Make Your Business Shine With Design-Centric Thinking
The potential of design as a catalyst for success often remains elusive. IBM’s claim of an 82% revenue boost through design is captivating, yet McKinsey’s sobering statistic reveals that only 10% of businesses truly master this art.
The stumbling blocks? Lack of design leadership, clarity, and ambition – the three amigos causing a rift in the design landscape. Astonishingly, half of design leaders feel their CEOs are out of sync with their role, and a mere 1 in 6 believe they’re fully unlocking their company's design potential. Not an ideal scenario.
Photo by Shubham Dhage on Unsplash
Now, onto solutions. The remedy starts at the summit – your business must breathe design, not sporadically sprinkle it like confetti. Being design-led means prioritizing people, obsessing over user goals, and staying agile through continuous listening, testing, and innovation.
But pause for a moment. Are you merely claiming to be customer-centered, or can you genuinely declare yourself design-centered? There's a nuance, and subpar design equates to subpar user experiences.
So what?
Time for introspection. Is your design culture ingrained in your company’s DNA? If not, it’s time to stir things up. Elevate your design lead, instigate change incrementally, and generate enthusiasm for design excellence.
Design transcends aesthetics; it shapes the user journey. The finest designs emanate from understanding users, not just lofty boardroom visions. User research is the clandestine ingredient in this concoction.
And the tug-of-war between business goals and customer goals? UX designers bridge the gap by creating products users both want and need – the pivotal point for success.
Measure the enchantment – what's the ROI on your design? It extends beyond project goals; it's about tangible victories for customers and your business.
Transforming your design game demands effort, but the dividends are immense. Begin modestly, secure some victories, and witness the domino effect.
In essence, design is your business's covert weapon. Don't relegate it to developers; let it resonate at the core of your conversations.
Conclusion
True design mastery, visual knowledge transfer, story mapping, and sketching in public are the tools of the trade. Unfortunately, many companies miss the mark, treating design and diagrams as an afterthought – merely a means to hand over specifications to developers, rather than the vibrant center of meaningful conversations.