Summary
Recent market reports make the business case for design. Yet, each falls short in defining the steps required to scale design for maximum impact within organizations. Demystifying how to scale the impact of design was the intent behind a recently completed user research initiative, called “Pathways.” This research sponsored by the IIT Institute of Design and in partnership with Capital One, Ford, Google, Phillips Healthcare, Salesforce, and VMLY&R establishes how to scale design operations within organizations and how future roles of design, inclusive of user research, will need to evolve to yield maximum impact.
Key Insights
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Effective design leadership turns design into a core organizational strategy.
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Organizations often default to solution-focused thinking rather than problem-driven approaches.
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Designers need to actively demonstrate the strategic implications of their work.
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Developing a shared language around design is essential for non-designers.
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Hands-on experience in design can transform understanding among non-designers.
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Researchers should track and visualize their influence on project outcomes.
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Specialized competencies in design amplify researchers' value.
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Understanding business acumen is crucial for designers to take their seats at the table.
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Immersive design experiences create deeper engagement and comprehension.
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Advocating for exploratory approaches can encourage problem-driven thinking.
Notable Quotes
"It is quite the timing here in our history calling each and every one of us to lead our organizations with greater purpose."
"This framework was crowdsourced with a lot of intention."
"Design leadership looks like a CEO promoting design as strategy."
"It's about having funding structures for design tied specifically to the business units."
"We need to allow design to understand problems and people and from there figuring out what the solution is."
"Ensure you're seen as an indispensable resource to your business partners."
"We don't know the best way to solve this problem, but we do know this is a problem to solve."
"Creating a shared language around design is key."
"Introduce every non-designer to design in an immersive way."
"To elevate design and research in your organization is up to you."
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