Operation is service design, a service design to solve problems for the people we support, a service design to solve problems for the business we serve. As a DesignOps leader, my job is to connect the dots between people, businesses, products, and technology. As a team leader, my job is to care personally, listen openly, challenge directly, and facilitate conversations. In practice: Highly opinionated, lightly held.
Welcome to my place, a place for me to capture some raw thoughts. ~z
Care personally, challenge directly.
[Scott, K. M. (2017). Radical candor: How to be a kickass boss without losing your humanity (First edition.). New York: St. Martin’s Press.]
Developing products excites my brain; developing people satisfies my soul. I partner with the design leaders on product and team strategy. My focus is on improving team efficiency by providing operational support for people, processes, and platforms.
Through empathy, nurture, and encouragement, I lead teams that celebrate the growth mindset. Each team member is unique, and each team member has his or her own focus on growing as a professional. I empower my team to focus on personal growth.
Through collaboration with business partners and cross-functional delivery partners, I advocate for the business value of design. In a balanced team, designers, product managers, and engineers all have an equal seat at the table, and when we work together, we deliver the strongest results.
In the ever-evolving world of design, the emergence of DesignOps has brought about significant improvements in team efficiency, collaboration, and overall design processes. However, scaling up a DesignOps team from a solitary practitioner to a fully functional unit can be a daunting journey for design leaders and DesignOps leaders. I want to explore the challenges that come with this endeavor … Read more
DesignOps Skills Transferable to Chief of Staff Role A possible career path for DesignOps practitioners who want to continue in the individual contributor path can be the Chief of Staff(CoS). And many DesignOps leads do consider themselves as the CoS for the design leader. Design Operations (DesignOps) is a discipline that focuses on managing the people, processes, and platforms/tools involved … Read more
Phtoto credit: @fallonmichaeltx Processes kill innovation and creativity. Processes break down silos, reduce duplicated work and increase productivity and efficiency. Both can be true. Why? If processes are rules, they limit you; however, if processes are guidance, they enable you. In the fast-paced world of business, processes can often be viewed with skepticism. The notion of being tied down by … Read more
With all the massive tech layoffs, I’ve been thinking about what ops people can help—short-term and long-term.
To people who are affected
To people who are on the job
To the business and teams, we support
Get ready to turn the corporations upside down — essential to surviving. Those corporations that embrace the corporate rebels will survive, and those who hold on to the old way of doing things won’t.