adaptitude’s Post

Design leadership is more than strategies, offices, or titles. Design leadership is about inspiring change by showing what's possible. Check out the latest from the adaptitude blog for more.

Leadership is about nurturing and creating a positive environment for every career type, and for product designers, it's especially crucial. The nature of design work inherently requires a supportive atmosphere, as it affects many aspects of their output. Design, in general, is a very sensitive profession. While this might seem stereotypical 👀 it's true that designers thrive in positive spaces where they can freely create and empathize with users. Product designers are no different; they need a nurturing work environment to craft solutions that genuinely meet user needs. When designers are pressured to make decisions based on fear of leadership reactions or merely conforming to what leadership deems right, they lose the ability to empathize with users. This leads to misguided design choices that can harm the overall product quality. I’ve experienced firsthand how the right environment can transform a design team's output. At Lemoni Lab, we make it our priority to create a supportive, positive space for our product designers! Which was reflected on their performance 💪 💪 💪 #Leadership #ProductDesign #PositiveWorkEnvironment #DesignThinking #EmpathyInDesign #Lemonilab

“Talent is only useful if the person who possesses it has either power or influence. Without power or influence, talent is useless.” This quote from Scott Burkin’s article highlights that power and influence are in most cases determined by others within organizations or by the clients being served. Although design has gotten a seat at the table, other factors drive the product or measure its success. It seems like the days of iterate, test, fail and pivot may be coming to an end, except in those stealth or early-stage start-ups where products are in their infancy. Research, testing, and iterative failure cost time and money, delaying the end delivery of products and ROI. As designers, we must understand the importance of influence and power within our organizations and with our clients. Influence brought about by factual and source-of-truth data is the way to change this dynamic to benefit the company and customers/users. What are your thoughts? Do you agree that talent is only useful if it's coupled with power or influence? Let's discuss this in the comments. #DesignThinking #Influence #Power #ProductDesign

Part of being an effective design leader is anticipating what areas your team is going to need to be strong at in order to meet the demands of the company and the industry as a whole. My hypothesis in 2024 and beyond is that the designers who will stand out are those who can think and act strategically. A designer who excels in their career is someone who can develop instincts around what a successful product looks like, which problems to solve (why and who for), and then prioritize that work based on what they know. What does that mean? Here’s what I'm sharing with the folks on my team.

Design Brilliance Unlocked: Why Direct Feedback from Decision Makers Matters? 🔍 Ever wondered why direct feedback from decision makers is crucial for designers? Let's delve into the heart of design innovation with this thought-provoking question: What if your next design breakthrough hinges on direct insights from the decision maker? 🎨 Picture this: You've poured hours of creativity and expertise into crafting a design masterpiece. Yet, without the direct guidance and perspective of the decision maker, how can you ensure your design aligns seamlessly with their vision and objectives? 💡 Here's the kicker: Feedback from intermediaries might dilute the essence of your design brilliance. It's like playing a game of telephone—important nuances can get lost in translation. But what if you could cut through the noise and tap into the decision maker's insights firsthand? 🚀 Direct feedback isn't just about tweaking colors or adjusting layouts. It's about gaining invaluable clarity on the overarching goals, preferences, and expectations driving the project forward. It's about transforming a good design into an extraordinary one. 🌟 Imagine the possibilities: By engaging directly with decision makers, you not only refine your design but also foster a deeper sense of collaboration and trust. It's a recipe for innovation where every stroke of your creativity resonates with purpose and impact. 💬 So, let's spark a conversation: How can we empower designers to access direct feedback from decision makers more effectively? How might this symbiotic relationship between creativity and leadership shape the future of design excellence? #DesignInnovation #CreativeCollaboration #DecisionMakerInsights #FutureOfExcellence

