Optimizing Design Processes (DesignOps)

Definición Rápida

Optimizing design processes (often part of the DesignOps discipline) is the work of analyzing, standardizing, and improving the design team’s workflows to increase efficiency, quality, and impact. It is about designing how you design.

What Is Process Optimization (DesignOps)?

Imagine a team of elite chefs. In addition to the chefs who cook (the designers), there is a key figure: the “Head Chef” or “Sous Chef.” This person does not cook the main dishes; instead, they make sure the kitchen runs like clockwork: the knives are sharp (tools), the recipes are standardized ([[Design System]]), communication between the cooks is smooth (rituals), and the ingredients arrive on time (processes).

DesignOps is that “Head Chef” role for a design team. It is the discipline that focuses on the processes and tools to amplify the team’s effectiveness.

Why Is It Important?

As a design team grows, new challenges appear:

• Inefficiency: Designers spend more time searching for files or in meetings than actually designing.
• Inconsistency: Different designers solve the same problem in different ways.
• Isolation: Designers work in silos and do not communicate effectively.
• Difficulty measuring impact: It is hard to demonstrate the value of design to the business.

DesignOps addresses these problems so designers can focus on what they do best: designing.

Key Areas of DesignOps

DesignOps focuses on three main pillars:

1. How We Work Together (People and Collaboration):

   • Roles and Responsibilities: Clearly defining what is expected of each role on the team.
   • Rituals and Ceremonies: Establishing and improving [[Design Critiques|design critiques]], team meetings, and other ceremonies.
   • Onboarding: Creating a structured process for new designers to integrate quickly.

2. How We Do the Work (Processes and Tools):

   • Design Workflow: Standardizing the phases of a design project, from research to handoff.
   • Tool Management: Choosing, maintaining, and managing the licenses for the software the team uses (Figma, Miro, etc.).
   • Design System: Leading the creation and maintenance of the [[Design System]] as the “single source of truth.”

3. How Our Work Creates Impact (Results and Measurement):

   • Impact Measurement: Defining and tracking [[UX KPIs]] to demonstrate the value of design.
   • Knowledge Management: Creating a centralized research repository ([[Dovetail]], [[Condens]]) so insights are accessible.
   • Communication and Evangelization: Establishing channels to communicate the team’s work to the rest of the organization.

Mentor Tips

• You do not need a “DesignOps Team” to get started: Any senior designer or lead can (and should) start thinking about how to optimize their team’s processes. Start with the most painful problem.
• Solve a real problem: Do not implement a new process or tool just for the sake of it. Talk to your team. What slows them down the most? Where are the biggest frustrations? Start there.
• Measure the before and after: If you are going to introduce a change to improve efficiency, measure what the process was like before and what it is like after. Data will help you demonstrate the value of your initiative.
• DesignOps is an internal product: Your “users” are the members of your team. Research their needs, co-design solutions with them, and ask for their feedback constantly.

Resources and Guides

• Books:
  • DesignOps Handbook: The reference guide from InVision. It is free and very comprehensive.
  • Org Design for Design Orgs: Although broader, it covers many core DesignOps topics.
• Communities and Conferences:
  • DesignOps Summit: The main event on the discipline.
  • Friends of Figma: Many of the talks at their local events cover design processes and operations.