Summary
Building a Design Ops team means having a long-term vision and thinking about future growth from the very beginning. DesignOps team members can become key problem solvers bringing value to your company—or can hit professional dead end without leveraging their true strengths. As a new discipline, how you plan to build strong culture and meaningful growth paths will provide ongoing value to your company. Courtney Kaplan will talk about how you can define opportunities for your team, find the right challenges for talent, and provide support in creating an impactful discipline.
Key Insights
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Design program management (DPM) has evolved significantly at Facebook, growing from two designers to over 300 in five years.
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The four phases of building a design ops team are triaging, discovering, emerging, and strategizing.
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Establishing a clear vision and priorities is critical when forming a new DPM team.
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Supporting the development of team members' strengths is essential to prevent burnout and enhance effectiveness.
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Creating a community among DPMs helps mitigate feelings of isolation and loneliness.
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Transitioning to a strategic partnership is the ultimate goal for design program managers.
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Understanding the broader organizational context enables DPMs to identify and solve complex problems effectively.
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Sharing best practices and successes across teams can expand the impact of the DPM function.
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Nurturing a culture of collaboration fosters innovation and improves the overall design process.
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Adaptability and risk-taking are crucial traits for DPMs as they navigate complex team dynamics.
Notable Quotes
"Yesterday someone said, you're the grandma of DPMs."
"At one point, I realized I was much more interested in talking to clients than in perfecting the pixels."
"It's not just about getting it all done; it's about having a big vision."
"Your first hires establish the tone of the design ops discipline moving forward."
"Make sure as you're building out the team, you have a really great sense of community."
"Strengths start to shine brightly when DPMs land in their spaces."
"DPMs think that everyone else knows what they know, but no one else does."
"Help them stretch and manage through areas of growth that are bigger than they've done before."
"Design ops talent is incredibly valuable for any company in rapidly changing environments."
"How can you ensure that this unique talent set is utilized at the highest levels?"
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