As the year draws to a close, the revelry isn't the only thing on our minds; there's a collective sense of anticipation for the annual year-end reviews

And what better sensation than knowing you're indispensable to your team and organization! Your work is the talk of the town, your creative juices are flowing, and you've become the go-to person for all things awesome :)

But here's the twist—while it's rad to be the wizard everyone can't live without, it can also create a bit of a dilemma when it comes to climbing that career ladder. If finding someone to fill your genius shoes is indeed a Herculean task, the powers-that-be might hesitate to move you up the ladder :(

So while it's fantastic to be the linchpin, don’t let it come at the cost of being stuck in your current orbit.

Strike a balance! Be exceptional at what you do, but don’t be irreplaceable at the cost of being promotable :)

“What’s the impact of your work?”

Many design leaders get trumped by this question because there are no easy answers.

First, our work is so intertwined with Product and Engineering that it becomes hard to isolate and track KPIs that are exclusive to design. But often PMs do report on high-level business KPIs like ‘Adoption’ and ‘Retention’ while engineers track performance metrics like ‘Load time’ only.

This can leave more nuanced factors like ‘Engagement’, ‘Task completion’, or even ‘Happiness’ on the table but for designers to own this, they must step up their game beyond the realms of craft and execution to actively track and optimize for this. Designers can even start to talk about how our investment in areas like Design Ops and Design System help save on design and engineering time and boost efficiency! Unfortunately for 99 out of 100 designers, this isn't an innate trait making it crucial to instill and foster these skills intentionally!

P.S. While all this is nice and useful, sometimes I question the fairness of placing such a heavy emphasis on measuring 'Design impact,' considering that other teams, like HR, Quality, and many others aren't subjected to the same scrutiny :)

There are 2 ways to be a good leader for your team.

Option 1:

Meet them regularly, take keen interest in their development, delegate impactful work, co-partner with them to take it to next level but generously give away credit for all the work!

Option 2:

Just … leave them alone :)

The real MVPs? They nail the sweet spot between both.

If you've got one of those unicorns, do whatever it takes to keep 'em around!

CARE is the magic ingredient in creating unforgettable experiences.

When building a team,

look beyond just skills and seek a shared passion for making users feel something special.

While fostering a culture,

Make a commitment to avoid cutting corners and infuse love and care into all your work

Because that is what sets great experiences apart from the good. And no leader can be the lone flag bearer of this ethos!

The article below from Tobias masterfully articulates what behaviours distinguish a “senior” designer from the “junior” ones.

My top 5 traits :

1. Feedback during design critiques is often simply the other person thinking out loud so unlike “junior” designers who end up doing exactly what they’ve been told to do, the “senior” designers keep exploring the problem and strive to propose even better solutions

2. The “junior” designers just plonk in Lorem Ipsum in their mockups, whereas “senior” ones believe the words as as much part of the design as anything else, and include relevant copy to the best of their ability

3. The “junior” designers often don’t do more than sending their Figma files for review, while the “senior” ones never send designs without the commentary explaining their rationale and leaving anything to chance.

4. The “junior” ones often have a tendency to become a mockup machine moving from one project to another, while the “senior” ones collaborate with other stakeholders and own their work all the way through to its execution

5. And finally, the “junior” designers mostly react to directions and never shy away from putting blame on company, team or managers for their struggles regarding their learning or impact. The “senior” designers are self motivated, keep taking initiatives and basically takes their destiny in their own hands!

As 2023 draws to a close (and with it my 2nd year in the role I had taken with so much enthusiasm 18 months back :)), I reflect on three pivotal insights gained along the journey.

1. There are never enough designers and never enough time, so we are always building the plane while it is flying! And using short-term wins as proof points empowers us to win trust, boost reputation and build a runway to chip away at our true North Star.

2. The work we do is not simply design transformation, as being experience-led has the potential to change the culture of the entire product org. Being a common resource that cuts across all product and engineering teams gives us the unique perspective to connect dots, streamline work and unearth hidden opportunities!

3. Finally, no one truly understands what we do, so building advocacy, awareness and appreciation for the complexity and rigor behind the work is an on-going endeavour that needs to be given as much emphasis as the work itself.

With all this wisdom, I'm stoked to see what 2024 has in store for us :)\

No, this post is not a book review but rather seeks to draw inspiration from the title :)

As a design lead, my job involves sitting through a ton of presentations from talented Product Managers – vision, roadmaps, you name it.

And I often wonder, how time after time, the audience is bombarded with uninspiring decks—laden with a laundry list of bullets, hastily assembled and lacking the finesse of craft and storytelling :(

Building a presentation is an art form. It's about distilling complex ideas into a clear and engaging narrative, using visuals to enhance understanding, and infusing each slide with a sense of purpose. It's the difference between a “Yet another mundane meeting” and an impactful experience that leaves a lasting impression.

Got me thinking – shouldn't MBA programs be dishing out more on the art of making killer presentations? I mean, PMs cannot just be number crunchers; they are storytellers shaping the product journey and their product presentations shouldn’t be snooze-fests but powerful stories that light a fire!

Brian Chesky, the rarest artsy/designer CEO of a Fortune 500 giant, dropped a bomb at the recent #figmaconfig by announcing “No more Product Management at Airbnb”. And the designers went wild with applause (more on this later :))

In a recent chat with the podcast host Lenny Rachitsky (seriously one of the top podcasts on product), Chesky spilled the beans on what he exactly meant and revealed his grand plan to revolutionize Airbnb's product culture.

Make sure to plug into the podcast during your next commute to work! His energy is really infectious! 

In the meantime, I’ve got the top 10 insights for product design and management aficionados below :)

============================

#1 True innovation comes when the founder/CEO embraces the 'CPO' role, solidifying the organization's commitment to being a product tech leader!

#2 Most traditional product management responsibilities revolve around program management, which should be differentiated, as these individuals primarily bear responsibility for the final product delivery.

#3 For product management, the optimal setup involves a lean team of truly senior people who possess the acumen to take charge of both business and marketing aspects. 

#4 Design needs to be elevated to doing more product and strategic thinking rather than just being support functions to the product. 

#5 Inspired by Apple, teams should be structured around functions (Product, Design, Engineering, etc.) and not around business areas. The most competent and senior folks need to own a broader spectrum rather than be limited by their respective area of business.

#6 Drawing inspiration from the likes of the legendary Johny Ive, he advocates strongly for leaders in Engineering and Design to lead the charge in work-related aspects primarily. Managing the quality of work takes precedence over personnel management.

#7 For leaders to be intricately involved in the details isn't micromanaging; it's fulfilling your role as the domain owner guiding a team, so stop being apologetic for it. 

#8 For those under the authority of a leader's direct reports, it is advisable to establish a dotted-line connection with the leader, fostering clarity regarding their ongoing initiatives

#9 Leaders must opt for gradual growth and foster agile teams to center attention on vital objectives ensuring all of them row together in the same direction

#10 And finally, his passion for discussing new release and features reveals that, at his core, he remains very much a designer, going as far as sharing insights into emerging design trends :)

Designers who work in large tech firms often are newer, smaller and less understood than their product and engineering counterparts. To counter that, we have a tendency ( I certainly do!) to work that much harder to (strongly) defend what we do and prove that we belong in the room.

But here's the thing: we end up fighting the wrong battles, obsessing over proving our perfect "process" instead of making a real impact.

Seriously, let's stop the worthiness showdown! And, let's channel that energy into boosting its impact and influence!

And unlike the superstar PMs drowning us all in a sea of bullet points about the future, we can leverage our unique capability of getting across ideas in a way that makes people see why they matter.

By showing, not just telling :)

Companies like Apple have shown us that when you build something with love, craft and care, your customers notice and appreciate it. They understand that this meticulous attention to detail doesn't stop at the product – it permeates every corner of the organization.

Yes the details matter! Every pixel, every interaction, every element of our product matters. That’s why we sweat the small stuff and every bit of negotiations with the PMs and Engineers, from cajoling to confronting, is totally worth it!

Because it's not about creating an experience that only works but one that delights the user.

There is no one-size-fits-all solution to motivate teams. People are like snowflakes, each one motivated by something unique. It's a leader’s job to figure out the secret sauce that gets our team members pumped. Here are the three main flavors I've noticed:

#1 Money: Some folks are highly driven by financial rewards. They thrive on the prospect of increasing their earnings by setting ambitious goals for promotions to higher levels!

#2 Impact: For some the opportunity to work on meaningful, strategic projects is the ultimate motivation. They are fueled by the prospect of making a difference, creating products that leave a lasting mark on the organization/industry

#3 Influence: And finally there are those who seek to be acknowledged for their skills and the impact of their work. Incentivizing them to be thought leaders, mentors, or experts in their field brings out the best in them!

So it’s important to get to know your team members on a personal level, uncover what makes them tick, and adapt your leadership style accordingly. Once you nail it, your team will be on fire! 🔥

Virat Kohli, what can I say?

The guy's been at it for 15 years and has conquered practically everything in the game. Yet, he's still out there, roaring like a lion, batting like a dream, and celebrating every wicket like a kid in a candy store! It's like he's got this superhuman energy to give his all, every single second he's on that field!

And in this World Cup??? He's just lighting it up and giving us all a masterclass in how to excel!

- Do not rest on past laurels and avoid complacency. Every project, big or small, should be approached with the same passion and commitment!

- Never stop learning and improving. Embrace the idea that growth is a continuous journey!

- Don’t just talk the talk, but walk the talk. Set the highest standards and let your passion and commitment inspire your team!

His journey is a reminder that the quest for excellence is a never-ending adventure. Hustle on!

I work with a large group of PMs (they outnumber us by almost 3 to 1 but this post is not a rant about that :)) and the nature of our collaboration with them often sparks lively discussions during my 1-1s and all-team meetings. :)

Below, I'll provide insights into what, IMO, sets apart a top-tier PM facilitating a strong PM<>UX relationship!

Skill #1 Effective communication:

Have you ever wondered why PMs are often the ones chosen to present product concepts and demos to executives and clients? Well, it's because their success is intrinsically linked to their ability to communicate effectively. While designers, and even more so, engineers, may not always prioritize communication, PMs excel in both verbal and written communication, giving them a significant edge in this area.

