This is a collection of rough thoughts regarding how AI will impact different levels of designers. We’re going to talk about the impact on design teams at each level. I’m also looking at this as two major categories of change. First, the impact on the individual designer. Then, the impact to the design process. I’ll …
Category Archives: Leading Design
Careers Getting Murdered as AI Takes on Tasks
AI is significantly impacting product development job roles, but will do so differently at different organizations. Ok, so… you’re a product designer… you heard that AI is coming for all our jobs. But is it coming for your job, your co-worker’s job, and your other co-worker’s job the same way? AI tech will impact many …
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Feedback: the POINT method
As we are disrupted by AI, this practice assures the team has high-value insight into their performance and processes. The Critique practice is where the team hones their ability to identify and apply feedback. I think of it as the atomic unit of the Design process and it can help elevate the function and performance …
How I Run 1:1s With My Design Team
As a design leader, I see 1:1s as one of the most important tools I have for supporting growth, building trust, and making space for honest conversations. The frameworks below are devoid of subject matter, individual nuances, or changes based on job level within the IC or Manager roles. Those are applied quickly as I …
Collaboration tips for a remote work world
Here are a few things that I have picked up that help keep the design process moving when you can’t be in the same room putting post-its on a whiteboard together. Set expectations with an agenda. Before you send out a meeting invite for any Design Thinking session, draft an agenda that FULLY explains the process, …
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Building a Design System Without a Team
Update: I changed the title of this post from “Design Systems for Small Teams” to “Building a Design System Without a Team.” This is a more accurate description of the content of this post and addresses the key issues: building a design system when it is impossible to dedicate full-time resources. When a new design …
So, what’s your process?
The process depends on the context of the project. Here’s the process I favor for an in-house product design effort: Phase 1, Discovery: Get to know the people who are likely to use the product, the scenario when they encounter the product, and what objective they’re trying to achieve and clarify what problems are standing …
Designing with AI (some day)
A few years ago, when we first got an Alexa-bot, I wanted to do a little test. My daughters were about 9 and 5 at the time, and I wanted to see how they reacted to it. I showed them how to give the cylinder its basic commands, playing their favorite music and telling us …
Ethics in Design
You have seen it When I started in the design field, I had trouble finding a job that was a good match for both my entry level skill set and my hunger to do exciting design work. At that point, getting steady work took precedent and I took a job with a company that brought …
Engaging the Sales Team for Design Research
When designing in enterprise and b2b environments, it’s tempting to believe that the customers are easy to get to for the purposes of research, feedback, and product development. I mean, our sales and customer support teams talk to them all day! But that’s not the case, not by a long shot. Connecting with business …
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