The final step is by far the hardest. How to gain such (seemingly) far-reaching trust and credit, to be the bringer of discomfort to an important meeting with a pointed question?
That’s where the design ops comes in – a tool set that is the best booster of a designer’s status.
From my observations in software development companies, we often put the cart before the horse, resorting to top-down evangelization. Designers educate developers on heuristics and dictate their operations, emphasizing particular system displays or advocating for simplicity and accessibility.
But in my experience, this method falls flat. Eventually, it leads to disregarding UX values, with everyone marching to their own beat.
To successfully embed UX, you, dear designer, must start with yourself. Show, don’t tell. Treat every task, even the smallest, with the kind of meticulousness that good developers are known for:
- Provide detailed handoff instructions – an orderly set of links, designs, and descriptions. Be proactive in perfecting requirements.
- Use clear language to avoid back-and-forth questions. Sit down to explain the design and product logic to developers.
- Keep your files and folders orderly and logical. Never mix work in progress with accepted designs. Make it easy to connect a mock-up to a user story without asking.
In essence, practice design ops; an approach emphasizing the processes, practices, and tools required for efficient, effective design work. Work in such a manner that if you're out sick, a replacement designer wouldn't have to spend half the day deciphering the page structure on Figma. Your work-in-progress should be as organized as Jira or Conflux.
When developers see you taking your work seriously, they'll start to respect your UX. The ball is entirely in the designer's court, so rather than displaying Dieter Rams quotes on the wall, demonstrate the value of design through your daily grind.
And it's truly worth it. After all, uncovering the business essence of products is a rewarding mission that elevates the designer's role beyond mere graphic design.
Good luck.
