Summary
As AI and emerging technologies accelerate our teams’ ability to ship product, Design Ops practitioners are experiencing a fundamental identity shift that challenges traditional role boundaries. This talk explores how Design Ops practitioners are evolving beyond conventional program management into expansive, cross-functional roles that drive systemic change at enterprise scale. Through real-world case studies from Microsoft and Zapier, attendees will discover practical strategies for managing large-scale workflow transformations, building compelling business cases for significant tooling investments, and leveraging AI automation to amplify operational impact. The presentation addresses Design Ops leaders, managers, and practitioners who are navigating the tension between speed and scale while redefining their professional identities in an AI-driven landscape. Key learnings include strategies for piloting “minimum unviable products,” the importance of data hygiene for AI integration, and actionable approaches for growing “builder culture”.
Upcoming events
Scaling User Research with AI: Continuous Discovery of User Needs in Minutes
DesignOps without Boundaries: Building More with What You Have
Bridging Design and Code: AI-Powered Design System Integration
Practical DesignOps: From Ideas to Tools That Teams Actually Use















More Videos

"Links are first-class citizens in hypertext note-taking; connecting notes brings ideas to life and reveals new relationships."
Jorge ArangoExploding the Notebook: How to Unlock the Power of Linked Notes (2nd of 3 seminars)
April 19, 2024

"After 10 years, managers who first encountered civic design still believe it’s the right approach and continue to use it."
Christian BasonInnovating With People: Unleashing the Potential of Civic Design
December 8, 2021

"You cannot brute force your way into engagement; it just doesn’t happen."
Sofia QuinteroBeyond Tools: The Messy Business of Implementing Research Repositories
March 10, 2022

"Sponsor sessions support the theme and allow you to play around with awesome tools."
Alana WashingtonTheme 3 Intro
October 1, 2021

"Moving partners from passive to resistant helped reveal their fears and motivations so we could tailor our conversations to them."
Anat Fintzi Rachel MinnicksDelivering at Scale: Making Traction with Resistant Partners
June 9, 2022

"You have to understand how the business actually makes money to align UX with it."
Amy MarquezINVEST: Discussion
June 15, 2018

"A good UX ticket is just like any other ticket — clear title, description, acceptance criteria, and scope."
Chris HodowanecAgile + User Experience: How to navigate the Agile landscape as an UX Practitioner
November 16, 2022

"Fighting for the underdog means making the case for user experience in language that resonates with decision makers."
Janaki KumarInnovate with Purpose
June 14, 2018

"Not all data and insights should be shared uncritically, especially when working with vulnerable populations."
Sarah Fathallah Alba VillamilBeyond insights: Rethinking the role of researchers as stewards of organizational wisdom
March 13, 2025