Articulating Your Design Impact and Becoming an Influential Designer
It is a common challenge for designers these days to measure the impact of their design work because connecting the dots between design and business can be overwhelming, especially when design is treated as an afterthought during the product development process.
This article in the Harvard Business Review says many organizations currently undervalue the power of product design. Despite its importance, it is often misconceived as making things look pretty, and this perception really disvalues the strategic role of design.
In reality, designing is all about problem solving, understanding user needs and business goals, and crafting solutions to meet those needs.
Good design can definitely simplify complex tasks, guide users seamlessly, and drive business growth.
Some of the costs of not articulating design value
- You are often seen as being decorative rather than strategic.
- Organizations under invest in design leading to products that doesn’t resonate with users or achieve business goals
- May lead to missing opportunities for growth.
As designers, we must constantly convey the impact and value of our work. And to do that, we need to be able to measure the impact of the design we make.
So, how do we measure the impact of design?
By building a product mindset from the get-go
A product mindset is a way of thinking that focuses on creating solutions that provide real user value. Understanding the entire product and its ecosystem, not just the feature that you design, as well as taking note of what’s best for the users and the business
Define the KPIs and the factors influencing human behavior
Define the main business objectives and ensure you refer back to them often in the design process. An example of a KPI is an increase in conversion rate, e.g., more purchases, more sign-ups, etc.
For a redesign project, start tracking before you design. This way, you can show the before and after of the project.
Measure the quantitative design result
Design is often seen as subjective, but data brings in an objective perspective that can validate design choices and your design impact.
Leverage user research insights and analytics. an example of key insight: 25% in sign-ups.
Gather qualitative data
Speak to users to get direct feedback on what work and what doesn’t
Some examples of design outcomes that can be measured are
Strategies to articulate impact
Show and tell
- Connect design work to metrics
- Discuss the business impact
- Incorporate visual aids, like before and after design
Use the X by Y by Z formula
Google recruiters recommended this formula. It can be used to craft accomplishments in resumes; however, I believe this formula can be effective when we need to present our work to top management.
- I accomplished — by measuring — by doing —
- Use it as an opening sentence, and then you can explain in more detail as you go.
- An example would look something like this: with tree-testing, I achieved a 24% increase in sign-ups and cut down customer support inquiries related to navigation by 5% by spearheading the redesign of the navigation system and enhancing UI elements.
Making design decisions relatable through storytelling
- Tell a story, stories are relatable, memorable and emotionally engaging . they can transform abstract concept into tangible scenarios
How to become an influential designer within your team
Involve stakeholders and build relationships early and often
- Design does not exist in isolation; involving the engineering, marketing, and sales teams early can provide you with valuable insight, help you address concerns, and ensure smooth project delivery.
Share your design knowledge with others
- Hold workshops or share resources where others can learn about each other’s processes and challenges.
Foster a culture of regular feedback and growth
- Design critiques and feedback session is a way of doing this
Set standards
- Set, uphold and maintain good design standards
How to become an influential designer outside your team
Become a design advocate
- Always seek to champion the value of design in cross-functional teams, by sharing your design success, other teams would see the value of design and they are more likely to support and invest in it
Bridge the gap
- Organize a joint workshop between the design and other departments.
- Educate others on the terminologies used in design
Right now is the time for you to shine as a designer because, in the tech world, designers are playing a crucial role in product management and development. Apply the lessons learned, and you will eventually become the influential designer you wish to be.
Here’s additional resources to look at 6 Effective Tips to Communicate Your Design Value at Work and Think Business: How to Increase Your Designer Value
I was inspired by Janus Tiu, a senior designer at Electronic Art and the Founder and Program Lead of liftyz. to write this article.
Thank you, Janus; your session from BeMore2023 truly stood out for me, so I decided to write about it with the aim of helping other designers become better versions of themselves.
Thank you for reading. Don’t forget to clap if you find it useful; it will help others discover it.