Work in Progress:
Thoughts on Design Leadership
AIGA Seattle “Design Business for Breakfast”
David Sherwin + Justin Maguire
14 April 2010
Photo 470780785
by ewen and donabel
remix cc license
flickr.com

GO HERE.
Work in Progress: Some Thoughts on Design Leadership David Sherwin © 2010 frog design April 14, 2010 2

What does it mean to be
a design leader?
Work in Progress: Some Thoughts on Design Leadership David Sherwin © 2010 frog design April 14, 2010 3

SO M E T I M ES T H I S …

A p rov i s i o n A l D e f i n i t i o n :
Design leaders guide organizations
in planning and fulfilling desired
outcomes for their clients—and growing
better designers in the process…
Work in Progress: Some Thoughts on Design Leadership David Sherwin © 2010 frog design April 14, 2010 5

t h e r e A l D e f i n i t i o n o f D es i g n l e A D e rs h i p :
Design leaders make awesome
s*@% happen.
Work in Progress: Some Thoughts on Design Leadership David Sherwin © 2010 frog design April 14, 2010 6

“When we have
a ‘concept’ and
people smile, we
take the next step.
When there are
questions, we go
back and try harder.”
—hartmut esslinger, founder,
frog design
Work in Progress: Some Thoughts on Design Leadership David Sherwin © 2010 frog design April 14, 2010 7
Point of Sale Concept for Intel

t h e f i n e bA l A n c e b e t W e e n st rAt eg i c p l A n n i n g A n D c r e At i v e v i s i o n
i s W h At m A k es A D es i g n o rg A n i ZAt i o n f U n ct i o n .
design leadership
design creative
mgmt vision
Work in Progress: Some Thoughts on Design Leadership David Sherwin © 2010 frog design April 14, 2010 8

Creative vision:
“Designers have a
prescriptive job.
They suggest how
the world might be;
they are all futurists
to some extent.”
—Brigitte Borja de Mozota
Work in Progress: Some Thoughts on Design Leadership David Sherwin
“The Future of Health Care is Social,” © 2010 frog design April 14, 2010 9
from a frog design project for Fast Company

Just managing
de
mgsign
mt
designers may not be
design leadership.
cr vis
ea i o n
Work in Progress: Some Thoughts on Design Leadership David Sherwin © 2010 frog design April 14, 2010 10
tiv
e

the
“future”
client
creative
vision
Being a creative
visionary doesn’t always
equal design leadership.
(But it sure helps!)
Work in Progress: Some Thoughts on Design Leadership David Sherwin © 2010 frog design April 14, 2010 11

It takes leaders across the full range—
from process-oriented to visionary—to
fully activate a design organization.
design creative
mgmt vision
t h i s i s n ’ t e Asy.
Work in Progress: Some Thoughts on Design Leadership David Sherwin © 2010 frog design April 14, 2010 12

What traits does a design leader
need to succeed?
Maximum Length Client Name Maximum Length Project Name 24 september 2007 © 2007 frog design. client confidential. 13

A great design leader
possesses an unquantifiable
creative “secret sauce.”
Photo 373877988
Work in Progress: Some Thoughts on Design Leadership David Sherwin © 2010 frog design April 14, 2010 14
by Fensterbme
CC remix / flickr.com

vision intuition ambition
opinions character
skills education
artistic
hobbies talents impulse
Work in Progress: Some Thoughts on Design Leadership David Sherwin © 2010 frog design April 14, 2010 15

articulate
brave
craft-focused
creative
connected
curious Along with the sauce,
engaged a design leader also
directed needs to…
insightful
motivated
oversight
passionate
productive
professional
strategic
visionary
Work in Progress: Some Thoughts on Design Leadership David Sherwin © 2010 frog design April 14, 2010 16
witty

Enjoy working with designers
and clients—as people.
Photo 250617310
Work in Progress: Some Thoughts on Design Leadership David Sherwin © 2010 frog design April 14, 2010 17
by dunechaser
CC remix / flickr.com

