Summary
We have all heard the old saying “communication is key” but as the landscape of technology widens so do the options we have for communication tools using that technology. To talk about the challenges and opportunities that our organizations face when solving the communication conundrum, we have invited three people working in three different areas where communication is key for organizations with designers: research insights, workflow management and design systems management. Facilitated by Abby Covert.
Key Insights
-
•
Design operations suffer from too many fragmented tools and need unified systems.
-
•
Users want collaborative tools that filter noise and surface only what's important.
-
•
Collaboration in companies requires control mechanisms such as approvals and private comments, contradicting the idea of anarchy.
-
•
Integration between design and development is hindered by translation losses between design and code.
-
•
True agile and cross-functional collaboration are rare due to team turnover and lack of trust.
-
•
Collaborative tools have democratized feedback, increasing ownership across teams.
-
•
Different roles like designers, engineers, and business analysts have distinct needs from design tools.
-
•
Customization of collaborative tools and workflows is essential to fit diverse team processes.
-
•
AI and design systems combined with research can enable automated, smarter design decisions.
-
•
Future collaboration tools should respect users' focus time and reduce constant interruptions.
Notable Quotes
"There are too many things all over the place. I would like to use my magic wand for making them one system."
"A lot of these tools bring more noise into people’s day to day lives. It’s really hard to stay involved and still find time to get your own job done."
"Collaboration is actually not anarchy in companies. There’s always this need for control."
"Translation is a traitor because meaning is lost in translation between design and code."
"The dream of cross-functional agile collaboration is there, but it’s quite hard to realize that because teams don’t have enough time to build trust."
"With collaborative tools, feedback has become a democratic process, and people feel more ownership of the project."
"Design is not only limited to designers. Business analysts and engineers can design too, supported by designers."
"The hardest thing is knowing when to stop talking about something and start building it."
"Eventually, I expect AI to help create designs by combining patterns from meta design systems and research, making design more about crafting experiences."
"I want my collaboration tool to be like the Nest thermostat of my workday, knowing when I’m heads down and when I’m open to communication."
Or choose a question:
More Videos
"I see design ops as deeply linked to how internal operations influence what our customers experience."
Bud Caddell Kristin Skinner Alana WashingtonDesignOps Community Sensing Session
May 13, 2021
"If you’re the first researcher in a big org or new domain, focus on defining impact before deciding methodology and partnerships."
George Zhang Molly StevensUX Research Excellence Framework
March 11, 2021
"It became a mandate this year for companies to use Astro for all applications in enterprise cross-mission ground."
Michal Anne RogondinoSaving Outer Space: The First UX Design System for Our Nation’s Satellites
January 8, 2024
"How might we unlock the full capabilities of our most valuable resource, our people, their skills, their knowledge and their potential?"
Frances YllanaTheme 2 Intro
September 24, 2024
"Aim to work with at least one person on each platform your product supports, because assistive tech varies."
Sam ProulxPrototype Reviews, People With Disabilities, and You
December 8, 2021
"You have to put on many faces — different skills and mindsets — to communicate with purchasing, finance, legal, and HR."
Crystal PhilcoxThe Many Faces of Operations
November 6, 2017
"Almost 90% of data science projects do not make it into production—they die on the vine."
Joel BranchHumanizing AI: Filling the Gaps with Multi-faceted Research
March 11, 2021
"We should think of AI as something that amplifies what we already are: if we think research is about impact, AI will help us understand and track it."
Llewyn PaineCoexisting with AI: A practical guide for researchers to navigate tools, ethics, and integration
March 11, 2025
"Data is only as good as insights that come out of it and action."
Kristen Honey"Let’s Talk About Data and Crisis”: Public Digital Service Delivery = Open Data + Human Centered Design
November 18, 2021
