Summary
When introducing DesignOps as a new function to an organization, the first few months are critical as you set the stage for how the organization familiarizes itself with your new team. In this session, Brennan will cover how DesignOps can partner with other functions, how to pick the right programs to tackle first, and how to measure a new team’s success. He will showcase tools that are useful to help establish your team’s newly formed brand within your organization.
Key Insights
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Communication gaps can significantly hinder design efficiency in large organizations.
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Understanding the unique needs of design teams is crucial before centralizing roles.
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Structured roles like Design Program Managers can mitigate duplicative work and improve productivity.
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Clear metrics and surveys can provide evidence for the necessity of design ops.
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Siloed teams often lead to inefficiencies and loss of design time.
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Creating a design ops menu allows teams to pick tailored solutions.
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Block scheduling for design work increases focus and productivity.
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Having DPMs report to design ops instead of line managers encourages open communication.
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Cross-functional coordination is key for consistent design operations across global teams.
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Maintaining flexibility in design ops roles allows for adaptation as team needs evolve.
Notable Quotes
"We realized that this means we had a clear role that designers could jump into and help out here."
"How much time do you actually spend designing every day? Scary numbers came back, averaging three hours."
"We've learned a lot from the London team; how could we create a global communication matrix?"
"Maker Time is a dedicated time for everyone to design, free from meetings."
"The best selling factor we found was actual numbers and data for a tech company."
"Adding a DPM was more important than even adding another designer."
"We got headcount; it worked; we communicated everything effectively."
"People love this simple way to explain visually what adding a DPM does for design hours."
"Retaining design talent increased, with average years staying going up after DPMs were added."
"You can't standardize everything; some tools just work better for specific teams."
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