Log in or create a free Rosenverse account to watch this video.
Log in Create free account100s of community videos are available to free members. Conference talks are generally available to Gold members.
Growing in Enterprise Design through Making Connections
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
-
•
A motivated, continuous effort to make connections helps designers bring clarity to enterprise chaos.
-
•
Early experiences with simple connections can profoundly impact career and personal growth.
-
•
Enterprise design practices grow faster and stronger when internal communities nurture passion and skills.
-
•
Design systems, like ExxonMobil’s Unity, can facilitate cross-team collaboration beyond just UI consistency.
-
•
Treating every conversation as a chance to connect disrupts isolation caused by silos.
-
•
Exploring connections outside one’s immediate team or discipline uncovers hidden opportunities.
-
•
Leaders play a critical role by dedicating resources and encouraging participation in connection-building.
-
•
Inviting colleagues from other disciplines into user research and design processes fosters empathy and smoother collaboration.
-
•
Sharing insights with context improves adoption and impact, rather than sharing bare resources.
-
•
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."
Or choose a question:
More Videos
"Our ways of being are roots that grow into ways of knowing, doing, and methods, all nourished by systems of value."
Victor UdoewaBeyond Methods and Diversity: The Roots of Inclusion
March 26, 2024
"Most categories are fuzzy; there’s no clear boundary between what’s in or out."
Peter MorvilleThe Architecture of Understanding
May 13, 2015
"Ask yourself, who is not included in this future? Be self-reflexive to reduce bias."
Sam LadnerHow Research Can Drive Strategic Foresight
March 9, 2022
"Templates outline workflow models that encourage peer feedback before insights get published to the main hub."
Michelle Bejian Lotia Anne-Marie MorellRolling Out a Repository: How Zapier Centralizes Insights from Across their Organization
March 28, 2023
"Empathy walls emerged at DTA because teams needed a visceral way to bring stories back from the field."
Leisa ReicheltOpening Keynote: Operating in Context
November 7, 2018
"What if I said that this was actually the assignment: to write an essay using AI, helping students become familiar with translating their policy intent through AI?"
Sarah GallimoreInspire Progress with Artifacts from the Future
November 18, 2022
"This is real serious analysis, not pre-prepared or fake data."
Joerg Beringer Thomas GeisScaling User Research with AI: Continuous Discovery of User Needs in Minutes
September 10, 2025
"It’s not enough to have great people; you need to create the space that brings out the best in them."
Peter MerholzCustomer-Centered Design Organizations
June 8, 2017
"People broadly fall into three communication styles: positive, fact-based, and intensity-based."
Dalia El-ShimySo You've Got a Seat at the Table. Now What?
March 31, 2020