Function daily as a
behavioral psychologist.
Photo 363016301
Work in Progress: Some Thoughts on Design Leadership David Sherwin
by Spike55151 n o to U c h i n g t h e D es i g n e rsApril 14, 2010
© 2010 frog design
! 18
CC remix / flickr.com

Understand your team’s
creative disposition—
as well as your own.
h e lov es c r i t i q U e .
j U st As k .
Photo 144448750
by David M*Progress: Some Thoughts on Design Leadership
Work in David Sherwin © 2010 frog design April 14, 2010 19
CC remix / flickr.com

See from miles to microns.
Work in Progress: Some Thoughts on Design Leadership David Sherwin © 2010 frog design April 14, 2010 20
Charles and Ray Eames: “Powers of Ten”

Answer the question “Why?”
Work in Progress: Some Thoughts on Design Leadership David Sherwin © 2010 frog design April 14, 2010 21
Ocular Trauma, Wade Clark ©2005

Communicate
up, down, and
sideways.
Photo 144448750
2775415074
Work in Progress: Some Thoughts on Design Leadership David Sherwin © 2010 frog design April 14, 2010 22
by David M*
shadowstorm
CC remix & flickr.com
share / remix / flickr.com

Collaborate with clients
and teammates—not fight
for control.
Photo 37085152
Work in Progress: Some Thoughts on Design Leadership David Sherwin © 2010 frog design April 14, 2010 23
by CarbonNYC
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Apply steady,
constant pressure.
Photo 3309219331
by Paolo Camera Some Thoughts on Design Leadership
Work in Progress: David Sherwin © 2010 frog design April 14, 2010 24
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Be brave and willing to take risks.
(Even in the fog of war.)
Photo 94326793
Work in Progress: Some Thoughts on Design Leadership
by ambrown David Sherwin © 2010 frog design April 14, 2010 25
CC remix / flickr.com

What do i need to learn to
become a design leader?
Work in Progress: Some Thoughts on Design Leadership David Sherwin © 2010 frog design April 14, 2010 26

If you want to work at a place like frog…
Work in Progress: Some Thoughts on Design Leadership David Sherwin © 2010 frog design April 14, 2010 27

Project leadership
• Planning, methodology and approach/direction setting
• Ideation & innovation, measured in the quality of ideas and designs
• Creative/art direction
• Hands-on design, when necessary
• Storytelling and presentation/communication—to client and internally within your organization
• Ability to articulate complex solutions clearly
• An understanding of delivery technologies
• Strategic perspective applied to the work
• Project management, planning, ownership and delegation
• Oversight and reviews of direct reports
• Project resource management
• Confident client communication
• Quality of end results leading to client happiness
If you want to work at a place like frog… plenty.
Client service skills
• New business generation: talking to leads on a daily basis
• Proposal and approach definition; process, resource allocation, and budget assessment
• Leadership in pitching and client-facing presentations
• Vision, strategy and opportunity articulation
• Design advocacy
People management, organizational planning, and studio management
• One-on-ones, career development, goals, reviews, feedback articulation, motivation
• Stability, trust, and professional confidence as experienced by the org
• Visible and mature leadership, recognized by reports and teams
• Coordination, communication and collaboration
• Organization design, org planning, recruiting, interviewing and hiring
• Design and development process (understanding, communication, optimization)
• Managing and communicating up (incl. escalation, presentations, reviews, transparency, proactive communication, etc.)
• Humor, character, inspirational strength, special sauce, emotional connection to creative org
Work in Progress: Some Thoughts on Design Leadership David Sherwin © 2010 frog design April 14, 2010 28

it’s not just about learning
to do all that stuff.
Work in Progress: Some Thoughts on Design Leadership David Sherwin © 2010 frog design April 14, 2010 29

it’s about the journey
you want to take as a leader.
Work in Progress: Some Thoughts on Design Leadership David Sherwin © 2010 frog design April 14, 2010 30