Skill #2 Project management:

A substantial part of a PM's role revolves around project management. They are responsible for executing projects and meticulously tracking progress. This involves collaborating with stakeholders at various levels, from executives to individual contributors. Despite lacking direct authority over team members, PMs are expected to facilitate clear expectations and ensure everyone fulfills their roles as intended.

Skill #3 Visionary thinking:

Outstanding PMs distinguish themselves with their visionary thinking. They maintain a keen awareness of market dynamics, customer pain points, competitive advantages, and the evolving technological and industry landscape. Leveraging this knowledge, they generate innovative solutions and prioritize the user experience to bring these ideas to life.

Skill #4 Analytical & Insightful Approach:

Strongly analytical PMs utilize both quantitative and qualitative tools to set goals and prioritize tasks effectively. As a designer, you'll appreciate their multiple perspectives on how to prioritize your work amidst a barrage of requirements.

While having a PM with these competencies can greatly enhance team performance, it doesn't guarantee a frictionless journey. Frequently, points of disagreement may arise, and the most common ones are stated below.

Are we ready to ship? 

PMs are often driven to push features out quickly, while designers are committed to delivering the ultimate user experience. Healthy debates ensue, as long as neither extreme stance is taken. It's essential to find a balance that satisfies both priorities.

Are we meeting our deadlines?

The creative process is not some higher plane that absolves designers from meeting their commitments. While it can be challenging to predict when we'll achieve results we're proud of, it's crucial to keep everyone informed about our progress. This builds instant credibility and enhances their ability to perform their role effectively.

Are we aligned on strategy?

While it's fine to involve junior designers to work on a signup form design, it's important to recognize that senior designers excel in tackling more abstract and high-level problems, driving the product's vision. To maximize their motivation and creativity, it's crucial for PMs to collaborate with designers as true partners who co-own the vision and strategy. 

Before I wrap up, I just want to give a shout-out to our PM crew who act as our perfect wingmen – they give us all the inside scoop, share valuable data, and provide us with feedback that makes our design even better. Plus, they're like our shield from all the annoying distractions, so we can really get in the zone and do our thing :)

A designer’s cheat sheet on how to work with engineers.

First off, some hard facts.

#1 Remember, as a designer, you're not just the Figma pro. You own the product users see. So take responsibility and avoid the blame game.

#2 Engineers are the bridge between our design concepts and tangible user experiences. Their role is to bring our ideas to life with speed, reliability, and scalability.

To achieve design greatness, effective collaboration with engineers is the key.

Build close ties with them

Things go (MUCH) easier if the engineer you’re working with appreciates the value of good design. Wondering how? Instead of merely handing off design mocks, engage in dialogue. Explain the "why" behind your designs. Share the thought process and reasoning behind your choices. Most engineers may not possess a designer's eye, but they share the goal of creating exceptional products. The more engineers understand the rationale and value of a design, the faster and better it will be brought to life. During implementation, sit right next to them (or get on Teams calls in case you are still privileged enough to be able to work remotely :) and deal with issues faster!

Understand tech constraints (early)

As designers, it’s easy to fall in love with our ideas without understanding the technical or time constraints early enough and start sweating out on details that have no chance of working out! Design is the most scarce resource in the product team (That’s a pet peeve discussion for another day), and there are enough big problems for us to solve, so the next time a brilliant idea possesses you but you have a sneaking suspicion that it might be hard to build, don’t wonder. Ask the engineer.

Be complete with your designs.

We designers pride ourselves for being ‘detail-oriented’ when in fact most design handovers miss numerous cases that end up being identified by engineers and QA who have to implement and test all the branching paths. Want to be a design hero? Make sure your design solutions are complete and consider edge cases like internationalisation, error states, Zero states, Transitions, micro-interactions and more. Complete designs prevent last-minute issues and rework, allowing engineers to architect more effectively and provide accurate estimates.

In Conclusion: If something isn't implemented as intended, pause and reflect. Instead of blaming, take ownership. Why didn’t you engage with the engineer to review the implementation? Why didn’t you provide support during the building phase? Why didn’t you file a Jira to fix the bug when you saw it? By owning the process, we can collectively ensure a smoother journey from concept to delivery.

If things go haywire, don’t point fingers. Own it!

As a mid-level leader, I've had to balance between two pivotal aspects of our design journey: gaining trust at the senior executive level and empowering my team to influence their peers in Product, Engineering, and QA.

The former has been a journey of persistence, waiting for the right opportunities and leveraging those every time to create a big impact.

On the other hand, I am all about empowering the design team to influence their peers in getting the message across that experience isn't just the responsibility of the design team; it's a collective effort. This journey too is a roller coaster of emotions moving from collaboration (our preferred route) on one end, to constructive confrontation not about conflict but about ensuring that we uphold the highest design standards) at the other.

While we have a long way to go, I’m excited about the journey we're on and the continued growth of design culture in the overall product group.

Before I ventured into product design, I spent more than a decade in the dynamic world of advertising and consulting. It was during this time that I honed skills not typically associated with product designers. Yet, these have turned out to be incredibly valuable in my journey as a design leader. Here are three of the most essential ones:

Planning: In advertising, deadlines are unforgiving, and the show must go on, no matter what. This skill isn't just about delivering work on time; it's about thriving under intense pressure and staying cool under fire. This has taught me to be highly organized, efficient, and adaptable, essential qualities for any designer.

Storytelling: In the world of advertising, we're always looking for fresh and innovative ways to present ideas and captivate audiences. It's not just about what you say but how you say it. As a design leader, mastering this art has helped our work stand out and make an impact, ensuring ideas aren't just heard but remembered.

Pitching: In advertising, the ability to pitch and defend your ideas is an everyday requirement. This translates seamlessly into product design when you need to convince stakeholders or team members of your design decisions. The pitch isn't just about showing your work; it's about making a compelling case for why your design serves the project's goals and the end-users' needs.

Whether you're crafting an ad campaign or designing the next breakthrough product, it's these less-conventional skills that can often make the critical difference. Embrace them, nurture them, and build your design career to new heights

P.S. here's a throwback to an ad reel from over a decade ago that encapsulates the traits above. The first campaign for Jaguar not only pushed creative boundaries but also won me the Best Digital Campaign in Japan.

Management is often seen as a people-centric endeavor. As leadership pundits frequently emphasize in their blogs, podcasts, and books, ‘Hire the right team, support and motivate your employees, resolve conflicts, promote autonomy, oversee career development, ensure resource availability, and then, strive to minimize your direct involvement in daily tasks.'

While I can't speak for other fields (where primary concerns might revolve around meeting deadlines or code functionality :)), in design, being solely people-focused isn't sufficient. Simply managing how many people you recruit and how effectively you handle interpersonal dynamics falls short.

Unless managers actively contribute to achieving business objectives through their knowledge and expertise, and designers produce work that not only addresses user needs but does so in a captivating way, setting your product apart from competitors, all the people-focused efforts we cherish won't matter because the product won't endure!

We must step off the sidelines and immerse ourselves in the nitty-gritty, urging our teams to refine their work, experiment with unconventional approaches (even if they seem unlikely to succeed), and challenge and inspire their counterparts in engineering and product development.

We've created a false dichotomy: entrusting or guiding your team, concentrating on managing people or the work itself, prioritizing people or quality.

The reality is, we can have both. In fact, we must

Transitioning from a high impact role of close collaboration with the founder-CEO to a new chapter in a larger organization, I’ve had to adapt my leadership approach to a very different context!

In this shift, (amongst many other things) I realized the importance of redefining success metrics that I’ll use to measure my impact. These have boiled down to 3 core areas:

Founders' Trust: This signifies my commitment to delivering excellence consistently and maintaining a track record of reliability. It's vital to ensure that the founders continue to place their trust in my capabilities and vision.

Team's Trust: Building trust among my colleagues is not just about my expertise and experience but also about transparency in my actions, judgement and decision-making. Earning the team's confidence has been a cornerstone of my modest success so far.

Peer Trust: By being able to demonstrate functional authority and creating a tangible impact in critical areas of the product, I've deepened the trust and cooperation of colleagues, opening doors to an even broader sphere of influence!

While quantifying these outcomes is challenging, their existence is plain to see. In my everyday work, it's hard to miss the signals I receive from folks around, which provides valuable insights into my standing in these regards :)

The journey of a Design Leader striving to build advocacy, exposure, and acknowledgment for their work is a journey many of us in the design world can relate to.

In a tech-centric world where Product and Engineering counterparts have more established and widely understood value propositions, we often find ourselves pushing that much harder to ensure that the importance of design is recognized and celebrated. That design isn't just about making things pretty (we do that too, obviously!); it's about enhancing experiences, solving complex problems, and driving innovation.

While we focus on multiple ways to address this, from educating to advocating and from telling compelling stories to measuring impact, what has proven most valuable to me is persistence and patience :) Recognizing that change takes time, keep pushing the boundaries of what we can achieve and remain persistent in advocating for its value.

Being the unsung heroes, we might get frustrated fighting for that seat at the table, but by being a driving force in creating remarkable products, by making the complex simple, the invisible visible, and the everyday extraordinary. … we should stop aspiring for simply the seat and go for being the head of the table :)

Hey folks, I’m returning to Linked-In after a 3-week sabbatical. I've been deep in the trenches, working on something way bigger and cooler, to the point where it's been the only thing disrupting my usual weekly musings!

YES! As I wrap up my Seattle trip and standing on top of the Space Needle, I can't help but truly feel on top of the world. This tour has been an absolute blast and a testament to the magic that designers bring to the table. It's reaffirmed for me, for the 1045th time, that we are the only breed with an extraordinary ability to turn abstract ideas into something so real and compelling that leaves our audience saying, "Wow!"

Whether it's creating killer user experiences, designing stunning interfaces, or dreaming up innovative products, we have this knack for making the impossible possible.

Big shoutout to my incredible team and the senior leadership for always having my back. Your support means the world. 🙏💪

Let's keep pushing boundaries, shaking things up, and continuing to create design magic together! 🎨🌎✨

Picture this:

An idea sparks in the minds of executives, and they charge forward, building the foundation with engineers.

