activity grew.
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There is a significant gap between demand for Design Ops roles and the supply of experienced professionals.
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Design Ops is currently positioned between the Gartner hype cycle's Trough of Disillusionment and Slope of Enlightenment, reflecting mixed perspectives on field maturity.
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The definition of Design Ops varies widely across companies, often leading to inconsistent role expectations and challenges in talent retention.
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Design Ops community learning and sharing are outperforming what is available via traditional search and formal education.
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Inclusive design and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) have become central topics in Design Ops discussions, particularly since 2020.
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Knowledge management remains an underdeveloped area within Design Ops with significant growth potential.
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The pandemic accelerated remote and asynchronous collaboration trends impacting Design Ops practices and priorities.
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A strong future focus is needed on integrating Design Ops with Product Ops and clarifying their relationship.
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Identity fluidity and evolving diversity dimensions require rethinking Design Ops to be more adaptable and inclusive in its operations.
Notable Quotes
"We haven't done a good job of coalescing all those different types of experiences together to create a practice around what Design Ops really is."
"There aren't learned enough experts; we are still in that nebula trying to figure out how to become a star."
"Not every Design Ops person is the same, and Design Ops is going to look very different at every company."
"We're learning from each other in the community, which is much healthier than going to Google because anything can be on Google."
"The dynamic between employer and employee is changing a lot, and from a Design Ops perspective, that's something to keep our eye on."
"Design Ops is going to have to deal with Product Ops, and figuring out that relationship will be a big deal."
"The swing towards the generalist product designer has left behind user-centered design in a big way."
"We need to start thinking about fluidity in identity because there is no 'this' anymore; people are multiracial, fluid in sexual identity, neurodiversity, and more."
"Design always has to take the step forward in some way, whereas product people just go about their day and do their thing."
"Educating design leaders on setting expectations for Design Ops roles is critical to avoid 'teams of one' who are expected to do everything."
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