Summary
We currently describe, frame, and promote Design Operations as being all about efficiency. While we might not ever say the term “ROI” out loud, we certainly sell DesignOps as means for optimizing our organizations’ investments in their design and research teams and infrastructure. But if DesignOps is going to truly be the game-changer it can and should be, we need a better framing. We need a new framework, one that emphasizes the topline—the creation of value—over bottomline fixation on resource optimization. We need a framework that accounts for supporting the projects, people, and practice of design over the groupings of pixels and management of components. This new framing is at the root of DesignOps framework that Dave Malouf will share in his closing keynote.
Key Insights
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Design acknowledges the land and the histories of indigenous peoples as a foundational practice for reconciliation.
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The role of a design operator involves amplifying the value of design outcomes through strategic operations.
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Design should be viewed as a process ('designing') rather than as a static outcome ('design').
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Clarity in design is essential and is achieved through effective communication and relationships.
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Understanding user behavior is crucial for creating effective design solutions that align system functionality with user needs.
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Different design activities require different operational cadences for optimal outcomes.
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Design space and processes should foster collaboration and creativity, not hinder them.
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Visibility into performance metrics through operational dashboards enables better decision-making in design.
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Exploration is a crucial part of design, allowing for ideation and innovation.
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The emphasis on safety and agency is important for enabling exploration in design practice.
Notable Quotes
"I want to acknowledge that we gather now on the traditional land of the Karnasi in the Lonepe, peoples past and present."
"My curiosity about industrial design continued mainly because of the spirit of the woman... who started the industrial design program at Pratt."
"Design's chief value is that design amplifies. It turns everything that it works with or who it works with up a notch."
"Good design happens because of great designing."
"The value of design is in the verb, in the designing."
"Different activities have different appropriate cadences."
"The practice of design doesn't neatly break up into compartmental units like code does."
"To meet people where they are is crucial for design effectiveness."
"Focus on value first and then optimize on speed, productivity, recovery rates."
"I want to encourage as many multiple voices to be involved in this as possible."
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