How to Design in a Complex Domain
Complexity isn’t a blocker, it’s the catalyst for great design.
Understanding the domain in which we operate is a big part of how we succeed as designers. To relate to and understand the worlds of our users, we have to understand — and appreciate — the wider context in which they operate. Only then can we perceive how our products and services fit into their personal or professional lives.
But what happens when the domain in which we find ourselves is complex, hard to navigate, and harder still to relate to? Can we empathise with and understand the needs and motivations of our users without needing to become domain experts ourselves? Does this preclude us from doing our jobs as designers?
The short answer is no – but it does make it harder!
As you can imagine, the learning curve in some industries is a fairly flat and reasonable incline. For example, if you work as a designer in the eCommerce space, you don’t have to look far for inspiration. Chances are also good that you already have some relatable experience, being a consumer of these services yourself, from which you can draw reference and inspiration.
For those who work in more complex or technical industries on products like financial systems, engineering platforms, or medical devices, the barrier to entry can be far higher. Here, the idea of not just being, but thriving, as a designer can be somewhat daunting.
Here, the fundamental principles of human-computer interaction apply more than ever; where Design is an invaluable practice that enables these industries to make sense of ambiguity and deliver simple, intuitive products and services. So while the opportunity is abundant, the costs of switching into these complex problem spaces can be far greater.
Navigating Complexity in a New Industry
For those of us who do choose to pursue this exciting but challenging opportunity, how can we go about navigating our way through that complexity? What are some of the things we can do to overcome the initial knowledge-gap? What can we do to help accelerate our learning and reduce the operational and emotional costs of switching?
Embrace the Design Process
As designers, we are equipped with all the tools we need to make sense of the unknown and embrace ambiguity. So why not put them to use as we learn about a new domain? In any typical design process, the first step is to observe and understand the user and their wider context.
We can apply our research skills to begin this journey of understanding and sense-making. When we struggle to do this on our own, we can look to secondary research, as well as folks internally, to serve as a proxy for the user and provide the context we need to take those first tentative steps.
Partner with Internal Experts
Chances are high that there’s at least one person in your organisation who already has a deep knowledge of the domain. It may be that you hire dedicated domain experts, or that your Product Managers have that deep knowledge you’re looking for. Or maybe, like Personio, your colleagues and managers use your own product internally (“dogfooding,” for some) and thus have a fair amount of domain knowledge you can lean on.
In the early days, as you’re working to build that all-important foundational context, quickly seek out those folks “in the know” and look to shadow and absorb that critical mass of knowledge. Leveraging the insight and experience of those around you can help to fast-track your learning.
Assume a Growth Mindset
On the face of it, transitioning as a designer into a complex domain can be daunting and overwhelming. Some may even experience a crisis of confidence like imposter’s syndrome. Cultivating a growth mindset — the inherently positive belief in one’s own ability to learn something new — can help give you the confidence to take the next step (and the next, and the next).
Look for opportunities both inside and outside of the organisation that can enable that growth. Training courses, conferences, and trade events can accelerate your learning and build confidence in your knowledge and ability. Embrace those opportunities with an open mind and faith that you can, with time, close that gap between novice and expert.
Learn Just Enough
You don’t need to become a domain expert; that probably shouldn’t be your goal. All you need is to learn just enough to be able to understand the user, what they’re trying to do, and why they’re trying to do it. Deciphering the broader narrative of their story gives you enough knowledge to hold and guide a conversation, understand their challenges, and empathise with their needs.
Similarly, you don’t have to be a technical expert in order to design good solutions to customer’s problems. Seek to gain a base understanding of what’s broadly possible with the platform and associated capabilities, and then lean into your company’s existing tech experts to fill in the rest. Again, the goal should be to learn just enough to help follow a conversation and make good decisions.
Give Yourself Time
The most important element here is time. Learning something new just takes time, no matter how fast we want it to go. Sure, some of us will pick things up quicker than others, but managing your expectations and allowing yourself enough time are critical to our growth and success.
Those moving into a complex domain for the first time might find this tricky, where the lead time to a meaningful contribution is longer than expected. Remind yourself that it’s okay not to be leading calls on day one, or to be outputting prototypes within your first few weeks. The learning curve might be higher than we’re used to, but what matters is that you’ll get there in time. And your colleagues are there to help you in the process. Remember, everyone wants you to succeed. Take the opportunity in the early days to absorb, reflect, and connect the dots as you ask those all-important “why” questions.
Why It’s Important to Make the Switch
We’ve established that entering a complex domain for the first time can present a multitude of challenges. And for designers, whose jobs are predicated on an understanding of context, situation, and human behaviour, these challenges can be amplified.
So why, then, do so many designers choose to make the switch into these more complex industries? In short: the greater the risk, the greater the reward! For some people — designers and non-designers — the challenging industries are just that much more rewarding to work in.
The Height of Problem-Solving
What’s more challenging for a designer than the task of making the super-complex simple? These more complex or technical industries are rife with opportunities to stretch and strain the creative bounds of design. In a world where great design and experiences are at the forefront of successful businesses, design has a role in translating these complexities into simple and more accessible solutions.
Making Sense of Things
Many designers pride themselves on their ability to traverse from one complex industry to another, flexing their immersive muscles as they go. There is a certain amount of thrill involved in the challenge of entering an entirely new problem space for the first time and having to learn the ropes. As designers, we are well-positioned to embrace a beginner’s mindset, ask the right questions and apply the tools of research, analysis, and sense-making in order to navigate the uncertainty.
Charting New Territory
Much of good design is based on inspiration. We see, mimic, reflect, and adapt. Nowadays there’s a multitude of common design patterns to help us solve a multitude of common design problems. Checking out on an eCommerce site? We’ve got one of those. Filtering a list of contacts or visualising data on a dashboard? No problem. Given this, the lure of solving genuinely new problems and exploring entirely new interaction paradigms is, for some, unbeatable.
Pushing Past Our Perceived Limits
As humans, we like to be challenged,To push ourselves beyond perceived limitations and find a sense of progress in our personal and professional lives. This want for challenge is grounded in behavioural science, which causes us to seek out a balance of effort and reward. Those with a strong disposition for this growth will always look to stretch themselves in order to develop their knowledge and capability.
And we see this desire for challenge manifest in Design, where the complexity of the subject matter can provide us with the stimulus we crave as we advance in our careers and mature our practice.
In the Pursuit of Complexity
“Do we find the job or does the job find us?”
While complexity can be daunting and demanding in the early stages of a career, many people still actively seek out those challenges. That said, complexity is not for everyone. And it’s not a slight on those who choose to design in more accessible industries or commonly-understood problem spaces. After all, design is never done! There is always more to learn if we’re willing to push past the obvious, to re-learn and reinvent.
For those who do like the thrill of these new, uncharted territories and are motivated by the challenge of making sense of ambiguity, the opportunity can be incredibly attractive. As problem solvers at our core, complexity is our companion. Complexity presents an opportunity for design to thrive, to push beyond the known and understood and to deliver exponential impact.
Sure, we can make existing experiences better for the problem we know and understand today, but the real thrill comes from applying those tools to solve the problems of tomorrow: The problems we’ve yet to understand, that are just now emerging in these fledgeling, complex, or evolving industries.
For those who are at a juncture in their career, who are craving a new challenge and an opportunity to stretch, here is my advice: Take a step into the unknown! Expand your job search, and consider those industries (like HR software 😀) where we can set new standards for what “great” looks like.
Complexity isn’t a blocker, it’s the catalyst for great design.
Calling all designers! If you’re at the tipping point in your career and beginning your search for new design roles, take a look at our open vacancies on our Personio careers page!
