Business Thinking for Designers

Pro tip
Ask your product managers how they’re calculating ROI. To 
break the ice, you can show them an example formula.
Conclusion
Making minor pivots in how you discuss design work is how 
you’ll prepare your organization for increased maturity. If 
your partners ask why you’re not doing what Amazon is 
doing, tell them you’re not designing for Amazon’s values or 
customers. But remember, what your business partners really 
want is viability for the company. So be prepared to take the 
conversation a step further by showing how the desirability 
you create connects to viability. Connecting those outcomes 
isn’t easy, but it must be done. 
Also, know that companies support non-traditional factors 
like accessibility or openess when designers can show that 
these factors create competitive advantages. This pivot, from 
describing “what design is” to talking about the “competitive 
advantages design work provides” benefits both your 
organization and your customers. And it builds trust.

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107 
Create conditions for design maturity
Further reading
Designing with Data by Elizabeth F. Churchill, Rochelle King, 
and Caitlin Tan
A Strategy Maps 101 video by strategy and performance 
management specialist Phil Jones
The New Design Frontier report from InVision

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108 
Communicate the options