Stacey Birkett, PhD

Very interesting and pertinent reflection on the screen age and what's coming next. https://lnkd.in/evuxQgKm #design #designthinking #designbuild #designstrategy #product #producctdesign #productmanagement #productstrategy #designprinciples #innovation #designers #digitaltransformation #ux #uxdesign #uiux #uidesign #designinnovation #application #software #softwaredesign #usability #userresearch #research #usercentereddesign #productleadership #uxwriting #designsystems #empathy #interfacedesign #usabilitytesting #userexperience #productdesign #accessibility #ui

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Top 5 insights for Design Leaders navigating Budget and Resource Constraints... A recent poll I ran on LinkedIn indicated that one of the most common challenges design leaders are facing right now is budget or resource constraints. It's a familiar struggle, so I asked a few leaders what strategies they implement to navigate or even combat this challenge effectively. Here's the top 5: 1) Prioritize the most impactful projects: When resources are limited, focus on projects that deliver the most significant impact. Identify initiatives aligned with strategic goals and prioritize them accordingly. By concentrating efforts on high-impact projects, you can maximize the value generated with limited resources. 2) Leverage cross-functional collaboration: Engage with other departments and teams to leverage their resources and expertise where possible. Collaboration allows you to pool resources, share insights, and tackle challenges collectively. By fostering cross-functional partnerships, you can access additional resources and capabilities to support your initiatives. 3) Optimize existing resources: Make the most of the resources you already have. Conduct a thorough assessment of your current tools, technologies, and talent. Identify areas for optimization and efficiency gains. By optimizing existing resources, you can maximize their impact and minimize waste. 4) Invest in skill development: In resource-constrained environments, investing in skill development can be a game-changer. Equip your team with the skills and knowledge they need to thrive in a dynamic landscape. Consider training programs, workshops, or online courses to up-skill your team and enhance their capabilities. 5) Demonstrate ROI and Value: Clearly articulate the value of design initiatives in terms of ROI and impact on business outcomes. Use data and metrics to quantify the value generated by these projects. By demonstrating the tangible benefits of design investments, you can secure buy-in and support from stakeholders. Have you faced similar challenges in your role as a design leader? How have you navigated budget or resource constraints? Share your experiences and insights below to help others going through the same thing! #design #designteams #DesignLeadership #ResourceConstraints #teamdevelopment #budgeting #resourcemanagement

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2 Comments

Very pertinent article on the topic of Data Visualizations and Infographics. https://lnkd.in/e47Kg4E2 #design #designthinking #designbuild #designstrategy #product #producctdesign #productmanagement #productstrategy #designprinciples #innovation #designers #digitaltransformation #ux #uxdesign #uiux #uidesign #designinnovation #application #software #softwaredesign #usability #userresearch #research #usercentereddesign #productleadership #uxwriting #designsystems #empathy #interfacedesign #usabilitytesting #userexperience #productdesign #accessibility #ui #ai #genai 

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🙌 The Design forecast report is finally here👇🏾 From the start of this year the discussion and debates on the impact of AI have become louder and with 1 in every 3 business investing in AI technology, we know 3 things for a fact: 👉🏾 Our workflows need to evolve not just from a tooling perspective, but how we solve problems. 🦄The Design leaders need to step up and educate themselves by gaining relevant skills and knowledge, to enable them to restructure teams, disciplines, tools and methods 💸 🌎We also need redefine our value within organisations and take this opportunity to identify the most relevant problems to solve for people and the planet. 🤔 But how does one do that? 🛠️ The report aims to be as practical and actionable as possible, and in doing so, potentially helpful to you in your current context and role. Above all, we hope it brings the design community together to collectively a new way forward. 👇🏾Download for free👇🏾 https://lnkd.in/eWfCVgAT