And as the idea starts to mature, they realise they need to bring in someone to make it look presentable and slick :)

BUT, design isn't just a sleek coat for a functioning product. It has the power to be the guiding light from the very beginning!

I’ve done my most impactful work recently when we were invited in early to jam with, on nothing but half-baked ideas and helping them transform into something tangible at the speed of group’s collective thinking.

I’ve seen countless times people responding to shapes more than words and often the first reaction of someone seeing their vague idea in the head come to life in a matter of days is, MAGICAL!

Moreover, as a stellar design team we not blocked by a lack of PRD. We thrive in the face of uncertainty, propelling progress even when the path isn't crystal clear. Not only do we come with solid understanding of design patterns and possess impeccable craft, we also have sound product judgement, a fair understanding of engineering cost and a great scoping mindset :)

So, folks from the design community let's rewrite the narrative. Design isn't the final touch—it can be the driving force shaping ideas into impactful realities

Many design teams invest a lot of time on building a ‘Design System’, yet what they end up exhibiting is a consistent approach of building inconsistent experiences :(

In my experience of dealing with this in my current endeavour, there are 2 factors at play here.

The first problem is that design teams (including those behind large public design systems) treat the Design System more as a UI kit comprising component library and the building blocks of a design like components and styles. This leaves the feature/module designer and team to mesh these components to meet their specific interaction needs. And when different teams try to solve the same (or similar) problems in completely different ways, that results in an incoherent experience for the end user.

The second issue is that the Design System is often limited to design teams and other stakeholders like PMs, Engineers and QAs do not adopt it because of the upfront effort involved in it (when they are tactical, more urgent release matters to take care of). Remember, the CODE is the only single source of truth and unless there is a common ground between all these stakeholders, any effort by the design team alone with not be enough.

A true Design System has to go way, way beyond components to provide repeatable patterns for complex interactions, that have been coded to be reused across a large scale software system.

The interplay between designers and PMs and how their individual motivations come into play makes for some fun (sometimes frustrating) interactions at work :)

So, you've got designers going all out to create the slickest experiences possible. Meanwhile, PMs are hustling to get "stuff" out the door, aiming to score quick wins and hit those business goals. For them, a killer user experience is a means to an end, not the end game itself.

Contrastingly, designers hold an unwavering passion for this principle, even if our designs aren't pivotal to the company's core business (in contrast to say an Apple, Nike, or Dyson, for whom design is paramount).

Is there an ideal outcome? Yes, when designers stretch the boundaries, crafting solutions that challenge engineers beyond their comfort zone. Meanwhile, you've got PMs smack in the middle, juggling both sides and making some wise calls!!

But here's the hitch: while PMs may have the best context they don’t always make the best calls. And sadly, many designers are happy just doing their thing, not bothering to dig deep into understanding the context. And that means we never build credibility to make the crucial product decisions.

Take some time to watch and listen to Brian Chesky, the only designer-CEO in the list of Fortune-500 companies talk about the wide perspective on design that must go beyond the narrow and simple view of the design as a service to product.

Climbing the career ladder in design is often a roller-coster of a wild ride!

What I see commonly amongst peers is that the higher they go, the further they drift from the “craft” and actual hands-on work!

However magic happens by staying connected to the core skills and (end) users of the product, It's where the true impact brews—for your career, teams, and business. (Bonus insight: Leading with practical experience also helps foster credibility among peers!)

So by all means let's rise and continue to have an impact on broader organisational goals.

BUT never lose sight of where we began! The strategic vision and people management doesn’t have to come at the cost of technical expertise. I know it’s harder said than done but the best amongst us manage to combine these two perspectives beautifully well!

UX is often perceived as “being responsible” to implement plans laid out by PMs.

But apart from fulfilling this responsibility of crafting the experience and handover to engineers, we CAN choose to take on a broader role in the product.

How?

By helping them shape strategies and product roadmap.

The designers who are able to make this leap and win the trust of PMs often exhibit 3 key traits (amongst others):

1. Instead of simply accepting PM’s brief at its face value, they question all the assumptions baked into it and dig into data to frame their own narrative.

2. While standing true to their craft, they strive to communicate every design rationale in a language non-designers understand and appreciate.

3. Alongside exhibiting a level of empathy to understand the PMs objectives, they are not afraid to stand their ground if they believe the user needs are being significantly compromised over business goals.

Let’s throw our product partners a (healthy) challenge by showing we can provide even greater value than they realise :)

Two myths about “Culture” I have been debunking during my time leading design/product/growth teams.

1. It’s just a “goody nice-to-have thing”

2. Focus on “banging” out work and culture will take care of itself over time

NO & NO

Do not dismiss culture as a secondary matter to be dealt with once the “real” work is done! If you don’t nurture an environment where information flows transprarently, team trusts each other, folks feel safe sharing ideas and know their point of view will be heard and valued without any risks - you won’t stand a chance to elevate design practice in your organisation

Second, aligning to a set of shared values, briefs and rituals doesn’t just “happen”. It needs an active investment of time and energy with the leader requiring to “show up” and set the tone.

Don’t make light of this aspect as well as the effort it takes to create a positive impact in this space.

Being the quotes person I am, here’s one from an influential design leader himself :)

"What's your management style?"

This is a question all leaders and people managers have been asked multiple times in their lifetimes (including in formal interviews :))

The challenge is that management is a dynamic journey for all of us that constantly evolves with new experiences, so (for me at least) this proves to be difficult to encapsulate in a few fixed words!

Seeking clarity and introspection, I decided to challenge myself to create a listicle presenting the ten core principles that underpin my management beliefs :)

#1 I don't just talk the talk; I walk the walk, and I'm committed to demonstrating the behaviour I expect from others

#2 While IQ opens doors, emotional intelligence is what leads to genuine accomplishments

#3 I avoid the trap of appearing the all-knowing smartest bloke in the room, because I am not

#4 Far from crushing it, discipline moulds “creativity” into a force to be reckoned with

#5 I force myself to listen more than I speak — to needs, ideas, and feedback.

#6 Extreme ownership, including owning up to failures is non-negotiable

#7 I am conscious of resorting to 'I'll do it myself’ as sparingly as possible

#8 Being the most skilled member doesn't automatically qualify someone for management responsibilities

#9 While effort deserves applause, the ultimate focus is on the fruits of that labor—the results

#10 My job as a leader is not to build a family and keeping everyone happy at all cost - I’m here to build teams to win

@Oppenhiemer was captivating for various reasons, one of which was his depiction as a leader, rather than merely a solitary genius.

Here are three valuable lessons for managers and leaders that we can glean from the movie:

#1

“Why would I leave my family?” “I told you, you can bring your family”

Oppenheimer's incredible recruiting mission, where he made personalized pitches to recruit the top scientists was a masterclass in the art of recruitment and talent acquisition.

#2

"You're not a scientist anymore, you're a politician now.

Teller rants to Oppenheimer but it’s true that taking on a leadership role often comes with having to sacrifice your individual brilliance with networking, counselling and shielding the team from the politics surrounding it all.

#3

“I don’t want to see that son-of-a-b—- in this office ever again”

An infuriated Truman blasting off the “cry baby” Oppenheimer after the “blood on my hands” exchange between the two, shows no matter how “great” your achievements might have been, one can destroy their reputation and credibility in a heartbeat :(

As design leaders, we must be well-versed in 2 distinct vocabularies

BUT

We (typically) fail miserably in one.

The first is our passion for design: encompassing emotions, processes, user-centricity, and design thinking—the very essence of our craft. We speak this language fluently amongst our teams and fellow designers, forging a strong sense of camaraderie and shared purpose.

The other is talking to senior leadership who doesn’t care about design at all :) They have different metrics they are focused on and (many times) are unable to forge a direct connection between design and the bottom line!

This is where the much louder voice of Product Management has successfully overshadowed design in the last few years, despite us having a much longer and richer history as compared to their relatively newer discipline :(

While there are many factors at play, it starts from the timing of design leaderships within organizations, which is usually following the formation of Product and Engineering counterparts. This delayed integration denies us the chance to influence the product culture from the very beginning—a crucial stage where empathy and user-centricity can be instilled. This results in the accumulation of design and experience debt, slowing down progress, and making organisations susceptible to disruption from competitors down the line.

To me, this is also another sign that design doesn’t do a good job of explaining to business folks on how it can best be leveraged to make an impact. And it's our responsibility to bridge this communication gap with better storytelling and MORE ADVOCACY.

However, lets not turn ourselves into another numbers person and lose our identify or the unique focus we bring against the other MBAs in the room :)

A design manager’s playbook for navigating the good and bad management styles :)

(Good) Ensures equitable distribution of meaningful work that has impact across the entire team

Vs

(Bad) Restricts some individuals to grunt, tactical work ignoring their full potential

(Good) High-performing ICs who exemplify excellence, offer practical feedback, and on-goingly pitch in directly

Vs

(Bad) Lesser skilled ICs who primarily delegate and disappear leaving team directionless and overwhelmed

(Good) Create deliberate opportunities to shape a cohesive culture and shared beliefs

Vs

(Bad) Primarily focuses on tactical project updates during discussions

(Good) Supports a personalised growth path for each member and align those to work/business needs

Vs

(Bad) Demonstrates no interest in supporting the team's development

(Good) Enthusiastic champions of the team, generously sharing credit

Vs

(Bad) Insecure individuals who try to hog all the limelight selfishly

Much of the above behaviour stems from a lack of awareness, rather than intentional actions. Many individual contributors are pushed into management roles as the only career progression option available. Organisations often lack structured training programs to prepare new managers for their added responsibilities and provide ongoing feedback on their approach to work

After a long hiatus in hiring, we recently got back all excited to discover fresh talent!

Fueled by enthusiasm, we recognized the risk of making hasty decisions, so we took a team approach to elevate our hiring game :)

Here’s how we nailed it!

“The WHAT”: We aligned on crucial must-haves and nice-to-have skills for the perfect fit.

“The HOW”: We assessed candidates through portfolios reviews, design tasks, and behavioral interviews.

