How to build a sustainable design team
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Many design teams face similar challenges around: ● Scaling to meet demand; ● Maintaining quality; ● Maintaining culture; and ● Remaining profitable. Here are my insights on how to scale and maintain culture and quality in a sustainable way so that you’re still profitable at the end of the day.
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How to build a sustainable design team
- 1. How to build a sustainable design team Insights from Ali Sharp, GM at Meld Studios alison@meldstudios.com.au @alisharp 20May2016
- 2. SomethingsI’velearned ––– 22 Many design teams face similar challenges around scaling to meet demand, and maintaining quality, culture, and profitability.
- 3. Context:Levelsofdesignmanagement ––– 33 DESIGNING PROGRAMS OF WORK Design strategy and direction People and project management Day-to-day operations DESIGNING THE DESIGN TEAM Vision and strategy Operating models Policies DESIGN CRAFT Application of methods and skills to design for specific needs
- 4. Proposal Volvo Group Australia:Path to purchase customer journey mapping Challenge#1 4 Design maturity is increasing.Opportunities are flooding in.How do we scale to meet demand? Oh how quickly hurrah! becomes argh! Staffing models and partner engagement
- 5. Staffingmodels ––– 55 And repeat… PROJECT 2 Program Lead, Design Lead… Service Designer UX Designer Visual Designer Front-End Developer Project Manager THEME 1 Customer type or phase PROJECT 1 THEME 3THEME 2
- 6. Partnerengagement ––– 66 • Engagement models are changing:less about educating and building capability, more about increasing capacity as design-driven companies want to keep projects in-house • Some teams have more external than internal staff • Creates challenges around culture and quality, but allows rapid growth and flexibility • Agencies can balance time onsite with Fridays back at HQ and regular team rotation
- 7. 7 Challenge#2 ––– We’re meeting demand,but skill levels vary. How do we ensure quality? Prioritisation,design training,toolkits,collaboration and critique
- 8. Reflectionsforin-houseteams ––– 88 • How big do we get? • Should we continue to grow a central team of design experts, or is it time to democratise design and embed designers across the organisation? • How and when do we relinquish control? Many teams choose both: • Core team to focus on “top priority” programs • Design training and toolkits for others to DIY
- 9. Prioritisation ––– 99 KEY QUESTIONS • What do we care about most? • How does this project align with our goals? • Do we have the capability and capacity to deliver quality? • What would happen if we didn’t do this? • How might we gracefully decline or defer? IT’S HARD TO SAY NO • Desire to please • Hate work going out without design input Quality and health suffers when we’re spread too thin
- 10. Toolkits ––– 1010 EXAMPLES • Guide to shaping design projects • Journey mapping templates • Style guides • Pattern library (Lego) • Overhead to create, manage, and monitor use • DIY — democratisation of design • Some design thinking better than none at all • Free up the core design team
- 11. Designtraining ––– 11 FOR THE DESIGN TEAM • Define hard and soft skills • Skills assessment to understand strengths and gaps • Training on and off projects • Coaching and mentoring FOR OTHERS • Capability workshops • Toolkits
- 12. Collaboration and critique ––– 12 • Structured activities for extra brainpower • Generative workshops (design jams) • Structured critiques • How might we… ? • What if… ? • How does this design deliver against… ? • Great for staff engagement and morale
- 13. 13 Challenge#3 ––– Things are changing fast.There are so many new faces.How do we maintain the great culture we started out with? Dedicated effort and scalable policies
- 14. Cultureaudit ––– • What makes our team a great place to be? • Physical environment • Type of work • Growth opportunities • Inspirational leaders • Like-minded colleagues • Big and little things 14
- 15. Ways to feel connected ––– 15 • Team days — learning + fun • Breakfast, lunch, drinks, dinner — allow for flexible working • Chat tools for sharing and banter • Acknowledge personal milestones and preferences
- 16. 16 Challenge#4 Money! How do we remain profitable as we grow?How do we justify costs? Financial models and proof points
- 17. Financialmodels ––– 1717 • Cost, revenue, profit and utilisation targets • Pipeline and conversion targets • Margins to cover non-billable staff and culture policies • Rules of thumb for estimating projects • Cash flow strategy • Revenue streams — diversification,‘bread and butter’
- 18. Proofpoints ––– 18 Averted investment *losses* estimated by client at $1.5bn. Project cost:$80k • Support industry statistics with your own stories • Metrics — revenue, savings, adoption, satisfaction rates, ROI, etc. • Quantify value of extra brainpower on projects • Highlight calibre of staff and thought leadership • Lean approach to maximise use of client budget • Tiered rate models based on volume of work
- 19. Summary ––– 19 HOW DO WE ENSURE QUALITY? Prioritisation: focus on what’s important Train designers to improve hard and soft skills Provide toolkits and training to enable DIY Structured activities for collaboration and critique HOW DO WE SCALE TO MEET DEMAND? Staffing models: dedicated team per theme External partners for extra capacity and capability HOW DO WE MAINTAIN CULTURE? Culture audit:understand what people love Find cost effective ways to keep connected HOW DO WE REMAIN PROFITABLE & JUSTIFY COSTS? Constant refinement of financial models Proof points to demonstrate the value of your work