You need to be a master
at the craft of design…
PRINCIPAL
CREATIVE
DIRECTOR
master
ASSOCIATE CREATIVE
craftsperson DIRECTOR
SENIOR
CRITIQUE RESOURCING ART DIRECTOR
PRESENTING PROJECT MGMT
BUSINESS WRITING CLIENT SERVICE
ART DIRECTOR
DOMAIN LEADERSHIP FOLLOW-THROUGH
3 TO 5 YEARS TO journeyman SENIOR
MOVE UP THE LADDER,
PER DOMAIN DESIGNER
OF DESIGN
INDUSTRIAL BRAND MOTION ADVERTISING USER INTERFACE IA/UX/IxD
DESIGNER
SOFTWARE SKILLS GRID SYSTEMS CODING & SCRIPTING
DESIGN SKETCHING PHOTOGRAPHY RESEARCH JUNIOR
STORYBOARDING ILLUSTRATION COPYWRITING DESIGNER
TYPOGRAPHY PRODUCTION PAPER ENGINEERING
Work in Progress: Some Thoughts on Design Leadership David Sherwin
apprentice © 2010 frog design
EPRO
April 14, 2010 31

…then you have another
mountain to climb.
design
leader
BUSINESS STRATEGY
ORGANIzATIONAL SAVVY
STORYTELLING
STRONG AT GENERATING INSIGHT
MULTI-DOMAIN DESIGN EXPERTISE
master craftsperson / design manager
INDUSTRIAL BRAND MOTION ADVERTISING USER INTERFACE IA/UX/IxD
YOU’VE GOT
TO BE KIDDING!
Work in Progress: Some Thoughts on Design Leadership David Sherwin © 2010 frog design April 14, 2010 32

Questions to ask yourself:
• What “hard skills” do I still need to learn?
• What domains of design do I want to add
to my portfolio?
• What “soft skills” do I need to acquire
to progress towards a leadership role?
• What ingrained behaviors might
stand in my way?
Work in Progress: Some Thoughts on Design Leadership David Sherwin © 2010 frog design April 14, 2010 33

What will your
career path look like?
PRINCIPAL
CREATIVE
DIRECTOR
master
ASSOCIATE CREATIVE
craftsperson DIRECTOR
SENIOR
ART DIRECTOR
ART DIRECTOR
journeyman SENIOR
DESIGNER
DESIGNER
JUNIOR
DESIGNER
Work in Progress: Some Thoughts on Design Leadership David Sherwin
apprentice © 2010 frog design
EPRO
April 14, 2010 34

ok, that’s nice.
Work in Progress: Some Thoughts on Design Leadership David Sherwin © 2010 frog design April 14, 2010 35

What do i really need to learn to
become a design leader?
Work in Progress: Some Thoughts on Design Leadership David Sherwin © 2010 frog design April 14, 2010 36

Here are 3 things you should learn
first on your journey:
• How to direct a team of creatives
• How to frame big, gnarly problems
• How to present effectively
Work in Progress: Some Thoughts on Design Leadership David Sherwin © 2010 frog design April 14, 2010 37

9:30 AM
Work with your team
to form a braid.
These are NOT drawn-out meetings! 2 PM
Think agile. Quickly discuss work
in progress across all disciplines,
then get back into your to-do’s.
4:30 PM
Work in Progress: Some Thoughts on Design Leadership David Sherwin © 2010 frog design April 14, 2010 38

This can help manage
“swoop and poop.”
That is only a symptom of a
key stakeholder being
out of the loop.
Work in Progress: Some Thoughts on Design Leadership David Sherwin © 2010 frog design April 14, 2010 39

Publicly post work
in progress.
If it’s in the computer,
it’s invisible.
Work in Progress: Some Thoughts on Design Leadership David Sherwin © 2010 frog design April 14, 2010 40

1 5 10
raw idea refined idea + polished,
raw execution final design
Know how to critique.
Use the “egg system.”
Work in Progress: Some Thoughts on Design Leadership David Sherwin © 2010 frog design April 14, 2010 41

1 5 10
raw idea refined idea + polished,
raw execution final design
Ask why? Provoke Make suggestions Provide final advice
your entire team to to illuminate new on craft and nuance
articulate vision. design directions. before delivery.
It doesn’t have You aren’t the designer Often, the idea is only
to come from you! in this situation. clearly evident here.
Work in Progress: Some Thoughts on Design Leadership David Sherwin © 2010 frog design April 14, 2010 42

