When I knew my time at Zynga was up I had an opportunity to look back at my 8 year journey and reflect. I started at Zynga as an experienced individual contributor and left as someone who spent the majority of their time leading, managing and mentoring other designers. I helped build and rebuild the design team multiple times while I was there. My journey was a learning experience that shaped how I built the design team and culture at Step.
The best product designers understand that collaboration is not just about working with others, but about working together effectively. Here are some of the best practices for collaboration and building a culture of innovation that I picked up along the journey.
Set expectations
Try as much as possible to align on objectives, goals and requirements up front. Thrash is frustrating for designers and leads to burnout or worse apathy. It’s also important to define the roles and responsibilities of each team member. Clear communication is essential in any collaboration, and it starts with defining the goals and responsibilities for the team. This helps to ensure that everyone understands their role in the project and how they contribute to its success. This will help speed up the process and keep the design process efficient.
Encourage creativity and diversity
Collaboration thrives on creativity and diversity. Encourage team members to bring new ideas to the table and to challenge the status quo. This helps to foster an environment of innovation and encourages the team to come up with unique and creative solutions to problems. Don’t let design reviews feel like a firing squad. Make sure it’s a safe space for people to express their opinions and ideas. Your collective experience, intelligence and creativity will help you solve the most complex problems.
Leave space for other people’s ideas
Design is a team sport and collaboration requires flexibility and adaptability. Be open to change and be willing to pivot if necessary. This helps to ensure that the team remains focused on the project’s goals, while being able to adapt to new challenges and opportunities as they arise. Don’t fall in love with your own ideas. Make sure you’re listening to and addressing constructive feedback no matter where it comes from.
Make it fun
Sharing progress and celebrating success is essential for maintaining team morale and keeping everyone motivated. Regular progress updates help to keep everyone informed and provide a sense of accomplishment, while celebrating success helps to create a positive atmosphere and strengthens team cohesion. Language can help here as well. For example at Step I’ve encouraged jam sessions as opposed to formal design reviews.
The key to successful collaboration is to foster an environment of trust, cooperation, and mutual respect, where everyone feels valued and heard. By prioritizing communication and collaboration, product designers can ensure that the end result meets the needs of the users and exceeds expectations.