“The WHO”: We embraced shared ownership and assigned specific roles, ensuring inclusivity and reduced bias.

At the final stage, open discussions paved the way for aligned perspectives. Projecting a united front, we submitted consolidated feedback, ratings, and the final Hire/No-hire decisions.

With this approach, we intentionalized every crucial factor for decision-making, as every step counts. However, we balanced this intentionality with speed, allowing us to ensure excellence doesn’t come at the cost of efficiency!

As a design leader, my role is “fluid and shapeable”, constantly adapting to support the team to deliver exceptional experiences."

A ‘Project Manager’ keeping my team honest on timelines and using the power of deadline to keep them focused

A ‘Product Manager’ working cross-functionally to create the perfect balance between user-centricity and business goals

A ‘Design Head’ constantly raising the bar with highly-focussed design critiques and staying super close to the actual work

A ‘Culture Ambassador’ making sure we have the right environment and rituals to keep everyone happy, engaged and productive

A ‘Career Coach’ connecting individual passions and skills to business needs and help making their aspirations a reality

A ‘Trainer’ turning the conference room to a class room and learning new tools, products and services

Being a leader means giving credit where it's due, Your awesome team deserves recognition for their work, so happily dish it out folks!

But there's one key aspect I always keep in mind.

Relying solely on your work to speak for itself won't always cut it and you should never let anyone swipe the credit for your hard work

This is especially important for those who prefer to fly under the radar while the big talkers with more prominent client or executive-facing roles hog the spotlight.

And ladies, listen up, because this is especially important for you. In the Indian context, you're often told to be all "nice" and avoid rocking the boat.

Well, forget that noise! I've had the pleasure of working with some kick-ass women who own their ambitions without apologies.

And that’s the way it should be!

So, yeah, I'll keep spreading the credit, but I also want us to claim our very own spotlight and show the world what we're made of!.

The happy leader’s guide to embracing optimism!

Having partnered, led, or mentored countless designers from around the world, I can vouch that they can be one of the most "restless, unsatisfied" bunch in a product org—always seeking something more!

Now, there could be various reasons for their restlessness: lack of support from leadership, a culture heavily driven by engineering (or a non-design department), or even the design team's own maturity and capabilities (but hey, let's not dive into all that in this post). But the biggest gap I've noticed is between the aspirations of young designers, who see themselves as "world-saving disruptors," and what the organization actually needs from them—simply to "optimize a workflow."

How do I deal with this as a leader?

By (wholeheartedly) embracing a cheerful, starry-eyed optimism!

When my team looks up to me, I don't want to be a grumpy complainer, sulking about every little problem that comes our way. No way! Instead, I try to greet them each day with an infectious sense of hope, firmly believing that together we can figure this shit out! And before they know it, we’ll end up shipping a magical solution that will truly change our customers' lives for the better. Their dreams will become a reality, and our customers will thank us for it!

In today's age, it's often touted that building a personal “brand” is an essential trait for building a fantastic design career.

Wrong!

One’s true value as a designer lays not in their follower count, but in the quality of their work. (Especially) At the early stages of one’s career, it is important to channel one’s energy into honing skills and taking on challenging projects as hiring managers will seek folks out for their abilities and work, not merely an online persona!

Social media and networking remain a powerful tool but it should not define our worth as designers. Having been on both sides of the coin (dormant for most life and a lot more active of late), I can vouch that constantly curating content for social media can be time-consuming and may detract one from critical opportunities to expand knowledge base and skills. While it does bring some benefits, the focus on branding and virality at the start of one’s career comes with the risk of overshadowing the importance of skill development and creative exploration.

As they say in cricket “Let your bat do the talking”; likewise let your skills speak for themselves, with or without the “brand” :)

Because it is through the skills, passion, and dedication that you’ll create a lasting impact, not by striving to craft a viral post that gets 100 likes :)

P.S. I am not for a second downplaying the importance of articulating your ideas towards authentic self expression. I simply warn to use this as a means to project an image, seek external validation and “build a brand” :(

Lets talk about the cult of busyness and the illusion of productivity!

We often associate a busy team with a productive team. Managers and leaders including me, wear their team's 'busyness' like a badge of honour believing that a constantly buzzing team equates to efficiency.

Hold up! We need to shift the focus from busyness to productivity. 

As managers, we play a pivotal role in shaping the culture within our teams and create an environment that values continuous training, provides resources and rewards knowledge acquisition. And guess what? Done well that’ll boost your team engagement and engaged employees are like your superheroes—they’ll go the extra mile, come up with innovative ideas, and (hopefully) stick around for the long haul :)

Now, I get it—taking time away from the daily grind for training might seem counterproductive. But here’s a pro tip (that I’m about to tap into):- 

Instead of allocating a significant amount of time to train everyone on every topic, identify specific areas where your team needs improvement and designate a subject matter expert (SME) within the team. This person can then dedicate some time to dive deep into the topic, gather resources, and become the go-to person for that specific area sharing their expertise with the rest of the team.

So by embracing a more targeted way of team training, we can empower individuals to become knowledge ambassadors in specific areas, boosting productivity not just for themselves but for the entire team :)

I'm super confident that the 10% of the "productive" time spent on such targeted training will come back to boost productivity for the whole team, many times over :)

What’s your TEAM CULTURE? It's a query that has frequented the ears of leaders time and again, and it remains one of those intangible concepts that can be challenging to pin down in words!

As part of last week’s Figma’s user conference #config2023, Yuhki Yamashita (Head of Product at Figma) and Shishir Mehrotra (CEO, Coda) got onto the stage to help demystify this elusive, intangible, (for me) a“wisp of smoke” topic :)

Shishir (a prominent thought leader who has elaborated on this subject in various Podcast conversations and is currently in the midst of writing a book that delves deep into it) terms it as the 'Rituals of Teams' model. According to him the rituals, ingrained in a team’s day-to-day operations, set the tone for collaboration, communication, and shared purpose. In fact they are more than just a series of actions; they serve as a powerful binding force, creating a sense of shared purpose and identity. And by intentionally cultivating these rituals, he shows us how they can become the DNA of team culture.

I am truly inspired by this and actively discussing and tweaking our “rituals” with my colleagues. Take a moment to click through and watch the video below for yourself. Through a bunch of examples, it will give you a firsthand grasp of how rituals shape your team's identity and drive them to reach their absolute best.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=veG6_hcrShE

“It’s about the little, consistent things we do everyday that makes the difference!”

“It’s those little innocuous things that you do over and over and over and over that people will say I love my job but I like my job.”

Watch this terrific 5 min interview with #SimonSinek where he talks about being there no single event that makes people trust you, that makes people enjoy working with you, or even that makes people love you. He truly is a master at teaching both people and organisations how to be inspirational.

Drawing years spent in early-stage startups, I have developed a deep appreciation for cultivating a "hustle" mindset unlike many leaders I’ve come in contact with from larger organizations, whose approach is usually influenced by structures and processes.

By carrying forward this mentality into the new role in a much larger org, my objective was to inject the missing energy, a bias for action and penchant for outcomes. Today, this seems more relevant than ever with even large orgs asking their leaders to do a lot more with much less resources.

What I am seeing/hearing/reading about:

- Evaluative research (Prototype>Test>Iterate) —over-> generative research (Understand unmet needs)

- Product outcomes (Zero to One and beyond) —over-> structure and processes (Hierarchy & documentation)

- Being a player-coach (Active participant and direct contributor) —over-> a leader-manager (Coordinating and tracking progress)

Like it or not, we need to get on board with thus way of working!

In a future where GAI will rule and automation takes care of a lot “boring” stuff, product designers face a critical imperative to distinguish themselves through the power of human "taste" and their innate ability to extract good from the ordinary.

Nurturing this “taste” and having the conviction as well as perseverance to see it through amidst all the distractions from other stakeholders, will be the key to create enduring work .

Listen to this fascinating video clip below. On being pressed regarding what he is actually being paid for, the supremely successful music producer Rick Rubin replied: “The confidence that I have in my taste and my ability to express what I feel has proven helpful for artists.”

In todays times this is more relevant than ever, AND is likely to remain a distinctly human skill for the foreseeable future!

“Elevate your presentation skills, articulate your design rationale clearly and master the art of captivating storytelling”.

==

This sentiment is echoed by numerous design leaders, myself included, who consistently relay this message to our teams. While these skills are indeed valuable, however there is a dangerous tendency to overlook individuals who may not excel in "soft skills" such as communication, collaboration, and the ability to influence others.

I agree communication skills are crucial especially in senior roles BUT “strong communicators” are not the only designers capable of creating business value. Period!

I've had the pleasure of teaming up with many incredibly talented designers who are absolute wizards when it comes to visuals or problem-solving. However, let's just say that the art of charismatic persuasion isn't always their strongest suit. And hey, that's totally okay because they have plenty else to bring!

After all, when was the last time you heard an engineering manager exclaim to their team, "Oh, don't forget to dazzle us with your eloquent explanations of our engineering decisions” :)

There’s a lot of talk right now about how we should be incorporating AI into our respective disciplines, so I have been playing with chatGPT for a while now.

However instead of trying to generate a readymade design artefact like a “persona” unattached to our product context and real users, I was more intrigued to get help with a smaller, yet critical piece of work that takes me a lot of time to be decent at, as I am not a natural at it: UX writing.

(Using dummy copy is my biggest pet peeve in UI design, so it’s problem close to my heart!)

So here is my typical use case. I’m deep into the Interaction or visual design process and need a title and description to be placed in the UI before I can even evaluate if the design works. By this time I usually know exactly what we need to say, the length and tone in which that information should be conveyed. But I’m going through a writers block :(

So I fire up chatGPT but never limit myself to 1 or 2 examples that I could still manage to write myself. The real power is that it gets me a large number of strings to choose from, or even mix and match from different options to get the quality of output that I wouldn’t come up with even after spending multiple times the effort.

So this is a perfect ally and if I am intentional about the instructions, nuance and context I put into the prompt, the results are usually fantastic! 

The “Write” Stuff!

How a weekly ritual became my workforce fuel

I started with a simple goal of posting content 2x/week and turned it into one of my most rewarding practices, especially at a time when everyone is questioning the value of original writing amidst the chatGPT buzz.