“ D es i g n i s n ot A D e m o c rAcy, D es i g n i s A b o U t q UA l i t y.” — h A rt m U t ess l i n g e r
Know when to be a dictator.
This should always be a last resort.
If you tell your team what to do, they won’t
learn to think for themselves.
Foster an attitude of working together
towards shared goals and vision.
Work in Progress: Some Thoughts on Design Leadership David Sherwin © 2010 frog design April 14, 2010 43

Business
Learn to see
strategy
like a strategist.
Product &
service
strategy
Marketing
strategy
Tactics
Competitors
in your problem
space
Work in Progress: Some Thoughts on Design Leadership David Sherwin © 2010 frog design April 14, 2010 44

Know what
Proposal tools you should use
Research &
to get to tactics.
Experience
Brief
Creative
Brief
Deliverables
Brief
Work in Progress: Some Thoughts on Design Leadership David Sherwin © 2010 frog design April 14, 2010 45

? ! !
research experience creative deliverables
brief brief brief brief
State business Reframe business State the agreed- State the agreed-
problem as it is problem with upon strategy upon strategy
understood new data & insight
Focus on the “parti” Restate the “parti”
Create objectives Create a “parti”
Set boundaries Describe relationship
for your research
Describe on brand voice between previous
List the inputs story arcs and visualexpression project and
new work
Qualify the Convey story Articulate
audience concepts and emotional impact Provide in-depth
themes specification
Provide high-level
Describe activities specification
& emotions
to evoke
Work in Progress: Some Thoughts on Design Leadership David Sherwin © 2010 frog design April 14, 2010 46

A brief should be… brief.
Killer creative thinking comes from focus.
You need a bull’s eye to aim at,
not a dartboard.
Work in Progress: Some Thoughts on Design Leadership David Sherwin © 2010 frog design April 14, 2010 47

help! i’m a design leader.
Now what?
Work in Progress: Some Thoughts on Design Leadership David Sherwin © 2010 frog design April 14, 2010 48

Let go of being
a flow junkie.
Work in Progress: Some Thoughts on Design Leadership David Sherwin © 2010 frog design April 14, 2010 49

Learn to deal with ambiguity.
Work in Progress: Some Thoughts on Design Leadership David Sherwin © 2010 frog design April 14, 2010 50

Focus the spotlight on your team,
not you.
Work in Progress: Some Thoughts on Design Leadership David Sherwin © 2010 frog design April 14, 2010 51

Never hire people that work
and think just like you.
OWNERSHIP
TITLE FORTUNE
EGO
Work in Progress: Some Thoughts on Design Leadership David Sherwin © 2010 frog design April 14, 2010 52

To be a better strategic thinker,
draw insight from everything.
customers competitors complementers sales & retail
organizational
trends technology comparatives toolbox
Work in Progress: Some Thoughts on Design Leadership David Sherwin © 2010 frog design April 14, 2010 53

Design the environment & culture
of your organization over time.
Work in Progress: Some Thoughts on Design Leadership David Sherwin © 2010 frog design April 14, 2010 54

TuEsDay
8
9
Make the time 10
to be available,
11
to mentor, and
to teach. 12
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Work in Progress: Some Thoughts on Design Leadership David Sherwin © 2010 frog design April 14, 2010 55

Reach outside your organization
for your growth.
Work in Progress: Some Thoughts on Design Leadership David Sherwin © 2010 frog design April 14, 2010 56

“Acc e pt t h At ev e ry t h i n g i s A D rA f t. i t h e l ps to g e t i t D o n e .”
— b r e p e t t i s & kyo stA r k
everything you do as a design leader
is a work in progress.
Work in Progress: Some Thoughts on Design Leadership David Sherwin © 2010 frog design April 14, 2010 57

And the first step is
designing the journey.
Work in Progress: Some Thoughts on Design Leadership David Sherwin © 2010 frog design April 14, 2010 58