Business Strategy Will Impact You One Way or Another

Designers don’t need MBAs. But they do need to understand the game they’re playing. It’s not enough to just push for design best practices. You have to ask: do those practices actually support the business model we’re working within?

I once spent years advocating for a multi-product redesign at a company I worked at to create a cohesive, suite-like experience. I believed that this would have a very positive impact on our users. What I didn't realize or appreciate at the time was just how expensive of an undertaking it would have been. I also didn't realize that the owners were looking to either IPO or sell the business within the next couple of years. I was suggesting a long-term play with little immediate ROI when they were playing a much shorter game.

If you want a seat at the table, you can’t just talk about pixels and patterns. You have to speak in terms of business outcomes, incentives, and trade-offs. You’ll be amazed at how quickly your influence grows.