Lindsay Mindler’s Post

The unspoken parts of influencing design: When it comes to getting good design work done, most people think it's about: - Having the best ideas - Debating stakeholders into submission - Following a rigid design process I believe the real keys to influencing design are: 1. Building bridges Effective design leaders bring cross-functional ideas to life. They include the right partners at the right intervals and know how to align teams around a shared vision. 2. Inception over dictation It's not about winning through debate. It's about planting the seeds of ideas and letting others come to the same conclusions on their own terms. Master the art of suggestion. 3. Knowing where to look The best design insights often come from unexpected places. Hone your ability to gather inputs from diverse sources - from user research to market trends to cross-functional collaborators (sales and support teams are my favorite). 4. Pragmatic prioritization Theoretical design ideals are useless if they don't align with business realities. Ruthlessly prioritize improvements that deliver the most value with the least disruption. Play the long game. Becoming a design influencer is less about wowing with stunning interfaces, and more about strategically shepherding ideas through complex organizations. It's an art that's seldom discussed, but it's the secret weapon of impactful design leaders everywhere.

Bridging the Gap: The Quest for Holistic Design Leadership At Dreamstricken, we are deeply attuned to a critical challenge that many organisations face today: finding and nurturing talent that operates seamlessly at the intersection of product, marketing, and design. This multifaceted challenge is not just about finding skilled individuals but identifying leaders who can elevate design within their companies. The Apple Paradox Many CEOs aspire to emulate the success of design-driven companies like Apple. However, when it comes to investing in a chief design officer (CDO), the enthusiasm often wanes. The core of this issue lies in the scarcity of leaders who can seamlessly blend creative prowess with product management acumen. The Skillset Conundrum Design, marketing, and product development are disciplines that require distinct skill sets and mindsets. Creative design thrives on breaking rules and embracing new approaches, while product design demands a structured, user-centric methodology. Transitioning between these modes can be jarring, even for seasoned professionals. This dichotomy makes it difficult to expect every designer to excel in both areas. In our experience, the mental gymnastics involved in switching from a product design mindset to a more creative, out-of-the-box approach can be significant. This challenge is compounded by the need for business acumen. A true design leader must understand business drivers, market dynamics, branding, user experience, and customer experience—all while maintaining a creative edge. The Generalist Advantage Interestingly, there are generalists in product roles who successfully navigate similar complexities. Product managers often straddle the worlds of business, marketing, and engineering, providing a blueprint for how design leadership could evolve. If we can identify and cultivate design leaders with this broad skill set, we could see a significant shift in how design is valued and integrated within organizations. The Way Forward So, how do we bridge this gap? It starts with recognising and nurturing generalists who show potential in both creative and strategic domains. Organisations need to invest in continuous learning and development, encouraging designers to expand their skill sets while respecting the unique demands of each discipline. This approach will help build a pipeline of versatile leaders who can drive innovation at the intersection of design, marketing, and product development. At Dreamstricken, we believe that elevating design within organisations requires more than just a vision. It demands a commitment to finding and developing leaders who can operate at the confluence of creativity, strategy, and business. As we move forward, this holistic approach will be key to unlocking the true potential of design in driving organisational success. #DesignLeadership #CreativeStrategy #DesignThinking #BusinessInnovation #LeadershipDevelopment #CreativeLeadership

