Building a DesignOps practice for the organization: step 2 define DesignOps value
In the first step of the “Building DesignOps Practice for the Organization” series, we discussed Researching & Identifying Problems, focusing on identifying the challenges and needs within the design processes of the organization. Now, we will define the value of DesignOps practice and explore how we can create a greater impact within the organization. You can access the first article of the series here.
Define DesignOps Value
Defining the value of DesignOps within the organization is an important step for design team members, organization managers, and other stakeholders. This is because DesignOps optimizes design processes and operations in alignment with organizational goals. As a result, the efforts of the design team are managed more efficiently, and added value is provided to the company.
In the second step of creating the DesignOps practice for the organization, we need to follow the stages of identifying the areas of focus, defining the value, identifying ownership and resources, communicating with stakeholders, and measuring the value. This will help us understand how DesignOps aligns with the organization’s objectives and how it supports the design team.
1. Identifying Areas of Focus
The first step in building a DesignOps practice for the organization is to identify the areas of focus. In this step, we determine the challenges and improvement opportunities within the design processes and workflows in the organization. We research on the major challenges faced by the design team and the bottlenecks in the workflows. Data obtained from surveys within the design team, stakeholder interviews, and discussions with design team members are utilized. By analyzing this data, we pinpoint the most critical and prioritized design operation problem within the organization. For example, it could be inefficiencies in design processes, inadequacy of design documentation, long design delivery times, or communication issues with stakeholders.
2. Defining Value
Another crucial step in building a DesignOps practice is defining the value it brings to the organization. In this step, we determine how DesignOps will align with the organization’s goals and how it will support the design team in achieving those goals. We establish objectives for DesignOps to create added value for the organization, and these objectives need to be measurable. Defining value allows stakeholders and organization managers to understand how DesignOps efforts will tangibly contribute to the organization’s success. For instance, objectives may include making design processes more efficient, improving the visual output quality of the design team, or increasing customer satisfaction for B2B projects.
3. Identifying Ownership and Resources
In this stage, it is crucial to clarify the areas of responsibility and ownership for the DesignOps practice to be successfully built. We determine who will be responsible for the DesignOps practice, whether it will be carried out by existing team members or a completely new team. Additionally, we identify the resources required for DesignOps activities and allocate them accordingly. Clearly defining ownership and resources ensures the effective implementation of DesignOps and proper management of the processes. For example, if the problem of long design delivery times is identified and included as one of the DesignOps value definitions, ownership of this objective can be assigned to a product designer within the design team. They may allocate 30% of their effort to expanding the design system and adapting components to meet the needs of all teams.
4. Communication With Stakeholders
Effective communication with stakeholders is essential for the success of building a DesignOps practice. Stakeholders refer to members of other teams who interact with the design team and are involved in design operations. Maintaining constant interaction with stakeholders helps in understanding how DesignOps can contribute to the organization’s overall goals and facilitates support from other teams for DesignOps efforts. For example, achieving an increase in customer satisfaction for B2B projects is a collective goal. In this context, collaboration with teams such as product, customer support, and sales might be necessary.
5. Measurement of Value
Measuring the effectiveness of the DesignOps practice and assessing the value it provides to the organization requires the establishment of metrics and performance indicators. This step is crucial for objectively evaluating the success of DesignOps efforts and making necessary improvements. Measurement allows us to demonstrate how effective DesignOps is for the organization and enables continuous improvement of the practices. For example, positive measurements in areas such as improving the adequacy of design documentation, reducing design delivery times, establishing healthy communication channels with stakeholders, and achieving higher customer satisfaction for B2B projects can solidly demonstrate the value of DesignOps and the benefits it brings to the organization.
In conclusion, clearly defining DesignOps within the organization facilitates understanding and support from managers and stakeholders. Optimizing design processes in alignment with your organization’s goals and supporting the design team will help achieve greater success in DesignOps endeavors. By following these steps, you can make DesignOps an integral part of your organization’s DNA, providing a significant advantage for long-term success both organization-wide and within the design team.
Remember, DesignOps can be a transformative process and should be continuously open to improvement. Considering evolving product/customer needs, market conditions, and technological advancements, it may be necessary to update the DesignOps strategy and objectives. Therefore, it is essential for the process of defining the value of DesignOps for the organization to include regular reviews and feedback. This way, DesignOps efforts can consistently adapt to the organization’s needs and objectives, ensuring sustainable success.
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