What it means to be a Design Leader, today in 2024? A couple of reflections, since this has been lately my "thinking time space": In the ever-evolving realm of design, leadership in 2024 is an odyssey of navigating through chaos, complexity, and ambiguity. Yet, it's this very journey that makes the role exhilarating, fulfilling, and profoundly challenging. With six years in the design trenches (this can be seen as a short time, of course) I've come to realize that this current "momentum" isn't just tumultuous—it's a crucible for innovation and growth. As designers, we're at the forefront of redefining our craft amidst the whirlwind of technological disruption. We're not just adapting to change; we're the architects of our own professional destinies within this dynamic landscape. Reflecting on my career, it's clear that the cornerstone of my growth has been the ability to carve out a unique path, understanding my role without a set blueprint. And here is one of the outcomes of my latest reflections: to lead in design today is to embrace this uncertainty, to define leadership amidst undefined terrains, and to thrive without a conventional playbook. The essence of a design leader now lies in charting the uncharted, ready to face the unforeseen with creativity and resilience. There will not be job descriptions that really reflects what it is needed from you. You will be the job description in the making.

I do appreciate designers going into strategy dives, but it does make me wonder what was guiding the designs previously? A strategy is a method/function, it requires a subject to give it focus: Brand Strategy, business strategy, creative strategy, and so forth. More specifically, strategic planning… While strategic planning for design (strategy dives) is valuable, it shouldn't completely replace intuition and creativity. * Designers and strategy: Appreciate strategy but did your design process lack direction before? * Focus of strategy: Strategies (methods) need a specific area to focus on, like branding or business goals. * Strategy vs. Design: Strategy provides a framework, but design needs some room for free expression. * Balance needed: Not everyone can be a strategist, and over-emphasis on strategy can stifle creativity. I advocate for a balance between strategic planning and allowing for creative freedom in design — Diverse team collaboration. https://lnkd.in/gj2EXPc3

Quoting Clive Dilnot: “industry (aka capitalism) does not simply call design into being as such, but only on its terms. “That is, it calls it into being as a subaltern practice (a ‘not too serious’ profession in latour’s terms). Industry wishes only to have design for its use. “The history of design from the 1840s through to the present day is in part a struggle with this determination. “But neither practice, nor history, nor research easily escapes from the a priori structuring of design activity. “Put another way, designing, ‘design thinking’ and the thinking of design are radically limited by this origin – as well as by the uses to which they are put. ——— Ryan’s assertion isn’t incorrect, but it is incomplete. Design is, yes this thing, but no, not only that thing. Read “The Matter of Design” by Clive Dilnot, where the opening quote comes from (PDF): https://lnkd.in/dh3Y2GDw

This is BULL-BUTTER! As a designer, I have big thoughts on this. This narrative is dangerous to our industry. This article tries to make many points, that is nothing more than design leadership not wanting to take accountability. Right and left, I have seen so many design and marketing teams be let go due to reprioritizing of the business’s objectives and it’s all due to the economy. Pure business desicions that any business would make - understandably. But to say that there is a design shortage when MANY seasoned designers are looking for work and that young designers are the ones who need to replace those designers. Seems like a smash and grab. They are expecting these young designers to churn out the same caliber of work they just let go. They expect them to grow in their craft while there is no one to learn from. They expect them to set a precendence for themselves, they’re young and don’t have the confidence yet. Here’s what going to happen. Art and creative directors who are already over-burdened, will not have the time to teach these designers to grow. These designers will become stagnant, the business will not see growth or the results they need or want, and ultimately abandon the team all together. As the article states “businesses are seeing the value in designers…” not with this, they’re not. Read the article and form your own opinion, but this is a hazardous mindset to say the least.

I saw post from Meg O'Connell, PHR and it really resonated with me on the work we are doing with our inclusive design standard and wider. It is what we advocate for but great to see it clearly summarized.  I also like the build in the comments by RiDC (Research Institute for Disabled Consumers) adding two additional questions.   I just widened it slightly to include the things we create (process/policy/tech/communications etc.) as well as design. I love how the disability community comes together to share impactful information. At every stage of the design (or what we create), ask these important questions: 1. Who does this not work for? 2. Who are we leaving out? 3. How can we design (or create) this better? 4. Who do we ask to make sure it works for as many people as possible?   Because if it negatively impacts one person, that is still an impact!