Closing Keynote: Getting giants to dance - what can we learn from designing large and complex public infrastructure?
Summary
Key Insights
-
•
Design practice has evolved from creating buildings to delivering national visions and economic investments.
-
•
Collaborating with economists, planners, and specialists enriches design strategy and execution.
-
•
Heathrow Airport’s financial model heavily influences design constraints and decisions, notably the flat landing charges.
-
•
Designers must go beyond execution and influence organizational strategy and economics.
-
•
Organizational culture and explicit value alignment are critical success factors in large-scale design delivery.
-
•
The transition from open partnerships to structured program management and business case gateways redefines design roles.
-
•
Design ops is emerging as a central discipline for ensuring quality and value in complex projects.
-
•
Early informal experiences and relationships shape perspectives that influence professional design thinking.
-
•
Pre-booking carry-on baggage into overhead lockers illustrates innovative thinking in future airport design.
-
•
Active engagement in strategy conversations allows designers to contribute meaningfully to business outcomes.
Notable Quotes
"Can we just hang out, get on the tube, and hang out at Heathrow? He looked at me very strangely."
"We’ve moved from simply delivering the design that’s in front of us to influencing the strategy itself."
"The landing charge is the key thing airlines look at and that needs to stay flat."
"Organizational culture and values have been essential to ensuring successful delivery."
"Design ops is at the heart of how we can achieve outstanding quality and value in design."
"This client project is very deliberate and explicit in focusing on culture and values."
"If you could pre-book your carry on baggage into the overhead locker, wouldn’t that be great?"
"We must talk like business people, not just designers."
"There’s been a steady evolution starting with delivering buildings to delivering national economic visions."
"I am so glad to be part of this new design ops community and wish you all the best of success."
Or choose a question:
More Videos
"If you said are you creative, I’m gonna say hell yeah."
Dr. Karl JeffriesThe Science of Creativity for DesignOps
January 8, 2024
"Investment is attention: If the business funds you, it means they believe in what you do."
Amy MarquezINVEST: Discussion
June 15, 2018
"When you look at data without training, confirmation bias makes you just find what you already believe."
Steve Portigal Chris Chapo Kelly Goto Christian RohrerDiscussion
May 13, 2015
"How do you organize a design team to work within a changing environment without freaking everybody out."
Alicia MootyDesign Staffing Models
September 30, 2021
"We want to stay in the game no users cursing our name."
Ana Maria Montero Barrantes Aditi Dhar Michelle Kaplan Nate Osborne Matt LaurenceThe Authentic UX Talent Show
January 8, 2024
"Stakeholders start demanding better digital experiences at work because they expect the same quality they have at home."
Lada Gorlenko Sharbani Dhar Sébastien Malo Rob Mitzel Ivana Ng Michal Anne RogondinoTheme 1: Discussion
January 8, 2024
"It’s very difficult to align researcher goals with business growth, but that’s exactly what we try to do."
Sofia QuinteroThe Product Philosophy Behind EnjoyHQ
March 10, 2021
"People don’t actually hate innovation; they like their jobs and feel threatened by change."
Laura KleinUnique challenges of innovation in enterprises
April 23, 2020
"Marketing is an essential collaborator because they help package and communicate insights organization-wide."
Andrew MichaelBuilding a Product Insights Team
March 10, 2022
