Summary
More than 50 years ago, Thomas Watson Jr., the second President of IBM declared, “Good design is good business”. Today, the global company continues to operate on the belief that human experiences drive business. Doug Powell, Distinguished Designer at IBM, will expose what it means to practice design at the global tech company, exploring the inner workings of the largest UX design operation in the world. He will also elaborate on a new Forrester Research study examining the value of design and the design thinking practice at IBM.
Key Insights
-
•
Design is experiencing a golden age with increased demand and investment from major companies.
-
•
Design thinking is becoming widely recognized as essential across diverse industries, including government organizations.
-
•
IBM's decentralized design structure allows for experimentation and adaptation in a variety of environments.
-
•
Training non-designers in design thinking strengthens cross-disciplinary collaboration and improves outcomes.
-
•
Integrated design teams result in higher alignment, efficiency, and market responsiveness.
-
•
Diverse teams are crucial for designing effective experiences for a diverse user base.
-
•
Measurable data and empathy help foster strategic conversations between design and business leaders.
-
•
Design leadership can significantly influence business investment decisions based on evidence of design's impact.
-
•
Continuous measurement of design metrics helps identify areas for improvement and success.
-
•
Good design is a long-standing business imperative, as emphasized by IBM's historical leadership.
Notable Quotes
"We are truly in a golden age for our profession."
"The demand for design skills is far outstripping the supply of talent."
"The most successful companies have followed the Apple template by placing human experience at their core."
"Design and design thinking are intentionally two different things in our mission."
"When teams are trained in design thinking, they are measurably more aligned, efficient, and agile."
"The user experience will allow us to win."
"Good design is good business."
More Videos
"How can we put a chatbot in the product instead of only at the end of the process?"
Noz UrbinaRapid AI-powered UX (RAUX): A framework for empowering human designers
May 1, 2025
"Not just making things up here on stage; there's actually an underlying structure."
Jim KalbachJazz Improvisation as a Model for Team Collaboration
June 4, 2019
"I still do this today. I make a service map when I know I need to grow a team fast."
Holly ColeUnderstanding Experiences: When you have to do more than work
November 8, 2018
"Our mission has been to bridge the gap that exists between the design and development disciplines."
Jack BeharHow to Build Prototypes that Behave like an End-Product
December 6, 2022
"Please check out the great offers in our digital swag bag."
Bria AlexanderOpening Remarks
October 3, 2023
"Culture over technology is critical; technology cannot help you out of cultural problems."
Erika FlowersAI-Readiness: Preparing NASA for a Data-Driven, Agile Future
June 10, 2025
"Every student has unique strengths that should be recognized and nurtured."
Kristin SkinnerFive Years of DesignOps
September 29, 2021
"Our goal is to create a sound for you, the audience, and empathize with each other to do that."
Jim KalbachJazz Improvisation as a Model for Team Collaboration
November 6, 2017
"Think in systems to scale creative initiatives effectively."
Surya VankaUnleashing Swarm Creativity to Solve Enterprise Challenges
June 10, 2021