The biggest challenge for senior designers isn’t influence. It’s ambiguity debt. Every leadership role comes with ambiguity like figuring out where design fits, how to measure impact, how to scale yourself. That’s normal. But in many companies, designers inherit years of unresolved decisions. → Metrics that were never defined. → Responsibilities that were blurred. → Priorities that shifted without explanation. So instead of designing, you’re decoding. Instead of driving strategy, you’re stitching together broken expectations. By the time you hit senior, staff, or lead, your job is no longer about execution but navigating the weight of what was never decided before you got there. And if you don’t solve for that, no amount of influence will fix it. So what do you do? Audit the ambiguity. Identify what’s actually undefined vs. what’s just unclear to you. Ask: What decisions were never made? What gaps am I filling that shouldn’t exist? Define boundaries early. If expectations are vague, set your own. Here’s what I own, here’s where I need clarity, and here’s what I can’t take on until that clarity exists. Force decisions. Don’t just "raise concerns", bring a choice. Do we prioritise this or that? Are we measuring success this way or that way? Make it easy for leadership to commit. Stop inheriting every problem. Just because it landed on your plate doesn’t mean you should own it. Not everything is yours to solve. Lately I'm starting to think that most senior designers I talk to don’t feel stuck because they lack skill. They feel stuck because they’re cleaning up years of messes that weren’t theirs to begin with. The hardest part isn’t proving design’s value but deciding what you refuse to carry forward.

User-centered design is pivotal in today's design landscape. But what's a successful user-centered design without design leadership? Design leadership is the essential requirement for driving successful design outcomes. Here's how: 1. Be an "enabler" Don't be afraid to step back and let your team - and their creativity - thrive. 2. Facilitate Directing your team isn't enough, facilitate them towards success. 3. Be inclusive Involving the entire team encourages a diverse range of ideas and perspectives. That's how you can serve your users, regardless of their background or experience. 4. Focus on the user As mentioned earlier, user-centered design is non-negotiable. 5. Be authentic Leadership isn't about telling people what to do, it's about being true to yourself and leading by example. Design leadership should make your team feel empowered, heard, and encouraged to create the best user-centered product possible.

I just read an insightful article by Darren Smith titled "Head of Design is dead, long live the Head of Design!" It's a must-read for anyone in the design industry or working with design teams. 👏 Kudos to Darren for articulating what many of us have been observing in the industry. His analysis of the changing landscape of design leadership is spot-on. Key takeaways that resonated with me: 1. The traditional role of Head of Design focusing on People, Practice, and Strategy is evolving. 2. There's a trend towards more hands-on execution (60% in Figma) for design leaders. 3. This shift might be driven by founders' backgrounds, hiring managers' priorities, and rapid career progression in design. While I agree with Darren's observations, I'd like to add: Shipping velocity shouldn't be a key KPI for designers. Rushing design without adequate strategy could mean leaving money on the table. We might ship quick fixes for short-term gains, but miss the big picture. True design leaders: • Shape business strategy through design thinking • Prevent designer burnout • Set teams up for success, enabling their best work Let's not underestimate the value of seasoned design leadership in driving innovation and long-term success. What are your thoughts on this trend? Have you experienced similar shifts in your organization? #DesignLeadership #UXDesign #ProductStrategy https://lnkd.in/gyk5TjM9

As designers, we often get stuck in the details - polishing pixels, tweaking layouts (all really important, by the way) - but the real impact and added value lies in how we think as designers. Strategic thinking elevates us from task-doers to decision-makers. This article from Everyday UX breaks down Michael Watkins "Six Disciplines of Strategic Thinking" which offers practical frameworks and key skills that can help you make smarter decisions, innovate more effectively, and anticipate challenges before they spiral. Strategic thinking isn’t just for executives or directors, it’s for every designer who wants to make a real impact. The key takeaway? Think bigger...Whether it's spotting patterns others miss or navigating politics with finesse, strategic thinking lets you add real value, so well worth a read! https://lnkd.in/e2KsMFAS #designstrategy #productdesign #designleadership

