Turning a Startup to a Design-Driven Company

TURNING A STARTUP INTO A DESIGN DRIVEN COMPANY

or when one buzzword changes to another

According to the Design Management Institute’s Design Value Index, for

example, design-driven companies have maintained a significant stock-

market advantage, outperforming the S&P 500 by an extraordinary 211 percent over the past ten years.

S&P 500 Design-Drivenhttp://www.dmi.org/?DesignValue

http://www.dmi.org/?DesignValue

design = profit

1. Claim that I value design2. …3. Profit

WHAT DO I NEED TO DO?


APPLE DOES IT. I CAN DO IT





And make that bike green. I think red is too aggressive




And make that bike green. I think red is too aggressive

And flat. People don't like skeuomorphic images anymore

being a design-driven company is not about

Following latest trends

Turning designers into managers

Making everyone in a company a designer

MacBooks, beanbags and pur overs


Putting some stickies on the wall

Making designers code

Your management claiming that you are


“When I see a company with an innovation lab I cringe, because the only thing I really know is that there will be no innovation in it.” - Carl Bass, Autodesk

bringing in a voice of the user

applying a design thinking

understanding a user journey

evaluating with users, and developers

being a design-driven company could be about

creating collaborative environment

What is design?

What is design? Simply put, design is an action of problem solving.

What is design? Simply put, design is an action of solving a problem. One of many others in it’s way to implementation.

Design is an action. Design is also a result of this action.

I need a design for this unique exiting feature that our users will love!

says a generic PM in a generic company


Here are the requirements.says a generic PM in a generic company



Here are the requirements.

Do it fast. Developers need to start tomorrow.



Do it fast. Developers need to start tomorrow.Sorry, but what is the problem

we about to solve for our user?you ask




we about to solve for our user?What are you talking about?

There is no problem. There is a new feature.


that our users will love!




There is no problem. There is a new feature.What activity does this feature support?

What business value does it provide?you ask

Sorry, but what is the problem



What business value does it provide?

I don’t understand.

What can’t you just put that button on a page?


Sorry, but what is the problem



What business value does it provide?

I don’t understand.

What can’t you just put that button on a page?

And make it not like any other.

We are a design-driven company.

Wait a sec

Design is an action of solving a problem.

if


if

Design-driven company is a company that widely applies design to solve of its’ business challenges.

then


if

Design-driven company is a company that widely applies design to solve of its’ business challenges.

then

and not only to decorate those

4 out of 5startup mentors suggest

4 out of 5startups don’t do

4 out of 5startups hire designer to

1. Design a logo2. Make a landing3. Suggest font and color4. Sketch MVP

Identifying value is great but we have no money. Lets get reach first.





1. Evaluate user needs2. Create user flow and IA3. Craft unique experience4. Design solid MVP

Identifying value is great. Invest in it and asses product-market fit.







Most often a startup that survived on its post MVP stage is a company that can be ready to do a shift and become a truly design-driven company.







Most often a startup that survived on its post MVP stage is a company that can be ready to do a shift and become a truly design-driven company.

When founding fathers are ready.But you will work with their expanded team.

with a team that knows

Bright visuals sell.

Bright visuals sell.

But it is care that creates a lasting relationship between

the user and the product.

Great design cares about its’ users.


In a design-driven company everyone

understands what the great design is.


In a design-driven company everyone

understands what the great design is.

And everyone contributes.

You cannot make everyone to care.

You cannot make everyone to care.

It takes time. Be patient.

How to make people care?

1. Care about them and show that you do.2. Explore what they already have/think/do.3. Find your allies.4. Outline your responsibilities.5. Make rules clear.6. Build your strategy around your discovery.7. Evaluate the progress.

How to make people care?

1. Care about them and show that you do.2. Explore what they already have/think/do.3. Find your allies.4. Outline your responsibilities.5. Make rules clear.6. Build your strategy around your discovery.7. Evaluate the progress.

How to make a design-driven company?

1. Say hello2. Assess status quo.3. Gain C-level management and team support.4. Take ownership over whole design. 5. Define good design.6. Build strategy around company roadmap.7. Be ready to reassess on a regular basis.

Say Hello!

• Introduce yourself.• Introduce your task.• Get know stakeholders and key decision makers.• Get know other people too.

Access the Status Quo

• Product (users, functions, visuals, everything).• Responsibilities (people, processes).• Previous experiences.• Expectations.

Gain C-level support

• Share your discoveries.• Ask about long and short team goals.• Ask about their strategy.• Discuss your strategy.• Discuss your resources (budget, people, time).

Gain team support

• Be friendly and responsive.• Be useful from the beginning.• Help to tackle immediate issues.

Take ownership

• Decide what you want to be responsible for.• Decide how you want to work.• Decide how you queue incoming design tasks.• Decide how you squeeze new task into existing routine.

Define good design for this company

• Formalize role of design.• Write down design goals and principles.• Build brand and translate it into design.• Create styleguide.• Create design system.• Find way to make it into SDK.• Run design reviews.

Build your strategy around company roadmap

• Keep track of global vision.• Build your activities around strategic initiatives.• Support tactical activities.• Build exit points to adjust your vision.

Be ready to regroup

• No quick assumptions.• Get feedback from metrics.• Get feedback from people.• Observe and listen.• Adjust what and when needed.• Remember your goals.

There will be a transition period.

Keep calm. Carry on

THANK YOU

1. Design Value by Design Management Institute http://www.dmi.org/?DesignValue2. Business innovation by design http://businessinnovation.design/blog/2015/3/30/

infographic-building-design-driven-companies3. http://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/marketing-and-sales/our-insights/

building-a-design-driven-culture4. Autodesk insights http://thisisdesignthinking.net/2015/05/autodesk-design-thinking-

hiring/

CREDITS

http://www.dmi.org/?DesignValue

http://businessinnovation.design/blog/2015/3/30/infographic-building-design-driven-companies

http://thisisdesignthinking.net/2015/05/autodesk-design-thinking-hiring/

Turning a Startup to a Design-Driven Company

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