Summary
Tired of juggling a dozen different tools? Join us for a live conversation about the rising trend of tool consolidation in DesignOps, led by Great Question CEO Ned Dwyer. He'll be joined by Jadyn Aguilar, Head of Design Operations and UX Research at Gusto, to discuss the benefits, challenges, and opportunities of tool consolidation in DesignOps. If you're part of a team aiming to streamline workflows and reduce overhead, this session is a must. You’ll walk away with practical insights and advice for consolidating your own toolstack.
Key Insights
-
•
Tool consolidation can significantly enhance workflow efficiency and collaboration among teams.
-
•
A thorough evaluation of existing tools and processes is crucial before deciding to consolidate.
-
•
Empathy and open communication with IT and procurement teams are essential for successful change management.
-
•
Customer-centricity should guide decisions regarding tool use and consolidation.
-
•
Documenting trade-offs and potential impacts is key to gaining buy-in from stakeholders.”
-
•
Fewer tools reduce licensing costs and training requirements, streamlining onboarding processes.
-
•
Conducting regular surveys helps gauge team satisfaction and identify areas for improvement.
-
•
Building trust with customers through consistent communication improves participant experience.
-
•
Taking a phased approach to consolidation can mitigate chaos and resistance among teams.
-
•
Narrative-driven presentations can effectively communicate the value of new tools to procurement and leadership.
Notable Quotes
"I'm a bit of a fanboy of Gusto."
"We want to achieve the same thing: quality insights and proximity to our customers."
"It's really important for us to think holistically about the impact of our tool decisions."
"We want to make sure we are driving really clear solutions for our customers."
"If we waited for perfection, we would never write a word."
"We are consistently working together to improve how we collaborate."
"The space that was opened for conversation and collaboration was key."
"It's important to highlight the problem I'm trying to solve with stakeholders."
"We're seeking optimization, not perfection in our tool consolidation journey."
"The impact of reduced context switching is significant in resource management."
















More Videos
"We brought in customers to make a point about how difficult it is to do their jobs."
Discussion
June 9, 2017

"We'll have a panel discussing wonderful things that happened throughout the day."
Bria AlexanderTheme 1 Intro
September 23, 2024

"If you have a tailored solution, you're more likely to address your business's research questions effectively."
Benjamin Wiedmaier Annie MayfieldRedefining Toolkits: Unbundling to Create a Perfect Match
March 11, 2025

"Incentives helped sell the idea of a design system that could improve efficiency."
Eniola OluwoleLessons From the DesignOps Journey of the World's Largest Travel Site
October 24, 2019

"It’s worth taking the risk to ask community members what they want."
Justin Entzminger Terrance Smith Tracy M. Colunga Mai-Ling GarciaRisk and Reward: How to Diversify the Field of Civic Innovators and Designers
November 17, 2022

"Sponsor sessions are completely free and don’t overlap with the main program."
Bria AlexanderOpening Remarks
October 4, 2023

"Can you sit down with the people that you work with?"
Holly ColeUnderstanding Experiences: When you have to do more than work
November 8, 2018

"The context of discovery involves building rich theories, while context of justification tests them."
Mohammad Hossein JarrahiContextuality problem: Exploring the Benefits of Qualitative and Quantitative Research
January 20, 2023

"When we don’t synthesize really well together, we often miss the bigger picture."
Brad Peters Anne MamaghaniShort Take #1: UX/Product Lessons from Your Industry Peers
December 6, 2022