Post #11 - June 24th 2024 Post #11 - Key highlights from the enlightening book 'Design Leadership Ignited - Elevating design at scale‘ by Gerda Gemser, Giulia Calabretta and Eric Quint In hindsight, it all makes perfect sense: Had this book been published 10 years ago, it would have saved me from being baptized by fire while growing as a research & design leader. But in design, you learn by doing and validate by redoing. Here are my main takeaways from this holy book: Calling ‘non-designers’ > The role of design is in flux 🌪️ The old design debate that “form follows function” is being replaced by “tactics follow strategies”. The interpretation of tactical versus strategic design continues to make its way in the business context, although its added value and competitive advantage has nuances. The tactical view of design remains focused on cost management, design style, expertise-based opinion, and short-term project-by-project deliveries. The strategic vision sees design as value creator and optimizer, with a systemic-portfolio approach (vs. ad hoc solutions) and with a long-term transformational horizon in the constant role of technology conversion (‘domestication’). Design value remains meaningful yet not fully measurable ⏱️ Almost 11 years ago, one of the authors of the book - Chairman of my master's thesis - invited me to pursue a PhD on the economic value of design. At that time I chose to pursue a professional career in consulting but to this day that proposal haunts me. The book argues that the value generated by design is often overlooked beyond financial metrics, yet it also yields strategic, collaborative, inspirational, competitive, and transformational value. While design's impact can be observed through quantifiable KPIs like user satisfaction, task success rate, conversion rate, and retention or drop-off rates, it also provides an intrinsic value to organizations that is hardly measurable. "Design leadership role consist of being a corporate rebel with purpose: to drive progress” 🪖 In their quest to maintain a competitive advantage for the company, design leaders are constantly tackling obstacles and objections (more often the latter than the first). In that crusade, the role of design leaders is to make design understandable by ‘erasing the perception that design is a black box or that designers are ‘magicians in black shirts’. We serve as catalyst for change, cultivating the right conditions for the design team to flourish between the creative exploration and the operational optimization. If you are an aspiring design leader - whether beginner or at the top - this book will provide the right arguments to continue advancing - and 'demystifying' - the discipline of design and its value. Bonus about Performance Evaluation 📣 Designers (in fact, anyone) thrive in constant and instant feedback, versus once-a-year performance evaluation cycles. If you are agile, let your debriefings follow the same pace 🤓

Design recommendations are not the same as decisions. Design leaders help people take ownership of creative ideas, which can sometimes feel intimidating for everyone involved. Recommendations are often used to start conversations that eventually lead to decisions, which is helpful for collaboration and teamwork. Trust is built this way. However, design decisions must eventually be made, with commitments to move forward. Design leaders must balance building confidence in stakeholders and making decisions that push the project forward. Understanding the difference between recommendations and decisions helps prevent getting bogged down or losing the vision. → Design Recommendations At this stage, ideas are refined through research and user insights. They are presented as data-informed suggestions to stakeholders. While these options are well-informed, they are not final. Stakeholders can accept, modify, or reject them. The designer's role is to offer evidence-based options, but the decision rests with others. Design initiatives can get stuck here. → Design Decisions This stage involves committing to a specific course of action. Based on the recommendations, a decision determines the project's direction. Once a decision is made, it affects how resources, timelines, and responsibilities are managed. Decisions come with higher investment and risk because time and resources are now committed to the chosen path. As design leaders grow their skills and aim for more influence, what once seemed like a natural part of a project now requires a more deliberate decision-making process. That’s a good thing. And with the right influence, create good results. #productdesign #productdiscovery #userresearch #uxresearch