Why do I write:

1. Writing Inspires me to expose myself to many more new ideas and build an idea library of sorts

2. Writing makes me more articulate as I constantly iterate on them before feeling confident to publish them

3. Writing helps me connect with amazing colleagues and people who resonate with them

If you’re still on the fence about writing, I've got a simple suggestion for you: just start! Without any fear of judgment or perfection because the true joy lies not in the final product but in the process :)

Designers are forever seeking the proverbial seat at the table - that magical place where all important product decisions are made!

Well, the struggle is real. While we believe that design is the game changer bringing the perfect blend of empathy, creativity and strategy to the table, some of the other stakeholders just don’t seem to get it and exhibit a tendency to treat it as purely aesthetic that can come at the later stages of a project.

For those who are trying to raise their voice and be heard, here’s my experience on…

What doesn’t work:

Presenting elaborate case studies on how design has created an impact in your past experiences or trying to advocate copying from the design-centric culture of other innovative companies like Apple.

What moves the needle:

1. Engage with few senior executives who “get” design, focus on what they are already convinced about and have them champion your work

2. Once you have a couple of wins under your belt, start bragging about them and boldly showcasing these projects in a way that creates an emotional impact with the rest of org

3. When you get a new project brief, go over and above the documented scope and showcase a bold, exciting vision that exposes the limitation of the current undertaking and captures everyone’s attention with what it truly could be

4. Finally, this one’s the toughest but worth striving for : using metrics and data to quantity the impact of design. Revenue boosts, customer love, cost savings - you name it!

Stop simply waiting to be offered a seat and start making some noise, having some fun, and showing the folks the power of design one project at a time!

I just completed a series of posts to summarise “A year of growth” sharing what I observed, learnt and accomplished one year into my role of leading design for an industry leading enterprise SaaS unicorn.

While I was concluding my recap, I happened to come across a similar post from a designer who’s just completed her first year at Apple, and (not surprisingly) it went viral attracting thousands of folks interested in getting a peek into Apple’s iconic design culture!

Below I share my key findings, where we embrace the same vibe, where we could dabble into new tricks and finally an idea that doesn’t jive well with my beliefs!!

#1 Copycats (in a good way)

1. Our job is to make our pixels shine brighter by captivating our audience with compelling tales and make communication the star of the show.

2. We run the risk of staying busy with tactical day-to-day work unless we are conscious of putting aside some bandwidth for innovative big wins, even if they are not part of “official” release roadmap.

3. Run focused design critiques with entire team where designers not only present work but also the intentionality behind it and being challenged on the minutest of details, yet in an ego-free environment where healthy debate is encouraged.

4. I love the concept of “One more thing” - going over and above the scope of the project and come up with an exciting bold vision that no one’s thinking about. This helped us earn a buy-in recently on one of the biggest revamps in the recent history of the company :)

#2 Fresh perspectives

1. Apple’s culture of excellence is no secret and this quote from a PM summaries this well “if we can’t launch the best experience across all our platforms now, we’re not launching it at all. If we need to wait another year to deliver the best experience for our customers, we’ll wait.” On the other hand what you see mostly is the MVP culture built around the principles of shipping fast to market and iterating on user feedback. However, it’s striking the right balance between the two that most orgs struggle with.

2. The power to say “no” and not suffering any FOMO jitters every time you spot an exciting project or meeting you want to be a part of, while you need to put your energy into activities that will give the most impact.

#3 Moral divergence :(

1. The culture of “allowing” designers to focus only on their craft and leaving the strategy thinking on product decisions to PMs was my biggest grouse. Not having a seat at the table to influence product strategy is a big miss for designers, not only at Apple but organisations all over the world.

Final part (5) of “A year of growth: Lessons learnt and insights gained from my first year in the new role”

===============================

While the bar on UX in enterprise software has traditionally been lower due to the high switching costs and the moats established by large incumbents, there is a growing need to change the status quo that’s driven by nimble competitors on one hand and frustrated employees seeing their productivity drop on the other.

===============================

Enterprises invest significant time, resources, and capital in implementing and customizing software to their unique needs, processes and workflows. The prospect of then migrating to a different solution entails labor-intensive processes of data migration, retraining employees, and potential disruptions to business operations, allowing platform vendors to build a strong competitive advantage. Also due to multiple stakeholders involved in the decision making, (many who do not even use the software), the emphasis tends to be on functionality, integration capabilities, and security. This sense of “protection” has proven to be a double-edged sword, as it has discouraged companies from prioritizing user experience with far-reaching consequences.

But a paradigm shift is starting to happen that’s primarily driven by end-users: employees who experience frustration, decreased productivity, and increased learning curves, all of which impact overall job satisfaction and efficiency. This is forcing more and more enterprises to demand better user experiences and increasingly factor them into their procurement decisions, challenging software vendors to bridge the gap between consumer and enterprise-grade applications.

We can break free from the shackles of lackluster enterprise apps and position UX as a competitive advantage attracting new customers, increasing user adoption, and ultimately fueling business growth. With a sense of empathy and a culture of cross-functional collaboration, designers, developers and product managers are working together to understand user pain points and create software that not only meets the functional requirements but also delights and empowers our users :)

Part 4 of “A year of growth: Lessons learnt and insights gained from my first year in the new role”

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Running a universal design practice for the entire product org means meetings can take over your life, killing your productivity and creativity - ONLY IF you let it happen

================================

In a hyper-growth environment where there are two dozen urgent projects happening at any given time, it is easy to fall into the FOMO trap, get sucked into the meeting hamster wheel and keep going in circles from one conference room to another!

After going through this a few times, I realised that it’s not important to show up to every meeting where I have been invited, especially if marked as ‘Optional’. Many times they can be attended by someone else in the team with as much effectiveness or be completely avoided in the first place. Meeting recording work like a charm and I’m looking forward to testing Teams AI-powered meeting notes soon :)

Anyway, this allows me to keep no more than 50% of my work hours on meetings for some combination of daily standups, 1-1s, Project reviews, spec reviews, and design ideations. I am very conscious about keeping the other half on some focused, immersive work that has high strategic or business importance.

Finally no urgent matters or meetings can come in the way of my 30-minute downtime when I simply enjoy a strong espresso to recharge and refocus for the 2nd half of the day!

A year of growth: Lessons learnt and insights gained from my first year in the new role

(Contd)

#3: Pushing a design culture into an engineering and product-led organisation is a long-term process that requires patience, persistence, and a focus on small wins.

One thing that was harder for me to grasp (My most recent experiences being of a founding member or key executive with a lot of weight!) yet I learned relatively quickly was that even attempting to make big changes all at once will be counterproductive to our team’s goals. When people have invested so much time and effort into building a product culture that has taken the company to great heights, they are bound to feel that too much change is disrespectful to what they have accomplished so far. Also, the small team that I inherited was used to working in a certain way and if I had pushed for a sudden change, it would surely have destroyed whatever was already working to some extent.

So it was clear that a more gradual and collaborative approach to change focused on making micro-improvements was the way to go. Again instead of expecting everyone to embrace this “new” way immediately, I identified specific initiatives and empowered specific colleagues to take ownership of the new culture so we can test and build a framework for the rest of the team. One of my favourite management books “Radical Candour” talks at length about identifying the “superstars” and “rockstars” in your team, how that balance is key to your success and how to play to each type’s strengths without forcing them to behave in a certain way.

One year in, while the engineering and product teams continue to hold more power, influence (and scale!) than design, we’ve successfully shown how design can add value through some fantastic work, compelling stories and tangible outcomes that has generated a lot of excitement and advocacy from key stakeholders, executives and clients. This has led us to be in the midst of some of the biggest launches or revamps ever taken in the history of the org.

While we might not end up building a design-led culture of Apple, AirBnb or Nike anytime soon, I am quite excited and hopeful we will be able to gradually shift to a more design centric approach, one big project and success at a time :)

A year of growth: Lessons learnt and insights gained from my first year in the new role

(Contd)

#2: Product and Design cant have a monogamous relationship (and that’s OK!)

While PM and UX are supposed to be closely intertwined, they have distinct goals that may not always align. For example, a product manager wants to prioritize shipping new features to satisfy a key client’s need or catch up with competition happily churning out clients, while a designer wants to prioritize experience and usability for existing users.

They also usually come from very different backgrounds and skill sets which can lead to conflicts when making product decisions. Some PMs have a tendency to see UX as a secondary concern to functionality and timelines, so they might see design changes as scope creep delaying the project. The designers on the other hand feel all nails on a chalkboard when a PM whips up some wireframes like a DIY project gone horribly wrong without consulting the experts! None of this is an exaggeration, BTW :)

In the end it boils down to building relationships and I have seen some work better than the others. The workable ones are built on mutual understanding of each others’ goals, communicating openly throughout the project and most importantly be willing to compromise to balance the needs of business and users.

Going out for chai breaks helps in this endeavour one cup at a time (or nothing better than beer post-work to get them high-fiving and hugging it out like a bunch of long-lost friends)!

A year of growth: Lessons learnt and insights gained from my first year in the new role

===

Part 1: The classic waterfall-style redesign project fails miserably (that is if they take off in the first place)

===

“The product needs to look a lot better, so let’s come with a new design system and flip the switch to the new experience when we are done!” Is what I was thinking one month into the role.

While this is a “dream” project for any design team to start afresh and work holistically with all the creative freedom, it is an absolute “nightmare” for PMs & Devs. The experience I was hoping to change had been built iteratively over a decade, so the scope was enormous with many dependencies and large amount of complexity, making the endeavour neither pragmatic nor feasible!

We also explored the possibility of applying specific replacements over time with the hope of morphing existing into something entirely new by swapping various components over time. This approach also proved futile, but for different reasons. We failed to find the balance with on one hand elements feeling completely out of place and on the other having to curb our ambition to limit within the bounds of the project. I can tell you neither felt satisfying in the end as we hardly saw any real progress.

So … after a few hits and misses, what eventually worked was for us to pick up a scoped-down, yet meaningfully representative section of the product as a pilot program that on one hand was limited in complexity and dependencies, but still big enough to represent the components and patterns that we wanted to test. This allowed us to build excitement around this endeavour without interfering with the rest of design and development workflows across the org.

