Jo-Ann Deasis

Pause, Clarify, and Strategize! In UX and project management, time pressure often dictates our pace, sometimes at the cost of deeper discovery. Yet, I’ve found that taking even a single extra day to review challenges with stakeholders can yield game-changing insights. This deliberate pause can illuminate nuances in stakeholder expectations and uncover potential roadblocks before they impact the project. While we’re often encouraged to ‘move fast and break things,’ I’ve seen how the mindful application of ‘pause, clarify, and strategize’ can create room for more effective, sustainable solutions. Taking this approach has led to a smoother process with fewer mid-project surprises and stronger buy-in from stakeholders, who appreciate the opportunity to voice their perspectives early.” #UXDesign #ProjectManagement

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“Be who and where you are.” I’m still processing all of the amazing insights that came out of Clarity: A design systems community conference last week but several themes have been bouncing around in my head since then. → Get smaller and connect - Dan Mall and others talked about a trend towards smaller core design systems with surrounding layers of shared patterns like recipes, all being consumed by teams managing their own local libraries. This results in teams being able to move faster and eliminates the need for design systems folks to feel that have to be a bottleneck. → Be who and where you are - John Voss and others talked about building the system that your users and team need rather than conforming to what larger companies are putting out there or the oversimplified “stereotype” you yourself have unintentionally created for your product. → Listen - Ben Callahan and others talked about the need to reset our current mental models for how design systems teams see our roles and responsibilities. How do we move away from our perceived tactical responsibilities towards more listening and validating of the needs of our consumers and users? 💎 My personal takeaways from all of this have me reframing my own journey with my team from "a series of mistakes" towards "the necessary growth to become the team we are today." → When we implemented that now outdated framework, tried to centralize everything into a single bloated design system, or wrote all of that verbose documentation, we were doing what we needed to do to mature and are a better team as a result. → What my team is going through, we're all going through. The role of design in general is changing across the industry, not just in my organization. How lucky are we, that we have the opportunity to learn from each other as designers? → As team roles change, I’m curious to pivot my default stance away from “defend the designer's role”, and would be curious to see how I can facilitate “design” activities regardless of whether they are done by a designer, product manager, or engineer. I feel so very fortunate to be a part of such an amazing community and love the reminder that when you get a bunch of systems thinkers together in the same room, you're going to see patterns. Thanks again 🖤 Jina A. and all the speakers last week. #clarity2024 #designsystems #design

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I wrote about one of my favorite parts of the design process - refining concepts through user research. One key part as you're prototyping out your concepts is to ground your participants in actual reality and be selective. Check it out, and let me your thoughts about concept testing! https://lnkd.in/gNUkA_pR

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Working on Design Systems means dedicating your career to fostering "buy-in." This article provides excellent strategies for managing this throughout the product lifecycle. My favorite sections are "Offer No Easy Exits" and "Make It Everyone’s Baby." Read the article: https://lnkd.in/ei26MMjR Thank you for writing this PJ Onori! #DesignSystem #UXEngineer

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Big is overrated. The more experience I have in this industry, the more I like to keep teams nice and cozy. Not understaffed. But also not sprawling. In our latest episode, we discuss the dynamic of medium-ish design system teams. We cover their pros and cons as well as why I'd prefer to work on a medium-sized team than a big ol' honkin' one. Listen here: https://lnkd.in/gcRbSX6u #designsystems #podcast

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Nice article by Mike Fortuna linking Design to Business. While it makes the case for cost savings by having reusable elements, I think the argument for cost savings could be reinforced by an explanation of the "opportunity cost" of also not being able to work on other design work.

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The Jobs to Be Done framework is crucial for product designers, especially as the line between product managers and designers continues to blur. This article can revolutionize how we approach problem discovery and opportunity identification, offering deeper insights during the design phase. It's a must-read for anyone looking to elevate their design process and deliver exceptional results.