Last week I had the pleasure of hosting our summer Design Leaders Forum dinner at our global headquarters here in London. We set up the Design Leaders Forum to create a venue for design leaders, especially those working with incumbent brands in highly regulated sectors like Financial Services, Government, Healthcare and Energy, to share views and perspectives on the common challenges and opportunities as we try to build high impact, human-centred design capabilities within our organisations. We kicked the new season off with a discussion around 'Impact: Moving beyond cost, risk and growth'. Design generates a deep and nuanced appreciation for customer's lives, identifying their values, goals, and attitudes, understanding their needs, behaviours and motivations. This insight provides design leaders and their teams with a point of view that helps their organisation transcend the transaction to not only achieve the balance sheet ambitions, but also deliver on the sustainability, wellbeing and purpose driven ambition across a much broader group of stakeholders. There was so much to think about, but three things resonated with me over the weekend, reflecting on the session. There will be more to come soon! Designers Needs to Be Confident - When 'Design Thinking' is everywhere in an organisation, what does ‘Design’ even do anymore? As organisations reconsider their structures in light of an evolving transformation agenda, regulatory mandates, and cost challenges, it becomes more important than ever for design to clearly lay out what it can bring to the business. Designers Need to Articulate Business Value - Tying the work design and designers do to the balance sheet and commercial benefit is still a topic of conversation and challenge. We have helped train the business on 'Design Thinking' but we haven't helped the business train designers on 'Business Thinking'. The Obsession Over Design Operationalisation - Here is where a real risk begins to emerge from a dominant business perspective on design as primarily an 'aesthetic' function versus a function to transform the business and the services it offers. The discussion was spirited to share how we might showcase design in the business as a place where we assemble the teams and allies required to make transformation human-centred and re-define 'creativity' as a powerful force for change, aligning around customer need and improved business performance. It is a real privilege to have the opportunity to convene this forum and something I always look forward to. I find the discussion very empowering and energising. Look out for more updates on this event and others soon. Will Shaw Paul Thurston Nicola Potter (Hinds) Nicholas Johnson, PhD Laurence Buchanan Jess Hawkins Clive Grinyer #design #servicedesign #humancentreddesign #designthinking #digital #banking #government #healthcare #retail #energy #insurance

Conversations about growth as a #ServiceDesign professional rarely revolve around service design itself... That's why in August, we continued our "Leadership & Change" season in the ⭕ Circle community. We hosted four "Dinner Table" sessions to dive deep into these topics: 1️⃣ Journey Atlas & Journey Forums We shared learnings on how a Journey Atlas can help decision-making when the number of customer journeys becomes overwhelming and how to recreate the magic of physical Journey Forums in a digital world. I'd say that the underlying question in the session was: how to drive change beyond a single (service design) project. - Hosted by Helene 2️⃣ Proactive Leadership and Strategic Service Design  A common complaint is that service design is brought in too late. We're called into the room after the important decisions have already been made. Often just to verify (/ justify) things or suggest small tweaks. As we know, that's not where service design can add the most value. So, in session we explored how to shift from being an "order taker" to doing proactive strategic work, that is not tied to a specific project budget. - Hosted by Mika 3️⃣ Identifying Barriers to Change in Your Customer Journey As service design professionals we do a lot of work to map the customer journey. But when push comes to shove, we often have very little influence on actually making the journey better. We used this Dinner Table to share real-life stories about barriers to change and discussed the promise of Minimum Viable Changes (MVCs) that could significantly influence future customer journeys. - Hosted by Arun 4️⃣ The Design of Leadership Here's one of those important topics that we rarely take the time to reflect on: What is the difference between a leader and a good leader? I bet that in most of your work, you're advocating for some kind of change. This means that a certain level of leadership is required. So whether you see yourself as a leader right now or not, you're most likely doing it already. We used this session to recalibrate our perspectives on what it means to lead, especially when advocating for change. - Hosted by Tim It's tempting to keep moving forward, crossing items off your ever-growing to-do list. But I'm going to argue that sometimes, the most productive thing is to... stop. Slow down. Cease being productive. That's just so hard to do when everyone around you is focused on churning out more artifacts. Reflecting and making sense of the world doesn't fit the common notion of what productivity looks like. That's why, with the Circle, we create an "excuse" to wander even when your calendar is packed. Being part of this professional community gives you "permission" to invest time to explore and go outside the beaten tracks. ~ ~ ~ P.S. Want to participate in our gatherings and learn from the stories of your in-house service design peers? Join us in the Circle. Comment ⭕ below or DM me for application details.