Navigating A Design Team Through Change

Navigating your design team through a company change can be stressful and worrisome. It really puts your design leadership skills to the test. 

Here’s a framework for dealing with this. 

Connect The Story

Tell the history of your team / company and where your team fits in. It's important to understand they are not just there to push pixels. Rather, they are part of a larger story at play. 

You'll connect the next steps to this story. You'll illustrate how the team is helping shape the change and help them understand the role they will play in it. 

Layout The Facts

Perhaps the toughest part. Distill the change that’s happening, why it’s happening, and what you know is coming. Black and white. No fluff.

Some of this will be easy. Some will harder to navigate. But your team is looking to you for honesty and clarity.

Define Victory

What does it look like when we win? Make it clear. Define the new vision and mission your team is going to work towards. this is an opportunity for us to have a big impact and shape the narrative.

Define the Opportunity

This is really bringing the two points above together. Your team knows where they stand in the story, they know what victory looks like. Now, make it clear there’s an opportunity for them to shape the story.

For designers, this means you have an opportunity to impact the future.

Lead By Example

Have a bias towards action and work with your designers. This means rolling up your sleeves and jumping in on design sessions. Helping out with ideation sessions. Jumping in critiques and reviews.

It also means redefining any processes and ways of working to adapt to the change. Make sure your team is involved here and has a say on the new ways of working.