
Deanna Washington
Technical Program Manager for Adobe Design

Tim Allen
VP, Design & Research, Instacart

Jeff Courcelle
VP, User Experience & Chief Designer, MicroStrategy

John Maeda
VP of Design and Artificial Intelligence, Microsoft

Matt Raw
VP, Product Design Culture & Operations, The New York Times

Erica Tjader
VP of Design and Research, SurveyMonkey
Summary
What happens next with your career? Engage with a panel of Design VPs as they share their leadership and career advancement journey. They’ll discuss their perception of the DesignOps practice as it's matured over the years and how DesignOps has impacted their role. You’ll learn about the leadership qualities and mindset necessary to unlock your next opportunity.
Key Insights
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Design operations are crucial, yet often overlooked in career paths in design.
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Collaborative approaches break down silos, allowing design to permeate the entire organization.
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Proactivity and asking tough questions can lead to significant growth and collaboration in design ops.
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Courage, curiosity, and a dash of audacity are essential traits for navigating the evolving design landscape, especially with AI.
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Designers should harness their ability to convene discussions to influence and set agendas effectively.
Notable Quotes
"I was in design ops and I didn't know it because we didn't call it that."
"The earlier you begin to collaborate with other ops areas, the more successful you'll be."
"A truly mature organization has reached the conclusion that UX belongs to everyone."
"I wish I'd known earlier the power that designers have to convene people around an idea."
"If you can bring people together around a provocation, it’s super powerful."
















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