Rosenverse

This video is only accessible to Gold members. Log in or register for a free Gold Trial Account to watch.

Log in Register

Most conference talks are accessible to Gold members, while community videos are generally available to all logged-in members.

Do More With Less: Equip and Lead Design Orgs Through Adversity
Gold
Monday, October 2, 2023 • DesignOps Summit 2023
Share the love for this talk
Do More With Less: Equip and Lead Design Orgs Through Adversity
Speakers: Bassel Deeb and Will Osborn
Link:

Summary

With the growing turbulence companies face (e.g. recent financial downturns and the pandemic before that), Design with a big D and its sub disciplines (including DesignOps) finds itself deeply and directly impacted by resource reduction and/or resource re-distribution. In this session, we will bring our years of expertise from working with companies of different shapes and forms to explore techniques that help design leadership shield Design Orgs from the impact of uncertainties and be prepared to have those tough conversation when and if needed. Furthermore, we will explore how you can manage the consequences of these events when they become inevitable, but you still need to maintain a strong Design capability.

Key Insights

  • Preparation is key to managing adversity in business environments.

  • Aligning team goals with organizational values improves resilience and reduces the impact of challenges.

  • Understanding organizational culture helps in identifying invisible values that affect team dynamics.

  • Using frameworks like Porter's value chain can aid in justifying design initiatives to business stakeholders.

  • Skills mapping should be a strategic ongoing activity, not just a reactive tool during crises.

  • Resilience in teams includes comfort with ambiguity and adaptive collaboration skills.

  • Effective risk planning allows organizations to anticipate challenges and respond proactively.

  • Clear communication is essential during uncertain times to alleviate team anxieties and enhance collaboration.

  • Identifying leading indicators can help teams act before risks materialize into significant issues.

  • Combining multiple frameworks can provide a comprehensive approach to navigating adversity.

Notable Quotes

"Our very survival depends on our ability to stay awake, adjust to new ideas, remain vigilant, and face the challenge of change."

"Change is not about if, it's about when."

"Identifying what matters to the business is crucial for aligning our goals to show value."

"Understanding the organization culture helps reveal invisible objectives."

"We should never forget that design ops is often seen as a cost unit."

"It's essential to identify activities that directly impact customer experience and overall business value."

"Risk planning allows us to capitalize on our learnings and prepare for the future."

"Ensuring teams can adapt requires a focus on resilience and clear communication."

"Emerging from adversity means being comfortable with ambiguity and readiness for change."

"The goal of our tools is to empower teams to focus on what matters most during challenging times."

More Videos

Jacqui Frey

"I came from Atlanta, and I know I saw a bunch of y'all on the flights here."

Jacqui Frey

Flow and Superfluidity for Design Orgs

November 7, 2018

Laura Gatewood

"It's about how you want your recipients to feel when they receive your message."

Laura Gatewood Laine Prokay

Beyond Buzzwords: Adding Heart to Effective Slack Communication

September 23, 2024

Johanna Kollmann

"Your insights need to be framed in a way that talks to overall goals you're trying to achieve."

Johanna Kollmann

Insights-Driven Product Strategy: Get your Research to Count

December 6, 2022

Bria Alexander

"If you have a question for a specific speaker, every talk is going to have a thread associated with them."

Bria Alexander

Day 3 Welcome

September 25, 2024

Billy Carlson

"Throw away the rule book—just try to get as many ideas as you can out as fast as possible."

Billy Carlson

Ideation tips for Product Managers

December 6, 2022

Catherine Dubut

"The most underutilized asset in a retail environment is the store employees themselves."

Catherine Dubut

Bridging Physical and Digital Spaces: Approaches to Retail Service Design

March 18, 2021

Kim Holt

"Onboarding processes should empower new hires to integrate smoothly into the team."

Kim Holt Emma Wylds Pearl Koppenhaver Maisee Xiong

A Salesforce Panel Discussion on Values-Driven DesignOps

September 8, 2022

Adrian Howard

"If I look around me in a community, some folk are going to be awesome and some are going to be less."

Adrian Howard

Sturgeon’s Biases

September 25, 2024

Asia Hoe

"Collaboration means involving design early and often."

Asia Hoe

Partnering with Product: A Journey from Junior to Senior Design

November 29, 2023