Category Archives: Design Leadership
The Business-Savvy UX Designer: Making an Impact Beyond Design
Introduction As a UX designer, you have the power to shape exceptional user experiences and solve critical pain points. However, in the real world of business, your perfect designs can often face challenges and compromises due to conflicting stakeholder demands and priorities. To truly excel as a UX designer and make a lasting impact, it…
The Power of the ‘…Or Else’: Driving Behavior Change for Growth and Success
In the fast-paced world of business, leaders are constantly seeking ways to improve team performance, drive growth, and achieve success. One critical aspect of achieving these goals is fostering behavioral changes among team members that align with the organization’s vision and values. However, too often, leaders fall into the trap of providing feedback without clearly…
Unleashing the Power of Truly Cross-Functional Teams in the Agile World
In the fast-paced and ever-evolving tech industry, companies have adopted Agile development methodologies with cross-functional teams as the go-to approach for delivering software products. However, despite this widespread adoption, many tech companies are still failing to harness the full potential of cross-functional, self-organizing, and autonomous teams. In this article, we’ll explore some of the problems…
The Hunter, The Farmer, and The Trapper: A Guide to Staffing Designers on Projects
Staffing designers on projects is a critical task for managers, as it can greatly impact both project success and the happiness of the design team. To streamline the process and ensure the best possible outcomes, I’ve adopted a model from the sales world – distinguishing team members as hunters, farmers, or trappers based on their…
Unlocking the True Potential of MVP: Building Solutions Users Love
In the fast-paced world of technology, where innovation and rapid development are the keys to success, the term “MVP” or “Minimum Viable Product” has become a buzzword. Coined by Frank Robinson in 2001, the concept of MVP was originally meant to be a powerful tool for developing successful products. However, over time, it has lost…
Unlocking Growth: How Design Managers Can Empower their Team’s Success
In the dynamic world of design management, the responsibility of nurturing and growing design professionals falls squarely on the shoulders of managers and executives. A skilled design manager understands that fostering the potential of each team member not only leads to a happier and more fulfilled workforce but also contributes to better business outcomes. However,…
Reimagining the Hiring Process for Designers: Moving Beyond Homework Projects
In the world of design recruitment, a troubling trend has emerged: the use of “homework” projects as part of the hiring process. While companies may call them different names, such as “exercises,” “evaluations,” or “projects,” the underlying concept remains the same. Candidates are expected to invest 5-10 hours of their own time, on top of…