To sum it up, It’s a bad idea to come and “blow up” a large software product all at once. Instead start with a well-scoped pilot project, stabilise your new components, build organisational support and then expand it over time to rest of platform.

A year of growth: Lessons learnt and insights gained from my first year in the new role

===

Part 1: The classic waterfall-style redesign project fails miserably (that is if they take off in the first place)

===

“The product needs to look a lot better, so let’s come with a new design system and flip the switch to the new experience when we are done!” Is what I was thinking one month into the role.

While this is a “dream” project for any design team to start afresh and work holistically with all the creative freedom, it is an absolute “nightmare” for PMs & Devs. The experience I was hoping to change had been built iteratively over a decade, so the scope was enormous with many dependencies and large amount of complexity, making the endeavour neither pragmatic nor feasible!

We also explored the possibility of applying specific replacements over time with the hope of morphing existing into something entirely new by swapping various components over time. This approach also proved futile, but for different reasons. We failed to find the balance with on one hand elements feeling completely out of place and on the other having to curb our ambition to limit within the bounds of the project. I can tell you neither felt satisfying in the end as we hardly saw any real progress.

So … after a few hits and misses, what eventually worked was for us to pick up a scoped-down, yet meaningfully representative section of the product as a pilot program that on one hand was limited in complexity and dependencies, but still big enough to represent the components and patterns that we wanted to test. This allowed us to build excitement around this endeavour without interfering with the rest of design and development workflows across the org.

To sum it up, It’s a bad idea to come and “blow up” a large software product all at once. Instead start with a well-scoped pilot project, stabilise your new components, build organisational support and then expand it over time to rest of platform.

Anyone interested in learning about UX Design today are spoilt for choice: They can dip their feet in the plethora of online courses and bootcamps on offer or get into an undergrad/grad program from institutions of all types, prestige and quality.

While that has helped democratise design to a large extent, what I don’t see enough of is the good old hustle that designers of my generation went through to hone our craft :)

How did we do it back then? (Wayyyyyy before UX was even a thing)

1. Devoured one book (and magazine) after another to master the design fundamentals: layouts, typography, spacing, colours, hierarchy, motion et all.

2. Spent hours every week on design award websites to immerse ourself in the work of world-class agencies, identify our design heroes and try replicating their approach in our work :)

3. Interned or freelanced with as many people/teams/orgs we admired (or could get into) and happily worked 80 hr weeks for a pittance

What would I change if I were to do this again? Not much except the pittance for the long weeks :)

Psst… Designers! Wake up and smell the ink!

LOL, let me explain what I mean 😎

The design concept you’ve recently sweated out on needs MORE than pretty pictures, crisp layouts or strong branding to sell and make an impact!

It needs a good story. A story that not only makes your work more relatable and accessible to a broader audience but also creates a compelling and memorable narrative that sets it apart. And (unlike what they say about batting in cricket) the work no matter how good it is, won’t do the talking :(

But many designers, both young and experienced suffer from imposter syndrome wondering whether their ideas are valid or not.

This is where writing helps. To clarify thoughts and ideas, identify gaps or inconsistencies in thinking and to structure the narrative in a clear and concise way, so you gain a better understanding of your own decisions and become more confident in your work when presenting to various stakeholders.

So stop drawing a blank, start reflecting on your work more effectively and make your storytelling game as strong as your coffee game 😊

Figma’s CPO recently talked about how design is changing and how design teams need to change with it. While a lot of his talk focusses on the constantly changing, collaborative nature of design (and quite obviously how Figma has built their tool around that reality), he also mentions how young designers are being “taught” design and how they are fascinated about the design “process” which was particularly relatable.

I am often (humorously) amazed to see young designers walk me through an elaborate process (double-diamond / 5-step UCD et all ) even on evaluation assignments where they only had a couple of days to work on!! While these processes do well to build a good foundation in design education, products are rarely (read never!) built in such a picture-perfect way.

While it is important to equip teams with a shared understanding of A PROCESS, it is for them to then short-circuit, add or remove steps as they work collaboratively to build, ship and optimise products AND that’s the process they should talk about in their case studies when interviewing :)

The only process that matters is the (often messy) one you took!

100-day report of my 2023 “resolutions” :)

Actually... this time around, I decided NOT to make any resolutions around accomplishing specific goals or outcomes. 

Instead, inspired by a book I read late last year, I simply committed myself to a disciplined process of nurturing a few good habits. What did I accomplish?

Habit #1: Work out for 4 days and walk 25km per week.

Outcome: Lighter by 2-inch & 4kg with much higher levels of energy:)

Habit#2: (Exclusively) Read Non-fiction best-sellers for 30m/day

Outcome: Already finished 10 inspiring books in 2023, more than I did in all of 2022

Habit #3: Publish my thoughts on design, leadership and management 2 times/week

Outcome: Increased my (humble) network by 40% and in the process connected with a number of brilliant colleagues that I wouldn’t otherwise get to share my thoughts and ideas with.

Habit #4: Invest in my training by spending 10% of working hours (post work) on exploring new, uncharted territories.

Outcome: Because as Henry Ford said, anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. So keep learning and stay young!

As I continue to build on this momentum for the rest of the year, here’s a quote to inspire you towards taking the first steps to build your own "#atomichabits " - one of the most transformational books I have ever read!

#resolutions2023

A recent study I came across referred to best ideas being “Gut Sandwiches”.

It states that the most revolutionary ideas often begin with just an intuition. When Steve Jobs came up with the idea of the iPod, he simply wanted to carry his U2 collection in his pocket, and believed millions others would want to carry their music in their pockets too. Not because the research indicated there was a huge market for it.

Citing a few other breakthroughs (Airbnb, Uber etc), what it implied was that opportunity arrives before the tipping point of evidence and for an idea to be really ground breaking, there might not be much data to support it. Else, there’d be hundreds others pursuing the same thing. So the bar for taking an action on an insight with courage and conviction must be lowered.

These ideas will be sandwiched with “some” data, whatever’s available to support whether there’ll be a product-market fit, and then it ends with intuition, too :)

This week at work was a reminder (if I ever needed one) of the power of compelling design to inspire your audience, and inspite of over 20 years in the business, this continues to keep the passion quotient as high as ever :)

So ... we presented an ambitious vision for the product to couple of our senior most executives, known for having on one hand the highest bar for depth of thinking and at the same time razor-focussed approach of iterative and fast shipping. So while we went in assuming we will be lucky to get a buy in for the most practical aspect of our proposal, what happened instead was incredible!

As we moved our presentation from the “pragmatic MVP” to the “idealistic MDP”, we noticed the instant glint in the eyes, smiles on the faces and excitement in the expression! What was scheduled to be a 1-hr discussion to dive deep, slide and dice our proposals, it was over and about in 20-minutes with everyone getting behind our vision with remarkable commitment and energy “to inspire then entire organization” (in their words, not mine :))

While deep research, endless hours of whiteboarding, multiple rounds of wireframing and all the aspects of a collaborative design process had to go into what we accomplished in the end ...

BUT...

A beautiful, carefully crafted, and pixel perfect UI design with animations and micro-interactions has the unmatched ability to make your work tangible and emotionally move people at a completely different level!

It is for days like this that I keep doing this :)

(One of) The perils of being a leader :(

Inspirational Manager:

“Our success will be defined by what we accomplish as a team, how we collaborate effectively to leverage each other’s strenghths and cover for our weakness so we shine as a team at the cost of creating individual stars…….”

Practical HR:

“That’s all well-n-good but based on the classic bell curve model, only 20% of your team can be ‘A’ players and the majority must belong to the hip-n-happening “mediocrity” club. :)”

Confuzzled Employee:

“Umm I thought I was doing well along with team … Anyway does my rating reflect that I have been coasting below par as an average mediocre … Oh are you indicating I am a high performing mediocre which is not such a bad thing??”

Humbled Manager:

“YES! And let’s work out a plan and track it through the year to nudge you into top 20% performers next year!”

(Wondering) But at who cost???

As the performance review cycle comes to end, managers will soon begin meeting their teams to convey how they “fared” in the year gone by and how it has impacted their ratings, increments and bonuses!!

This experience can get really awkward for both parties (including the most seasoned leaders) as the manager’s feedback often does not align with the generously exceptional reviews most of the team award themselves. :)

Anyway, how I usually try to approach this is by keeping things “simple”, starting with covering points we both align on (the good ones of course :)), and then bringing up areas where I (and other leaders who joined the calibration) believe there is scope for more work.

I also use this opportunity to emphasise (or acknowledge when the person exhibited) a few of the key values, attributes and “soft skills” that I hold dearly, at times even more than their core skills.

1. Being a team player is bigger than shining as an independent star

2. Being proactive in solving problems is more important than complaining passively

3. Being methodical in your process, updates and reviews trumps “just getting the job done”

4. Being a total owner and going deep in one thing is more valuable than scraping the surface of multiple

5. Being open about disagreements and speaking your mind is more important than being the perpetual “Yes” person

So yeah ... I feel good about this. Let’s bring it on :)

After being in founding/executive leadership positions in startups with an average strength of 100+ for the last decade, my transition to being a “middle manager” in a 1000-person strong unicorn completes an year this month.

While I am really appreciative of the relationship I have with my team, manager and other stakeholders in product group, there are unique challenges that I believe this group deals with as we try to balance the expectations from both above and below.

From the top, we can be expected to be a bit of a “catchall” who must be adept at transitioning seamlessly from management to non-managerial role depending on what the organisation places most value on at the time.

On the other side, we are the sounding board for team’s concerns regarding work, relationships, pressure, growth opportunities etc. and the conduit for keeping them engaged, creative and productive is us, not the CEO or HR.

Well, I’ve been privileged to have an empathetic manager, a trusting team and finally a culture which values in giving enough scaffolding to managers expected to deliver a lot more with much less resources in current times and more importantly evaluate leaders on how they lead. This has allowed me to focus on providing everyone in my team opportunities and experiences in line with their competency and passion so they can develop into top performers in respective areas and levels.

