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
"Quality is value to some person who matters."
John CutlerThe Alignment Trap
November 29, 2023
"Closing the distance is about connecting not only with customers but also between cross-functional team members."
Monty HammontreeThe Future of UX Research
December 3, 2020
"We have to think beyond projects to the larger ecosystem and understand the ladder of intended outcomes."
Matt StoneScaling Empathy, A Case Study in Change Management
June 11, 2021
"If teams have a clear ROI strategy, they’re more likely to be involved early in product creation."
Gonzalo GoyanesDesign ROI: Cover a Little, Get a Lot
September 8, 2022
"Commercial buyers evaluate products primarily on needs first; certifications like Energy Star are bonuses."
Amy ParnessScaling Sustainability: Complementary strategies that drive long-term success
May 29, 2025
"We heard from the community through surveys which helped us understand what you hope to see at this year's Design Ops Summit."
Alana WashingtonTheme 3 Intro
October 1, 2021
"Transparency requires all decisions to be clear and understandable to non-technical users."
Patrizia BertiniDesigning Within the Lines: How the EU AI Act Can Spark Better AI Innovation
December 11, 2025
"Emotional responses to research participants are human but must be balanced with maintaining professional boundaries."
Jane Reid Janice HannawaySelf-care in User Research
April 2, 2020
"You need to be the connector between people trying to drive decisions and others influencing them."
Nathan CurtisBeyond the Toolkit: Spreading a System Across People & Products
June 9, 2016