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This got me thinking. I hear a lot of leaders say they're looking for cultural transformation, and want to shift in a direction that values reactivity, challenge confrontation, and collaboration. What they're describing is a design-driven culture. Many of these attributes are vital when UX is at the center. If that resonates, then looking at design maturity is the better route. #DesignMaturity #DesignDriven #Culture

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How do design system teams prove their value? Finding hard metrics around the impact of design system teams has historically been a challenge. A year ago, I met the design system team at Eventbrite who could confidently say that they saved 534 days of engineering effort with their design system. Here's their calculation: Time spent to develop a component pre-design system - time spent to install the design system component = Time saved In order to extrapolate this number, though, you need to know how many times a component has been used. And, that used to require a savvy dev on the team to build something custom. That's no longer the case. We built something at zeroheight that will allow you to track component use in a single repo or across all of your repos. This should help teams show how valuable they are, plus do things like: see which components to prioritize based on use see which product teams are adopting As an added bonus, anyone using the new feature set can also monitor design system packages, allowing them to quickly see which teams are using outdated packages. On a personal note, I'm hoping with data like this, more teams can confidently quantify their impact. And along the way, we'll get better as design system practitioners at identifying the right things to work on. This new feature set is in beta and totally free. Even if you aren't using zeroheight to document your design system, you can use it. Takes like 15 minutes and you've got rich data. Here's the sign up:

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"We need a business executive who can bring deisgn into the discussion" is the issue... until CEOs and recruiters start saying "We need a DESIGN EXECUTIVE who understands our business challenges." Additionally, design leaders need to learn to deliver results at every board meeting.

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I talk to senior designers and design leaders every day and there is one thing that became evident to me: In the current market there is no clarity about the career paths and what would be the right step for them. Choosing your future role requires a clear understanding of your aspirations, motivations, and chances for success. For this reason, Dilara Cumhur Neutze, Kate Syuma, and I will be hosting a session to discuss the nonlinear design careers and how these two incredibly successful design leaders have found their path. Join us for this discussion on November 26th. We will cover: - Embracing Non-Traditional Design Careers - Creating Space for Reflection and Vision - Choosing What's Right for You: IC vs. Manager - The Power of Execution in Achieving Success Sign up and share your questions in the comments! We will cover some of them in the session!

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Time to deliver an output is so often mistaken with time to achieve business value.

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Design without reason is like building without a foundation. In my latest newsletter explain what design rationale is.

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This is a great post for designers moving into management/leadership roles. The nature of your job changes dramatically and it's important to figure out the most effective ways to help your team and the company. As noted in the article, it's very easy to have your time consumed by managerial tasks (operational work). Being deliberate about how you want to spend your time, focusing on the change you want to bring about and working consistently towards that end are critical skills to learn. #UX #Design #DesignLeadership https://lnkd.in/e_g4TRJx

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Isn't it strange how the types of process materials in portfolios is different than how real work is done in UX? I talk about what materials we commonly see in portfolios that are never used in real work, then I talk about some that we really do use. https://lnkd.in/g45JT7Qk

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This! Designers must also understand that the higher they go, the more they need to think beyond design. Moving into leadership means embracing business goals, cross-functional collaboration, and strategic impact. It’s not just about creating great designs—it’s about driving outcomes that resonate across the organization. We do need more design leaders who can see the big picture.

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It has been my continuous struggle to showcase the contributions of the design team to business. Slapping the rules at product level seems unjust. Finiding out a comparative for a specific feature becomes difficult to assess. I am on my journey towards putting a right measuring metrics for the same. Let's connect if you are also looking out or something that might have worked well for you. #uxdaily #productmetrices #designmetrices #productstrategy #designstrategy

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Breaking Free from Micromanagement in Design: A Designer's Guide to Owning Your Process Did you get another Slack message asking for a design walkthrough you've already documented? You're not alone. Designers often face the challenge of micromanagement - but here's the thing: it's usually not about control, it's about confidence and trust. Here's what I've learned about transforming this dynamic: Micromanagement isn't a personality flaw - it's often a symptom of insufficient trust and unclear communication channels between designers and leaders. The solution? Take ownership of your design process through: • Daily project logs tracking decisions and rationale • Proactive sharing of research insights • Data-backed design choices • Clear success metrics and timelines The game-changer: Systematic documentation. Spend just 5 minutes at the end of each day updating your project log. Include: • Key design decisions • Open questions • Potential blockers • Areas where you need guidance The result? More productive design reviews, focused feedback sessions, and a stronger, more confident working relationship with leadership. Remember: Breaking free from micromanagement isn't about pushing back - it's about stepping up. Own your process, document your journey, and watch the trust grow. What strategies have you used to build trust in your design team? Share your experiences below! 👇 #DesignLeadership #ProductDesign #UXDesign #Communication #DesignTeams

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Great reminder on looking out for more valuable folks when it comes to UX. There are so many great UX folks that are not just talking but also walking the walk and created more meaningful methods and frameworks. Which UX pros are you following or get inspiration from? https://lnkd.in/ggwcSgrJ

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