However, with many economies and industries in recession, the increased focus on employee+manager wellness which began during the pandemic is fast fading and being replaced with the “cut-throat hardcore” culture advocated by Musk, Mark and the ilk who have taken upon themselves to “flatten” their orgs!

Visual design demands a lot of rigour. You rarely get it right the first time or even the fifth, especially the key focal points or centrepieces that need more detail.

Many designers don’t have the patience to grind through this or even the “taste” that can take years of exposure, passion and practice to build. Or they might care more about other things (Like usability)

I think that’s perfectly OK. Different people in a team can play different roles and build trusting relationships so they are not (often) at odds with each other or take the project too far in either direction!

Visualise your design team as a Venn diagram with a lot of overlap, not an org tree with independent nodes.

“Design is not what it looks or feels like. Design is how it works.”

Arguably the most popular design quote ever, attributed to no less an authority than the great Steve Jobs himself.

And it paved the way for the growing importance of “UX” in digital product design with usability trumping every other objective and “form follows function” becoming the mantra for all teams. That is all good as most product teams today acknowledge that the outer veneer is worthless if the product is frustrating for the users to use and doesn’t serve their purpose.

BUT, I come across many UX designers who stop at usability and use it as an excuse for half-baked visual design. Since Steve jobs first used those words 20 years ago, we are far beyond the time when a product can be functional but executed with half-assed visuals that are not pleasing to the eye. Remember, people didnt turn into Apple fanboys because their products were simple to use but because Steve, Johny and the rest of Apple’s famed design team stood for a certain level of craft that made people fall in love with the brand!

So UXers while upholding the high standard for ease-of-use, should not forget to team up with their UI counterparts to delight their users with crisp design, interactions and messaging! A great UX, paired with amazing UI, stunning photography, beautiful illustrations and emotional content should be our true North Star :)

Micro-management is a dirty word in modern business …

Says who, because it has been a key tool in my arsenal !!!

Read the fine print below …

===

MBA schools and leadership books advocate leaders to delegate and then get out of the way. But many take it literally by “delegating and forgetting” about it!

I am deeply passionate about my work and believe it is my accountability to see the execution of the project vision and in the process if I step on someone’s toes, so be it**.

That doesn’t mean I analyse every pixel my team designs, rather I (aspire to) embrace...

MICROMANAGING THE PROCESS, NOT PEOPLE.

> By keeping myself deeply connected with work, I am able to challenge the right people with right assignments …

> By picking up some or the others assignment to work on personally, I push myself to keep my skills sharp (and keep the team honest :)) …

> By urging team to push further and showcase high level of attention to detail I unlock more, not less delegation …

Look Steve Jobs didn’t brief the Apple design team and walked away to handle business matters. He spent months with the iPhone design team to sweat the detail and show he really cares!

** How I get away with it by building a strong, trusting relationship I invest in so everyone in the team knows that I have their back.

The recent layoffs is a classic example of an important psychological phenomenon that product marketers and designers have successfully used to nudge their users towards taking the desired action and boost conversions:

SOCIAL PROOF.

Let me explain.

Amazon: 6%

Microsoft: 5%

Google: 6%

Amazon, Microsoft, Google and all the other big tech companies pride themselves on innovative out-of-the-box thinking but when it comes to hiring and firing, they pretty much follow the herd mentality, copying the action of their peers in an attempt to conform to the “correct” behaviour in the given situation.

One can see that despite these companies having completely unique business models, revenue, market cap and profitability, almost all of them added 20-50% more staff post covid and laid off 5-7% in the most robotic way ignoring any criteria for competency, performance, experience, loyalty and status.

So in addition to the pressure from the board and investors, the Social Proof nudged them to believe: “if everyone else is doing it, then it can’t be a dumb move and why should we be left behind!” :)

Self review: 2022

==

WHILE

I do not have a UX scorecard (yet) to claim a direct impact on business KPIs.

And

I am not close to the proverbial “seat-at-the-table”,

.

YET, I MADE AN IMPACT.

#1 Got a bunch of talented, yet somewhat directionless folks to come together as a cohesive unit, leveraging each others strengths and covering their blind spots to produce some kick-ass work that I am proud of!

#2 Encouraged the team to develop a voice: collaborate, pester or fight but stand their ground as equal contributors, (not mere sidekicks) to Product and Engineering,

#3 Built some solid relationships, aligned work with their interests giving it more meaning and finally offered hope that while 2022 was better, 2023 could be great!

Signing off hoping for a good rating :)

[ This review has been edited from the original version due to privacy issue, but it's no bluff ]

Good to Great: Why some designers make the leap … and some don’t :)

1. They demonstrate empathy and accountability to both shareholders and stakeholders by balancing their needs brilliantly

2. They believe in great execution over a great idea, iteration over perfection and people over product

3. They avoid “hero mentality”, act inclusively and leverage the unique strengths of peer designers, PMs and devs to frame & solve problems holistically

4. They invite feedback and act humbly with intent knowing when they’ve worked on something long enough, they cant see it objectively

5. Finally, they take accountability for failures of the initiatives they lead, learn from them and iterate

#goodtogreat #designers #reviewsmatter

Something fascinating happened in an obscure Ranji trophy cricket match yesterday that managers all over the cricketing world can use as a source of inspiration as they pen down end-of-year reviews for their team ( which I certainly did last night!).

Hanuma Vihari (unknown to most except die-hard Test Cricket fans) broke his arm during the match, came back to bat left handed (to prevent further injury) playing audacious single handed shots (got to see the video below!!), putting on a precious 26-run stand with last man standing, showcasing not only exemplary display of commitment but what leading from the front truly means (being the captain of the team). He did something similar a couple of years back, albeit in a much more important Sydney test match batting out the entire last session with a torn hamstring (which took him out of sport for 6 months) saving India the match (and eventually resulting in the most famous away series win ever for Team India!)

I don’t have insider info on how valued Hanuma is to the Indian team management, but I am a huge proponent of ATTITUDE TRUMPING APTITUDE, seeing in numerous instances over my management career, how when one has the former, they can set themselves up to build the latter. On the other hand, managers who avoid the difficult conversation with a disruptive colleague in the fear of losing their skill end up damaging the culture and spirit of the rest of the team.

So enjoy the never seen before one-handed reverse slap shot below and don’t forget to acknowledge the Hanuma Vihari of your own team in the current review cycle :)

The UX as a discipline has been proclaimed as ‘dying’ many times over my career :)

From as back as 2015 when ‘The Grid’ first appeared with a lot of fanfare claiming to build stunning website using AI, only to disappear few years later

To

Today when ChatGPT can write all our copy, DALE+E all visuals, and Squarespace/Wix/EditorX/zillion other no-code platforms can build websites in minutes! Even Elon Musk can run A/B tests for Twitter’s UI, supposedly “disrupting” the UX research industry in the process!

Well, while UX does face some threats from AI (who doesn’t), incompetent leadership diminishing its importance (F@#$ you Elon) and dubious bootcamps churning out hundreds of thousands of “graduates” (with the same drab portfolios), UX is far from being dead.

Rather the gifted ones who are strategic, well-informed and really passionate with decades of experience balancing the needs of both the customer and the business are truly valued and earning the seat at the proverbial table!

Here is one of my key learnings from leading design (at various stages) for multiple SaaS businesses

Success (as a pioneer in the initial days) boils down to a combination of having a good product-market fit at the right price and UX/Design is (often) not the key differentiating value proposition.

So as long as you are solving a big (enough) problem at a palatable price in an unchartered space without many incumbents, putting UX in the back burner (and cutting as many corners as possible!) does not prove to be detrimental.

BUT

As the product becomes successful, new competitors mushrooming up start seeing UX as an area they can attack by offering similar functions packaged into a simpler, more elegant experience. Once new prospects start opting to pay more for similar products, or existing customers switch to much less robust alternatives, UX gets flagged as a critical area to be addressed on a war footing!

Until this happens (and you are allocated the time, resources and seat at the table!), it’s best to focus your efforts into creating advocacy for design and ensuring no further debt accumulates in to a backlog of UX garbage!.

It's the performance review cycle time of year again :)

This time around, it is doubly stressful due to all the stress about layoffs, hiring freeze and overall negative sentiment, so here are 5 tips for young designers to keep their wits about them in case reviews aren’t as rosy as they wished for!

1. If you found yourself mostly being assigned a bunch of small tasks that felt meaningless, start to put everything you got into them! You never know which one can turn into a big opportunity.

2. If you found yourself waiting too often for feedback (or confused with conflicting POV) from various stakeholders, don’t just sit idle. Keep exploring options. Start testing designs with users. Or if nothing else, move on to the next task.

3. If you feel that PMs (usually) deprived you from the true joy of your work, become their friend and you’ll both be happier at your respective jobs!

4. If you saw yourself experiencing a bout of imposter syndrome every time you look at others’ accomplishments, spend less time browsing and more time building!

5. If you look back and don’t like anything you made or feel you could have done so much better, congrats! You’re on the right track!

Best of luck to you all!

Design challenges (a.k.a the dreaded assignments :)), the most common part of the recruitment process, can be daunting for most designers, especially those in the early stages of their careers.

In the eagerness to impress, I see many candidates trying to present their assignments packaged with the perfect “design process” that they picked up from one of the zillion bootcamps mushrooming these days.

Firstly, no hiring manager expects you to follow a comprehensive process on a solo assignment executed over 1-2 days!

ALSO, having a design process DOES NOT mean that you

- Always interview users

- Always create user personas

- Always create journey maps

- Always sketch

- Always do usability testing

Each project that you’ll work on will be different, so why should your process be the same?

Finally in the real world, research will prove to be complex (& expensive!) and timelines short, so every design choice cannot be validated before you can move forward. We want to see if you have a good understanding of how people interact with software and whether you can make sound interaction decisions.

Before your next submission, remind yourself the words of the great Albert Einstein!

Another year, another #resolutions time!

But after failing to stay consistent year after year and reading a ton of material about it, I am doing something different.

Focus on the process instead of the outcomes.

