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Summary
Designers are known for their ability to make connections—to take in a wide variety of diverse data points and find meaning through patterns and associations. As designers in enterprise, we can use this ability to be more effective partners and leaders. In his journey with design at ExxonMobil, Nick Cochran has thrived on finding and making these organizational connections. This talk highlights how he has used this ability, featuring examples of connections made and some he wished were made sooner. He also shares some practical methods to collect these data points so that more valuable connections can be made.
Key Insights
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A motivated, continuous effort to make connections helps designers bring clarity to enterprise chaos.
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Early experiences with simple connections can profoundly impact career and personal growth.
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Enterprise design practices grow faster and stronger when internal communities nurture passion and skills.
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Design systems, like ExxonMobil’s Unity, can facilitate cross-team collaboration beyond just UI consistency.
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Treating every conversation as a chance to connect disrupts isolation caused by silos.
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Exploring connections outside one’s immediate team or discipline uncovers hidden opportunities.
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Leaders play a critical role by dedicating resources and encouraging participation in connection-building.
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Inviting colleagues from other disciplines into user research and design processes fosters empathy and smoother collaboration.
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Sharing insights with context improves adoption and impact, rather than sharing bare resources.
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Onboarding and informal social interactions help embed connection-making culture early in team growth.
Notable Quotes
"Working in Enterprise can feel like chaos."
"Making a simple connection and acting on it changed the course of my life for the better."
"Sense making is a motivated continuous effort to understand connections and act effectively."
"Treat every conversation as an opportunity to make new connections."
"A design system helped us connect developers and designers together in community."
"Leaders have the additional responsibility to create space for conversations."
"Don't just throw a URL at someone without context, explain why it’s interesting."
"Don’t make it about you. Put the spotlight on your colleagues and team members."
"Seeking out new connections beyond your silo can reveal new opportunities."
"As leaders, spending one-on-ones with managers can cascade connection-making culture down to teams."
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