As a designer, we always feel that we lack value and are misunderstood when we work. Your boss asks you to make some project modifications before today’s proposal meeting to deal with the client, or the client will ask you to remove some design steps they think is unnecessary and get the final plan the fastest.
At this time, we always feel resentful and downcast, and blame Party A for ignoring our artistic works. but! Design is not art.
If you view design as art—or your party thinks so—you will miss the potential of design and its true value in business. Design is a critical ability to manipulate the business world, but it depends on whether you as a designer can let your party know this.
If you feel that your client, boss, or company does not care about design, ask yourself if you have given them a reason to care about design.
We always complain to each other that our work is misunderstood or regarded as worthless, but have we valued and understood the business demands of the project? If we don’t pay attention to Party A’s business goals, how can we expect Party A to pay attention to design?
What design is and what design is not
Design often lacks value because it is always misunderstood. Many people still think that design is about decoration, choosing a font, or “making it taller.” But a good designer knows that design can do more than just superficial skills. Design is to solve the problem. Design cares not only about how it looks, but also how it works and how it feels.
In other words, we not only design the appearance of the product, but also design the function of the product, the user experience that the product brings, and the intention of the product itself.
I hope you understand this, but this view of design may not be fully accepted by your boss or client. So, it still depends on whether you can show them your design thinking.
Participate in design and cooperate
The best way to introduce design thinking to Party A is to cooperate, which is also one of the best ways to build mutual trust between the two parties.
Show the design process to Party A and invite them to participate. The purpose is not to make your clients or bosses become professional designers, but to make them understand the value behind the design by giving them insight into the design process-they may also enjoy it! Another advantage is that their unique perspectives will also help the design team get more ideas that designers can’t easily think of.
We are all designers. In addition to showing your design process to Party A, find common ground by clarifying the way they design. You can design a value model, business blueprint, or an organizational reporting structure. Design can and should be part of the business plan. Tell Party A that they are also doing design, so that they will better understand the value of the designer.
When you involve Party A in the design process, you not only help them understand the value of design, but also build trust between both parties through collaboration. When they see the final result and realize that they are part of the process of reaching that result, this kind of “ownership” will help reduce the right and improve the progress of the project.
Establish a goal
Goal setting is not just another opportunity to cooperate and reach agreement with Party A, it is also a good way to build trust. More importantly, it establishes an objective goal in each process of the design. So when a design is presented, the question is not “Do we like adding a button to remind users to click at the top of the page”, but “Does adding a button to remind users to click at the top of the page increase user registration?”
Establishing an objective design goal, especially when the design goal is closely related to the customer’s business goals, will reduce a lot of trouble in the proposal-and at the same time establish trust with Party A. It shows your attention to Party A’s business demands, and it also clarifies that design is a tool to help them achieve their business goals.
For example, we have a SaaS (software based service) company partner in Studio Science. We often design new sections of their web pages. Because we spend a lot of time communicating with them and understanding their business intentions, we know that their requirements for web pages are to increase conversion rates and direct users to target pages (if you work for a SaaS company, you know this is common of).
We accomplish the goal through design, but at the same time this goal also limits our proposal. It is not “we think this orange part is very eye-catching”, it should be “we specially use orange in this part to attract users’ attention. Tourists can apply for a trial here.” By showing that we also care about the purpose they care about, it not only enhances the relationship with the customer, but also leads to a better design result.
Show results
Define the criteria for the success of the project, including quantifiable goals. In this case, when the project goes live, we review the project through real data. For example: “After the new login page went live, we saw a 30% increase in conversion rate”
Sometimes we need to work with the client to obtain the client’s judgment criteria, and this is also an opportunity to show the client how the design process is closely integrated with their business intentions.
In the previously mentioned example of SaaS customers, we were able to work with them and found that the conversion rate of newly launched pages has risen dramatically—from about 1.5% to 3%. The increase in traffic has helped our customers become heroes of their company. In addition, it also strengthened the cooperative relationship between us.
Think in their way
Think about you being confused and helpless by cumbersome and professional marketing jargon. You also know how the CMO feels when you start to talk about “this button with shadow fully complies with the aesthetic standards of material UI design.”
When you start a design proposal, don’t talk about how modern and clear it is. Talk more about how each interface element leads to the design goal. You and your Party A should collaborate and use this method together to evaluate the design. A good way is to tell a story about how users experience the design, and describe how each element of the design plan works so that users can reach their corresponding goals.
If you do not yet understand the business background of the project, you need to learn. Read more about the market background of the business project, its history and the entire industry information to understand the business vision of the project.
But perhaps the best way to understand the business background of the project is to directly ask Party A’s company about their business goals and their constructive opinions.
One of the important parts of consulting clients is to ask some industry terms that you cannot understand. If you don’t understand the related terms and abbreviations in this industry, just ask. This will not only make your understanding clearer, but also a good way of listening that can help you strengthen your understanding of their business intent.
Become a company that understands design
When you learn to understand Party A’s intentions, you will become a better designer. At the same time, you will promote a trusting relationship with your boss or Party A. By involving them in the design process to help you understand their ideas, it also allows them to realize how critical design is commercially successful.
A designer who has become an important part of the team will definitely produce excellent designs. At the same time, the company should also be aware of the importance of design to enhance the company’s commercial and industrial value.
