Q&A with Keith DuFresne, Our New Head of Product Design

He talks customer-centric thinking, strategic planning, and the future of product design.

We’re thrilled to welcome Keith to Wayfair. He’s managed design teams for more than 20 years, and now he’ll lead the optimization of our onsite user experiences.

Two weeks in, he sat down with us for a Q&A.

What qualities define the most effective product design teams?

It typically starts with a clear understanding of both customer and business goals. Once those are communicated and internalized, the most successful teams embrace a common approach to achieving those goals. Product design is a discipline that involves testing and experimentation, so it’s also important to have the willingness to continuously play the devil’s advocate in order to avoid complacency and groupthink. That experimentation is usually driven by a relentless curiosity, while supported by an ability to strip away — and keep away — the cruft.

What inspired you to join the product design team at Wayfair?

The team displays an infectious energy and strong desire to constantly evolve and improve the products. It’s that kind of atmosphere that makes coming to work fulfilling. I’m also looking forward to tackling the challenges that come with owning the end-to-end digital experience, which this team does so well. It’s also clear both as an outside observer and by speaking with the team that there’s an openness to experimenting with varied new technologies, which is exciting. On top of that, the team is beginning to cultivate a design community in the city, a movement I’m thrilled to be a part of.

When shopping is digital from browsing to checkout, what impact can design have on the customer experience?

Design has a major impact in how the SKUs are positioned, generating trust and comfort with shoppers. It builds the affinity customers have for the brand and keeps Wayfair top of mind when they have their next need. Wayfair is transforming the way people shop for their homes, and product design is what helps make that experience fast, easy, fun, and truly transformative.

How important is it to have a user-centered design methodology?

When you’re building for the customer, you’re developing products they can and will actually use. Listening to customers helps product teams simplify and better target their products, while simultaneously shining a light on new avenues of potential growth.

How can user research inform design decisions?

It’s important to always remember who the customer is, and user research is what drives the empathy imperative in product development. Insights from research help answer questions like, “Is this product giving the customer the experience they actually want?” When testing with that experimental mindset that the Wayfair product design team has, it’s proper research that allows for successful rapid iteration and can allow product to hit the market faster.

Why is it important for companies to invest in building in-house design teams?

In-house teams know the customer better than anyone. Wayfair’s product design team lives and evolves with the product. They can make foundational gains with current projects while keeping their eye on the future direction.

How has the role of product design evolved as it becomes more of a hybrid discipline?

Design has grown up over the past decade and has consistently shown that when done well, it can be the difference between a base hit and a home run. We’ve advanced quite a bit from the days of “just make it pretty” and are now being seen as partners and thought leaders in the successful development of product. Designers are evolving to add more skills, like the application of data analytics, and because of that, those teams are driving significant organizational achievements and decisions.

How do you think product design will change in the next 5–10 years?

I think we’ll continue to see a stronger reliance on design to improve business outcomes. But as we move toward invisible UIs, design will have to revisit its Information Architecture roots as we march toward better integrated AI. With AI in mind, content becomes as important as visual design is today in driving brand affinity and delivering a consistent voice and tone. Transparency is another trend forcing the designer to think differently about how they collect, use, and display consumer data.

What role can product design play in broader strategic planning?

Being the conduit for the customer’s voice, design should help product teams drive roadmaps that provide for the needs of the customer, effectively helping the business grow. I feel this is the role that designers can trumpet harder than they do today.

Before he joined Wayfair, Keith worked as Priceline’s head of design and Living Social’s VP of user experience and design. Fun facts: “DuFresne” is pronounced like Andy DuFresne in Shawshank Redemption, Keith enjoys drinking mead, and he’s looking forward to exploring Boston.

Special thanks goes out to John Costello for organizing the Q&A, Amanda Morrison for the beautiful wordsmithing, and Justin Henry for the awesome gifs.

Interested in joining the Wayfair product design team? Check out our open positions here.