Design ROI

Great design is great business. But do all businesses really make the most of design?

Here is one strategy to maximise design ROI in large teams.

Prioritising deep work is an underrated strategy for organization efficiency and effectiveness.

Having the time and ability to focus on a cognitively demanding task without distraction is classified as deep work.

Design is a deep-thinking work. To create high-quality output, we need high quality thinking time. We need time to think, make mistakes, try different concepts, brew ideas, wallow and be focused. That is the only way designers can produce better work. If they have more deep work time, they get more done more in less time. This way designers feel complete/satisfied with their work. Feeling proud about good work is a rewarding experience and it goes a long way.

Deep work is hard. It is worsened by constant context switching between meetings and discussions throughout the day. Can I have a word with you? Quick call? Can we meet to discuss this? and more defocuses designers. Worse the lack of deep work shows in their production work.

Making time for deep work is a designers job. Clearing up the calendar for desighers to have deep work time is the design leadership’s job.

Deep work guarantees great design and great design guarantees great business because it focuses on the customers and their desirability.