“Plumbers” of the design team: Wolfram’s perspective on the multifaceted role of design ops

Design edition no. 4 — Wolfram Thurm

Design edition

In 2023, I interviewed a group of leaders from the design industry to gather their perspectives on leadership and personal growth. This collection aims to inspire and empower the design community through their shared experiences and insights.

This article is part of the Converations with Leaders publication.

№4 — A conversation with Wolfram Thurm

Wolfram Thurm currently heads Central Design Services and DesignOps at Gojek, — a leading on-demand multi-service platform and digital payment technology group based in Indonesia — focusing on enabling and supporting the design team by evolving their strategy, practice, people, and culture. With a background in digital product design, industrial design, and western classical music, Wolfram draws from these diverse experiences in his work. Wolfram’s people-centric approach to DesignOps supports both operational excellence and overall team well-being, driving positive change and growth.

Wolfram has navigated multiple iterations in his team to define what design operations mean, ultimately characterising it as a discipline that encompasses processes, tools, quality control, skill sets, goals, and engagement. The primary objective of design operations is to support designers by alleviating operational burdens, allowing them to focus on their creative work. Wolfram likens design operations practitioners to the “plumbers” of the design team, integral to maintaining operational excellence and ensuring seamless project delivery.

Wolfram identified four primary focus areas: strategy and maturity, process and practice, people, and culture. Strategy and maturity examine how customer-centric the organisation is and the extent of designers’ access within the company, embedding methodologies like design thinking to foster a customer-focused culture. Process and practice emphasise creating playbooks, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and optimising processes to enhance efficiency across teams, ensuring workflows are streamlined and scalable.

The people focus area covers staffing, planning, career frameworks, onboarding, and off boarding. Wolfram stresses the importance of bridging the gap between HR functions and the practical needs of the design team, highlighting the role of design operations in career development and mentorship. Culture underscores the significance of team well-being, integration, and inclusivity. Wolfram mentions having identified 35 drivers of engagement, measured every six months, to ensure a positive and cohesive team culture.

Wolfram advised that while one might feel they are doing enough, it is crucial to verify whether they are doing the right things. This involves regularly asking oneself how to prioritise work effectively and dedicating time for personal discovery and growth.

According to Wolfram, a ratio of one design operations professional to over 25 designers is common, but a healthier ratio is closer to 1:12. This ensures that the design operations team can adequately support and empower the design team. His team includes a central design operations role supplemented by embedded practitioners, functioning similarly to producers within various teams.

Wolfram champions servant leadership within design operations. This leadership style, which prioritises the needs of the design team, is marked by compassion, patience, and empathy. Design operations professionals bear significant responsibilities with limited authority, focusing on enabling others to excel. He acknowledged the unique challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly in maintaining team morale and engagement. His approach included developing a happiness index to gather insights and tailor action plans for each team, reflecting a people-centric leadership style.

For aspiring design operations leaders, Wolfram suggests a focus on customer centricity, servant leadership, and building strong professional relationships. He noted the trend of designers transitioning into design operations roles, emphasising the importance of understanding both top-down directives and bottom-up needs within the organisation. Wolfram argued that design operations should not be directly compared to other operational roles like DevOps or marketing operations. Instead, it employs design thinking methodologies to influence broader company visions and strategies, positioning it as a critical function for fostering innovation and customer-centricity.

Design operations is a strategic function within organisations, focusing on people, processes, and culture. By implementing principles of servant leadership and adaptability, design operations can foster a thriving design environment and drive overall organisational success.

#conversations-with-leaders is a collection by Roman Schoeneboom that delves into the multifaceted nature of leadership. It offers a rich tapestry of perspectives on #leadership, #management, and #personal growth.

Rooted in the Old English words “laédan” (to lead) and “léod” (people or nation), leadership has evolved from guiding groups to influencing and motivating individuals toward shared goals. From the Middle English “ledere” to today’s complex work environments, diverse leadership styles offer unique approaches to guiding others.