In place of “I want to lose 10 kg this year”

I will “Develop self-discipline by going to the gym 3 times a week and walk 10,000 steps 5 days a week”

In place of “I want to grow my followers by 5k”

I will “Develop a practice to post 3 times.a week on Linked In”

In place of “I want to grow my wealth by X%”

I will “Develop a consistent training plan for self growth and increase my SIP by 25%”

After going through this process for the first 2 weeks of the year, I am already celebrating mini rewards instead of waiting till the year end :)

What went behind the making of #naatunaatu

> The song's composer made almost 35 versions of the song.

> The song’s lyricist took 19 months to perfect the rap over many recording sessions

> The song’s performers killed each other for 65 nights on their synchronisation

Lesson learnt:

A great product takes time, focus and intention to “perfect”.

There is a strong yin-yang between PM and UX and many have tried to articulate the difference in their approach, role and accountability. But very few come close to the simplicity of the image below.

According to this blogger, “No” is the default option for most PMs as their focus is on prioritising what is really important. Designers, on the other hand, are constantly coming with new ideas and are the ”Yes” people!

The “Yes” and “No” make a perfect balance to make a product “usable”, “delightful” and commercially “successful” !

“Designs are late and the dev team is BLOCKED!”

This is a big pet peeve for design managers as this is usually NOT because their team is not working fast enough.

Rather…

- Release plans do not account for the fact that design is an iterative process and hard problems (often) do not have a simple straight route to salvation.

AND

- Engineers aren’t empowered to be part of initial discussions so they rarely get enough insight to begin the ground work before polished “approved” mockups land on their desks.

So unblock devs, not by complaining about designers’ productivity but by getting engineers to start early and embracing (bit of) rework as things change.

Oh that BTW, happens to be one of the founding principles of Agile philosophy that the release plans are supposed to be based on :)

“Design is not just what it looks like. Design is how it works.” +. “Form follows function.”

Arguably two of the most cited design quotes ever.

Ask any designer about what they imply and they’ll say something on the lines of ... Design is not about making things pretty but about solving a problem.

Now, no one can argue that that's a great outcome for design.

BUT ONLY UNTIL this starts to be used as a justification to go easy on designers who don’t sweat the details into making their products look and feel beautiful.

The first quote above is from Steve Jobs who was (in)famously obsessed about how Apple’s hardware looked on from the inside, because he (and great Johny Ive) believed that people will appreciate the amount of care and craft that has gone into making the product!

And the second (often not well understood) quote was later expanded upon by the original master's great mentee - "Form follows function - that has been misunderstood. Form and function should be one, joined in a spiritual union"

So design can be and should be much more than solving a problem.

So makes your 2023 goals about solving hard problems AND making people feel something in their hearts.

This is Elon's way of saying who needs UXRs to run a real quant survey when you could just go online and get millions of random, clueless people to vote which UI is “better” !!:(:(

As a saving grace, all you Musk fanboys can now at least stop touting him to be the next Steve Jobs :)

As we come to the end of 2022, I am reminiscing this Sunday morning on my times in one of the largest product orgs I have been associated with. While there’s much to celebrate about, here are my top 5 asks for a bigger and better 2023!

#1 Involve us from the start, present problems and collaborate with us to solve and test them until we can see the impact. Nothing less than that (even slick mockups) is meaningful for us.

#2 To solve big problems, we must iterate our way to a final solution. So allocate design timelines appropriately in your sprint plans and roadmap and not squeeze us into dev timelines.

#3 Empathising more with users than engineers is in our blood, so when we present a bold vision, try asking “How might we get there?” in place of “Isn’t this out of scope?”

#4 We work across charters and can possess a more holistic view of the product than module focused PMs. So lean on us for macro perspective!

#5 And finally, the tension between PMs and designers is natural where either side feels the other is stepping on their shoes. But your support amplifies our work and we really do value it :)

Looking forward to a great 2023!

Thank you #adamgrant for coming up with gems like these (and not yet another “fix yourself” message)

Personally, it took me a long time to accept that I am often misjudged due to my “quietness”.

BUT...

By forgoing casual chit-chats, group lunches or “team bondings” (that bonds precisely nobody!), I choose to focus on work AND my life outside work.

By forgoing the cliched traits of an outspoken executive, I choose to focus on action more than the hyperboles :)

By forgoing the desire to be the loudest voice in the room, I choose to create space for others to shine!

I am neither aloof nor anti-social, And I don’t need any “fixing” :)

While testing (and being truly blown by) the AI wonder machine that’s taken the world by storm, I decided to push my luck a little and order some fresh Linked In posts in the hope of posting more often with less effort! Here are the test results :)

My original post:

“Elon Musk. Transformative genius or (over)privileged nutcase? Whether it's downplaying a global health crisis, lying about his product capabilities, hyping up value of crypto to the Twitter fiasco this week, the latter seems more-n-more likely !:)”

ChatGPT’s output

“… He is known for his ambitious and innovative approach to business, and has often been called a visionary for his ideas about the future of technology and humanity.”

Verdict: While I’ll continue to be entertained with this tool, I am not delegating my Social Media to it anytime soon :(

PS Even this post is handcrafted on my MacBook Pro (and NOT written by ChatGPT)

“Well, I HATE POLITICS AND S@#$ AT IT!”

Say many design leaders, most of whom neither have MBAs nor a typical journey climbing the corporate ladder.

Recently I came across an interview with the Ex-VP Global of Design at Coca Cola where he shared how we need to stop talking about politics as this negative four-letter word. 50% of our job involves influencing diverse personalities to help you accomplish your goals while you help them achieve theirs. And unless you stop focussing only on producing stellar work and build this skill, you’ll never be successful at your role, or even have a shot at it in the first place!

So start being effective at the “politics of people” and influence people up, down and around the management chain. :)

If you're a designer (or someone who works with designers closely), unless you've been buried under a rock somewhere, you all must have seen designers across the globe going delirious about this update!

Figma's incredible success and total market domination against XD, Sketch and other tools is a testament to their commitment to constantly listen to their customers and find what they really want from the product!

Looking forward to inbuilt grammar check and font previews from the picker next :)

Reposting this tweet as a clarion call to every aspiring manager and every newly minted manager who (not so secretly) confess "I became a manager so I do not have do the 'dirty work'", I humbly quote the great Peter Drucker, "Strategy is a commodity, execution is an art." :)

And to every leader, I earnestly implore, let us invest in colleagues who are willing to get their hands dirty and execute. Each day. Every day. 💪ription goes here

These got me triggered during the week but heck its a Friday afternoon and life still feels like heaven!

“We need mockups asap as the developers are blocked (already!!)” 🙀

“We’ll get around to these (enhancements) in the next release” 😥

“Don’t review anything with the devs before checking with the PM” 😠

The World Cup is on and while I am not your typical soccer-obsessed fan, I do join my son from time to time to catch a few matches (and what a World Cup it's proving to be for the underdogs!).

Not surprisingly in current times, a report found its way into my Flipboard feed that talks about how football coaches can teach managers how to lead diverse teams using their experience of managing internationally diverse stars. According to the research, the more international exposure a football coach had, the better their teams performed across various leagues, which they’ve mapped (through multiple case studies) into showing how leaders with experience living/working in other countries were consistently rated higher by colleagues and direct reports. The key insight was that international exposure helps managers adapt to differences in cultures and work styles that arms them to get most of the talent available!

Having had the fortune to run teams across four continents, I can vouch for their authenticity (Trying to manage them all concurrently totally screws your work-life balance, is another matter altogether and making me really wary as I am about to wander into familiar territory again :( )

A few months back I set myself a personal goal of posting more regularly on Linked In (3+ times per week). While there were a lot of internal demons to conquer during this quest, what helped me the most was eliminating the mindset of trying to write the perfect post!!

Once I realised that posting frequently is of greater value (to me) than posting perfectly, I gave up on setting myself a very high bar of perfectionism, knowing well that it will hinder my ability to write more frequently. It also made me more accepting of imperfection and develop a “just ship it” mentality :)

Not every one will agree with this obviously and there’s a larger majority that believes you should post less frequently and focus on higher quality. But I really like the “non procrastinator” version of me :)

This captures (one of) my biggest pet peeves in design! The words that go with the visuals, explaining them, are as important as design architecture.

Good copy is an intrinsic part of good design. Period. So lads don't be lazy :)

PREACH THE NEED FOR CHANGE, BUT NEVER REFORM TOO MUCH AT ONCE

Everyone understands the need for change in the abstract, but on the day-to-day level people are creatures of habit. Too much innovation is traumatic, and will lead to revolt. If you are new to a position of power, or an outsider trying to build a power base, make a show of respecting the old way of doing things. If change is necessary, make it feel like a gentle improvement on the past.

Courtesy: Law 45 of 'The 48 Laws of Power'

“We don’t feel the need to test our application as

1. Testing with a few random users that we can’t control may not be useful.

2. Doing it more comprehensively will cost too much time and/or money”

No and No.\

Based on the research done by the usability guru Jakob Nielsen (and my own experience many times over), one does’t really need an army of people to test a new design and on the contrary the law of diminishing returns starts applying to usability testing where adding more n more people simply results in identifying already known problems than discovering new ones. For a majority of cases, this number has been proved to be as low as 5. Yes just 5!

So the best way to dispel these myths and cynicism is to bring in a few users matching your target audience, string together a bunch of small tests and observe them performing strategic tasks in front of your eyes :)

As I saw this post In my feed today, I can’t help but feel sad to see designers still struggling to prove value in their respective orgs. While design must be collaborative and designers must listen to feedback closely to spot great ideas amongst various perspectives being shared, there is a BIG difference between people giving constructive feedback and people who continuously push their opinion as if they know better.

All of us have seen colleagues who don’t have any background in design, pick up a design tool and show us how they prefer the design to be. Everyone and their cousin are free to believe they can design because they know how to move objects around in Figma. But as they say, you can give a person a hammer and a nail but it doesn’t mean they can build you a house :)

While it's for the leadership to ensure there is clear demarcation of roles and people respect those boundaries, the onus is also on designers themselves to really have the confidence to be able to turn a subjective discussion into a fact based on their experience, a strong sense of empathy and deep knowledge of right practices, process and tools. And your peers will start to respect that you have the expertise that sets you apart from those who only have opinions.