Summary
Join us for an engaging Ask Me Anything (AMA) with Rachel Posman and John Calhoun, the authors of the upcoming book The Design Conductors: Your Essential Guide to Design Operations. This book acts as a comprehensive guide to DesignOps that will teach you how to successfully advocate for, build out, scale up, and ultimately operate design organizations. Rachel and John will share insights from their extensive experience in the field and answer questions in this interactive session. Together, let's explore how effective design operations can drive impactful outcomes and empower teams to achieve success. Walk away having gained valuable perspectives on the evolving landscape of design operations and the critical role it plays in delivering exceptional design solutions. Bring your questions about design operations and don't miss this chance to connect directly with the authors of this must-read DesignOps book!
Key Insights
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Design ops professionals must make their work visible to leadership to secure necessary resources.
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The most powerful word in the design ops vocabulary is 'no' to prioritize impactful work.
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Design operations should involve storytelling to convey the significance of the work being done.
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The upcoming book aims to codify design operations as a recognized practice within organizations.
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Competencies for design ops professionals include understanding design processes, strong communication, and project management skills.
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The rapidly evolving field of AI will significantly impact design operations, requiring adaptability by practitioners.
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Design ops and product ops share many similarities and should ideally work in tandem rather than isolation.
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Metrics should be tailored to the specific organization's maturity and size to assess design ops impact effectively.
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Design ops is not limited to those with a background in design; various competencies are valuable for success in this role.
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The HEROES framework presented in the book helps measure the value of design ops across different operational metrics.
Notable Quotes
"Designers deserve support and infrastructure so they can excel in their work."
"A big part of our job is making our work visible."
"If executives can't see your work, they're not going to invest in it."
"The most powerful word in the design ops vocabulary is no."
"There's a difference between being bossy and being a strong leader."
"This book has needed to exist for a while now."
"Design ops isn't just a support role, it is a strategic partner."
"We should focus on user success rather than just product or design disciplines."
"Don't try to boil the ocean; choose metrics that are right for you at the right time."
"AI will be a design material, and we need to adapt to that reality."
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