As DesignOps, am I a modern-day secretary?
The emergence of DesignOps in the contemporary design and tech industries has triggered discussions about its role and significance within organisations. Some critics have dismissed DesignOps as an ‘expensive’ version of a traditional secretary, whose role is defined entirely by performing administrative tasks for designers. While this may be true to some extent, the critics forget that it’s the secretaries of yesteryear (and the office administrators of today) that made business possible.
When contemplating my work and what’s expected of me as a DesignOps Specialist, an intriguing question arises: Am I a modern-day secretary for design teams? A simplistic comparison, maybe, but it prompted me to embark on a thought experiment. The reference of the secretary role includes profiles such as Support Staff, Assistants, Design Ops, EPAs, EAs, etc.
A rich history of the Secretary role
For thousands of years, the secretary role has been an integral part of various cultures and societies, adapting and evolving to meet changing demands. Interestingly, a hundred years ago, secretaries were overwhelmingly male, and the job was considered, if not an exalted position, certainly a respectable one. Throughout history, the jobs significance in facilitating communication and administrative tasks has remained unwavering.
The evolving role of secretaries involves being connectors, emotional intelligence ambassadors, and contributors to multiple facets of the organisation. These roles, although often operating behind the scenes, hold significant influence and responsibilities that impact corporate culture, change, and progress.
They have shifted due to technological advancements and changing workplace dynamics, and possess skills that are challenging for AI to replicate, such as understanding nuanced human interactions and offering personalised recommendations.
Secretaries need to be proactive in shaping their roles, understanding their own value, and contributing meaningfully to the organization beyond traditional support functions. They are essential communication bridges between different hierarchical levels, being attuned to organizational moods and conveying feedback.
In my 13-year professional journey, I have encountered exceptional secretaries, PAs, EPAs, and other support staff who are open, kind, well-organised individuals that get things done.
Establishing strong relationships with such individuals is particularly crucial for a DesignOps professional in large corporations. Their extensive network, influential status without formal authority, and knowledge of backstage workarounds can immensely support the DesignOps role. From navigating outdated SAP systems to expediting corporate card processes, ordering materials for teams, and providing welcome gifts for new colleagues, their contributions are invaluable, saving time and enhancing team efficiency.
Shared traits and significance of Secretaries and DesignOps
While the traditional secretary role and the DesignOps position may differ in specific tasks and domains, they both possess common characteristics and play significant roles within organizations. Coordination, efficiency, standardization, advocacy, and scalability are pivotal factors contributing to the success of both roles.
Ensuring smooth communication and collaboration
The essence of both Secretaries and DesignOps professionals lies in their ability to coordinate and facilitate communication within their respective domains. Secretaries manage schedules, appointments, and correspondence for their executives or teams, ensuring seamless interactions and conflict avoidance. In parallel, DesignOps professionals foster communication and collaboration among designers, developers, product managers, and other stakeholders, aligning efforts for efficient workflows.
Enhancing efficiency and productivity
Secretaries excel in handling administrative tasks, freeing up executives to focus on strategic decision-making. Similarly, DesignOps professionals optimize design processes, implement standardized procedures, and remove obstacles, empowering designers to concentrate on their core creative work and deliver innovative solutions.
Establishing consistency and standardization
Secretaries adhere to standardized practices, ensuring structured and organized administrative procedures. Likewise, DesignOps establishes and maintains design systems and guidelines, ensuring consistency across all products and services to enhance brand identity and improve user experience.
Advocating and supporting key stakeholders
Secretaries extend their support to executives, advocating for them in various settings and assisting in achieving objectives. They serve as valuable support systems, handling logistics and providing insights. Similarly, DesignOps professionals advocate for designers and user-centered design principles within their organizations. Their role involves fostering a creative environment, providing necessary tools and resources, and assisting in overcoming challenges.
Emphasizing user-centered design principles
A significant aspect of DesignOps is advocating for user-centered design principles and methodologies. It underscores the importance of empathizing with users and aligning design decisions with their needs, ultimately leading to the development of successful products in the market. DesignOps professionals may initiate workshops and training sessions to educate designers and other stakeholders on user research methodologies, incorporating user insights throughout the design process.
Streamlining workflows for optimal efficiency
Both roles share the goal of streamlining workflows and optimizing processes. Secretaries excel in streamlining administrative tasks, reducing delays and inefficiencies. On the other hand, DesignOps focuses on streamlining design workflows, identifying bottlenecks, improving collaboration, and enhancing the overall design process for faster product development.
Empowering scalability and growth
Secretaries and DesignOps professionals are indispensable for facilitating scalability and growth. Secretaries empower executives to handle increasing responsibilities and expanding schedules, while DesignOps ensures design teams can grow seamlessly by establishing systems and guidelines that maintain design quality.
As organizations grow, the significance of effective design operations becomes even more pronounced. DesignOps professionals play a pivotal role in building scalable systems, establishing design guidelines, and creating standard operating procedures. Their work facilitates the seamless expansion of design teams without compromising quality.
DesignOps: A strategic partner in success
So perhaps DesignOps is an ‘expensive’ secretary, but it’s also an indispensable component of a well-functioning design team and a strategic partner driving organizational success.
Having said that, I salute all those wonderful support and admin staff out there. You have paved the way for design ops being possible.
You can run the office without a boss, but you can’t run the office without secretaries. — Jane Fonda
Key Takeaways for Support Staff, Design Ops, EPAs, EAs, etc.
Your role is not limited to traditional tasks!
Embrace the evolving nature of your position and be open to taking on new responsibilities that align with your skills and interests.
Support roles can also be leadership roles!
Don’t underestimate the impact you can make. Your insights and contributions matter, and you have the potential to influence decisions. Managers should offer autonomy, trust, and encourage experimentation to get the best results from their assistants, enabling them to thrive and lead.
Focus on developing skills that are difficult to automate.
Emotional intelligence, adaptability, creativity, and communication skills are all crucial in enhancing your effectiveness, and to succeed tin these dynamic roles
Building a strong network within and beyond your organization is essential.
Your connections can provide valuable insights, recommendations, and collaboration opportunities that go beyond what technology can offer.
Be ready to adapt to changing circumstances and technologies.
Embrace new tools and processes that can enhance your efficiency and contribute to meaningful projects.
Breaking stereotypes.
Challenge traditional gender roles, be an advocate for breaking stereotypes within your industry. Showcase the unique value you bring and challenge assumptions about what your role entails.
Don’t hesitate to ask for guidance or support.
Seeking mentorship from experience colleagues and continuous learning can accelerate your professional development.
Foster an environment of collaboration, openness, and teamwork.
By actively participating in discussions and sharing your insights, you can contribute to a more inclusive workplace culture. Stretch that listening and observation muscle, utilise your storytelling and visual thinking skills.
Clearly communicate the value of your role to both your superiors and HR.
Sharing your experiences, learnings, and contacts can demonstrate your worth to the organization.
Striving for perfection isn’t always realistic.
Embrace a balanced approach, and remember that your unique insights and efforts matter more than achieving perfection.
Acknowledge the impact you have on processes, projects, and overall team dynamics.
I encourage you to be adaptable, resilient, and leaders in your own right, contributing to the company’s growth and success.
The #changechronicles, a growing collection of written work from Roman Schoeneboom, covers but is not limited to #projectwork, #storiesofimpact, #sessioninsights, #training-by-doing, #opinionpiece, #teamsupport, and #changemanagement.