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1 Comment

🗒 Into Design Systems Conference Takeaways: The Design System Stakeholder Toolkit By Marianne Ashton-Booth - Head of Design Systems, ITV ➡️ Stakeholder identification and motives: It is crucial for the success of a design system to identify key stakeholders and understand their motives. ➡️ Continuous buy-in effort: Building and maintaining a design system requires continuous effort and re-engagement with stakeholders due to changes in company direction and leadership. ➡️ Value demonstration: Using data and metrics to demonstrate the design system's value is essential for gaining and maintaining support. ➡️ Strategic thinking: Design system teams need to maintain strategic thinking to navigate factors outside their control. ➡️ Supportive environment: A supportive environment and proper frameworks are necessary for the design system to thrive. ➡️ Importance of visuals and data: Using visuals and data effectively can enhance communication and support from stakeholders. ➡️ Proactive risk management: Proactively managing risks and presenting solutions can strengthen executive support and resource allocation. ➡️ Engagement strategies for different stakeholders: Tailored engagement strategies are necessary for different stakeholder groups: ↳ Primary users: Regular engagement, detailed guidance, and encouragement to contribute. ↳ Product stakeholders: Clear communication, alignment with business goals, and active feedback. ↳ Secondary users: Explanation of relevance, practical examples, and encouragement of participation. ↳ Business stakeholders: Highlighting impact, focusing on metrics, and demonstrating strategic alignment. I also want to highlight that her presentation was a remarkable piece of work, featuring beautiful slides, harmonious colors, and expressive illustrations. I am truly happy to have experienced the live conference, and I highly encourage all design system enthusiasts to attend the next one live as well ✨ #uxdesign #designsystems #intodesignsystems #designsystem #uxconference

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1 Comment

What do Paul Scholes and Service Designers have in common? 🥁🥁 ….they are playmakers The best midfielders / Service Designers are those that: > spot the gaps and opportunities > predict how situations will play out > keep a wide view of the action > link up play, connecting the team from back to front > create moments of magic Though often both often unseen, they can be the game-changers in setting others / the org up for success What would you add to the above? P.S #GGMU 👹🔴🏆 #Design #ServiceDesign

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4 Comments

Worth revisiting this article on the lessons of building products for mixed realities. https://lnkd.in/eaneMUK7 #design #designthinking #designbuild #designstrategy #product #producctdesign #productmanagement #productstrategy #designprinciples #innovation #designers #digitaltransformation #ux #uxdesign #uiux #uidesign #designinnovation #application #software #softwaredesign #usability #userresearch #research #usercentereddesign #productleadership #uxwriting #designsystems #empathy #interfacedesign #usabilitytesting #userexperience #productdesign #accessibility #ui

4

NextD Journal: Islands of Coherence: How We Make Sense of Don Norman's Making Sense of Design For anyone who missed this earlier. PART 1: KEY POINT 1: Way of Thinking KEY POINT 2: Complex Problem Solving KEY POINT 3: Philosophy & Methodology KEY POINT 4: Design Thinking Lite KEY POINT 5: Design Thinking Education PART 2: KEY POINT 6: Business Thinking Education KEY POINT 7: Content is King Model KEY POINT 8: “Executive” Leadership KEY POINT 9: Reinventing Design KEY POINT 10: Gaining Respect https://lnkd.in/eraPi4Tc

2

Highlighting one of my articles from 2019, on the topic of Design and Labels. https://lnkd.in/efDbFdc #design #designthinking #designbuild #designstrategy #product #producctdesign #productmanagement #productstrategy #designprinciples #innovation #designers #digitaltransformation #ux #uxdesign #uiux #uidesign #designinnovation #application #software #softwaredesign #usability #userresearch #research #usercentereddesign #productleadership #uxwriting #designsystems #empathy #interfacedesign #usabilitytesting #userexperience #productdesign #accessibility #ui #ai #genai 

6

Interesting article on the topic of recommendations on enhancing mixed research methods. https://lnkd.in/e2JpVSKR #design #designthinking #designbuild #designstrategy #product #producctdesign #productmanagement #productstrategy #designprinciples #innovation #designers #digitaltransformation #ux #uxdesign #uiux #uidesign #designinnovation #application #software #softwaredesign #usability #userresearch #research #usercentereddesign #productleadership #uxwriting #designsystems #empathy #interfacedesign #usabilitytesting #userexperience #productdesign #accessibility #ui #ai #genai 

