Summary
How do you keep human needs balanced with those of a business, especially when the business is the largest power and gas company in the country? Gretchen Anderson is the Head of Design at PG&E, and she talks about how she's scaling what she's learned across an enterprise-level organization.
Key Insights
-
•
The importance of user-centered design in large enterprises can drive significant product features that may not have emerged otherwise.
-
•
Pair design fosters collaboration between different design disciplines, enhancing creativity and efficiency.
-
•
Leading through making helps designers assert their value by providing tangible deliverables that invite discussions.
-
•
Building authentic relationships within teams can reduce feelings of isolation and paranoia among designers.
-
•
Design systems and pattern libraries are valuable guardrails but do not guarantee success on their own.
-
•
Diversity in design perspectives leads to happier designers and richer outcomes.
-
•
Decision-making in design should be collaborative, with designers facilitating discussions rather than dictating solutions.
-
•
Prototyping should focus on exploring ideas rather than purely usability testing, fostering creativity.
-
•
Cultivating a community within design teams enhances engagement and collaboration.
-
•
The user experience extends beyond end products to include the experiences people have with design teams.
Notable Quotes
"Delivery is a must. There's no failure, it's not an option."
"That's the kind of feature that never would have made it to the top of anyone's backlog without design."
"Working backwards makes the unimagined possible."
"Designers can be really paranoid and very precious."
"Design thinking is not just about stickies and post-its; it's about interaction."
"Invite yourself to the table by bringing actual deliverables."
"Prototyping is not just about usability—it's about exploring ideas."
"Lead your design teams with engagement and community building."
"User experience is not just in the product; it's about the experience others have with your team."
More Videos
"Happier designers lead to lower attrition rates."
Kristin Skinner Kamdyn MooreGroup Activity: A Deep Dive Into Value and Outcomes
October 23, 2019
"When we use this word note, we are talking oftentimes about things that can be very different."
Jorge ArangoThe Best of Both Worlds: How to Integrate Paper and Digital Notes (1st of 3 seminars) (Videoconference)
April 5, 2024
"Research happens across the entire process."
Prabhas Pokharel Mayo NissenOrder and Chaos: New Ways of Collaborating on Synthesis and Storytelling
March 10, 2022
"Apple's iPhone 3GS changed the world by introducing a built-in screen reader."
Sam ProulxMobile Accessibility: Why Moving Accessibility Beyond the Desktop is Critical in a Mobile-first World
March 10, 2022
"A well-framed request makes it easier for stakeholders to say 'yes' to involvement in research."
Roberta Dombrowski Sam Duong WoloszynskiMaking Research a Team Sport
March 11, 2022
"We have a tendency to always look outside and say these changes are needed."
Josina VinkNavigating the pitfalls of systems thinking in service design
December 4, 2024
"It's imperative to maintain hope, even when the harshness of reality suggests otherwise."
Angelos ArnisNavigating the Rapid Shifts in Tech's Turbulent Terrain
October 2, 2023
"We can leverage our strengths with customers by directly going to large businesses."
Ted NewardTheme 4: Enterprise Organizational Journey
June 4, 2019
"When they see a better way to do things, they’re more likely to buy into that change."
Maria SkaadenPanel Discussion: Methodologies and Work Environments
November 8, 2018
