Summary
In this talk, the speaker reviews the journey and growth of the DesignOps Summit, beginning with its inception in 2017 as a modest gathering focused on defining design operations. Over the years, the event has expanded significantly, tripling in attendance by bringing in diverse perspectives from various industries. The speaker highlights the evolution of discussions within the community, noting recurring challenges like visibility into work and proving value. Acknowledging the shift towards understanding impact rather than just efficiency, they emphasize the importance of collaboration amid ongoing challenges faced by design teams. The structure of the 2021 summit is unveiled, featuring three main themes that guide the sessions: getting started as a design operations team, practical approaches to grow design operations, and insights into the future direction of design operations. The speaker expresses gratitude towards the community for their ongoing participation and support in shaping the conversation.
Key Insights
-
•
Design operations have a long history across various industries, even if the name is relatively new.
-
•
The DesignOps Summit has grown from 200 attendees in its first year to over 600, indicating a growing interest in the field.
-
•
The evolution of the summit reflects a shift toward understanding design operations’ impact rather than just efficiency.
-
•
Collaboration challenges remain a consistent theme among design organizations.
-
•
Diverse perspectives from different roles within organizations enrich the conversation around design operations.
-
•
A thorough blind review process for speaking proposals has been integral to curating meaningful content for the summit.
-
•
The transition to virtual events has provided new opportunities for authentic discussions around pressing industry challenges.
-
•
Understanding when to push, pull, or let go is crucial in managing change within organizations.
-
•
The summit structure incorporates various themes to cater to different experience levels within the design operations community.
Notable Quotes
"This is a super exciting time in the history of what we're calling design operations."
"We're here to bring you the polished version of a conversation that's already happening in the world."
"This conference has evolved into a community of design ops curious individuals."
"We really wanted to understand the value that our teammates would find in having a role like this."
"We did research studies to understand the challenges you were having."
"There was a significant shift in terms of the scope of the role of design operations during the pandemic."
"We're building this community together, and there's an opportunity for all of us to continue to participate."
"If you’re familiar with Leah Puley’s book, the UX Team of One, much of the practical advice still holds true."
"Where do we go from here? That's where you all come in."
More Videos
"Design has been in the DNA of MailChimp really since day one."
Jacqui FreyFlow and Superfluidity for Design Orgs
November 7, 2018
"Communication can either be sustenance or nourishment for you and your teams."
Laura Gatewood Laine ProkayBeyond Buzzwords: Adding Heart to Effective Slack Communication
September 23, 2024
"Insights are unexpected discoveries about how things work and how to make them work better."
Johanna KollmannInsights-Driven Product Strategy: Get your Research to Count
December 6, 2022
"We want to make sure you are feeling loved, supported, and excited about the outstanding content we have today."
Bria AlexanderDay 3 Welcome
September 25, 2024
"Starting with an edge case can lead to mainstream innovation."
Billy CarlsonIdeation tips for Product Managers
December 6, 2022
"The most underutilized asset in a retail environment is the store employees themselves."
Catherine DubutBridging Physical and Digital Spaces: Approaches to Retail Service Design
March 18, 2021
"Peer recognition programs like shout-out Thursdays are low-effort yet high-impact."
Kim Holt Emma Wylds Pearl Koppenhaver Maisee XiongA Salesforce Panel Discussion on Values-Driven DesignOps
September 8, 2022
"We are not special; every discipline is going through transformation right now."
Adrian HowardSturgeon’s Biases
September 25, 2024
"I've learned to ask, to be invited to key stakeholder meetings."
Asia HoePartnering with Product: A Journey from Junior to Senior Design
November 29, 2023