2

Is it so that Design Thinking is dying? 💀 This has been debated a lot the last year, and we've also debated that a lot in EGGS, Part of Sopra Steria. I don't belive Design Thinking is dying. But I think we all can agree that the way many have applied Design Thinking is not giving enough value in the right way. The stakeholders and organisations want to see more concrete output from the processes. They want to see change and value creation that is valuable for the organisations and businesses. Which is not unfair to ask from these investments. My brilliant colleagues Mons Alexander Langaard and Bjørn Molstad have written a well formulated answer to one of the articles claiming that Design Thinking is dead. Here they dive into both how Design Thinking is first and foremost a mindset that helps to give a deep and empathetic user view. But also explore what might happen if we, in our search of more efficient projects with AI, end up creating our own traps by relying on AI too much, too soon. So have a read, and let me know if you think Design Thinking is dying. Link to the article is in the comments.

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10 Comments

Very interesting article on the benefits of performing Surveys. https://lnkd.in/eyqhPEjd #design #designthinking #designbuild #designstrategy #product #producctdesign #productmanagement #productstrategy #designprinciples #innovation #designers #digitaltransformation #ux #uxdesign #uiux #uidesign #designinnovation #application #software #softwaredesign #usability #userresearch #research #usercentereddesign #productleadership #uxwriting #designsystems #empathy #interfacedesign #usabilitytesting #userexperience #productdesign #accessibility #ui

4

As designers we don’t need to own to have impact A lot of our skillsets and value lie: - in the facilitation - in collaboration - in being the glue, the playmakers - in helping to enable impact, efficiencies and value It is partly why there is so much grey area around the CDO role (I think) Whether driving a transformation or building a product, there’s always value in Design being involved But we don’t need to be in the driving seat We can be the supporting actor rather than the star of the show Many will be thinking, ‘well we are just fighting to have that voice at all’ It’s fair But the reality is that shouting louder won’t make you more clearly understood Sometimes you need to play the long game Figure out what those where you want to be care about Pick them off one by one to build trust and advocacy Give them value, so they are the ones to ask why you are not in the room If that happens enough, you’ll be invited in I think I’ve said before Design (in most cases) should be in the room Not because our ideas are better but because they are different 🖤 #Design #Leadership #DesignLeadership

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47 Comments

I think there may be some confusion about the difference or similarities between rapid research, rolling research, continuous research, iterative research and probably a bunch of other [insert prefix] research. In an attempt to unravel the confusion and learn about each of these, I have embarked on a new interview series. My first guest was Amanda Gelb and amongst other things, she told me all about setting up a Rapid Research program at Lyft. You can find the interview on our website and also on our YouTube channel: https://lnkd.in/ew6Uqmix If you have a story to tell about setting up an innovative program of research, I would love to hear from you. #uxresearch #userresearch #ux247

15

Action needed: Each year DesignOps Assembly puts together THE benchmarking report for the DesignOps profession. The survey for the 2024 DesignOps Benchmarking Report is open and we need everyone in within the DesignOps world (including designers who help out with DesignOps) to participate. You’ll help DesignOps, Design, Product, and Business leaders and teams to better understand the landscape of our work. You'll also help everyone in the design industry understand trends, changes, come and the overall health of our industry (including salary info, team sizes, team impact etc..) Please take 10 minutes to fill this out. If you have ever referenced prior reports you know how important it is. 👉 bit.ly/DOA2024Survey 👈 Deadline for responses is July 31. #designops #ops #dpm #designprogrammanagement #design #designoperations #designleadership

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6 Comments

Companies need to gain design literacy just as much as designers need to understand business. The end. Design can benefit every single department within an organisation. I'm never going to stop beating this drum. Instead of speaking between ourselves, let’s be speaking and targeting content for businesses to understand the power of design.

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26 Comments

Applying Design Thinking to Accelerate Innovation in a Manufacturing Company #businessstrategy #designthinking #userexperience #userresearch #customerexperience

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