Business Thinking for Designers

Identify the intersections
Have you ever seen those crazy storm chasers who try to 
get as close to a tornado as possible? They speed around in 
vans and trucks with one eye on the clouds and another on 
the radar. Their goal is to know where the big cell is, which 
direction it’s heading, and when it’s expected to get there so 
they can find the right moment to meet it. The same is true for 
designers who want to get close to the action. 
Every project or product you work on will have a variety of 
elements that influence how well the project will go. Timelines, 
values, goals, personalities, etc. are all factors to consider in 
finding the right moments to converge with your colleagues.
To level-up your business impact, it’s critical to know where 
business partners are, where they’re headed, and the factors 
shaping their viewpoints. Throughout this book, I’ll teach 
you how to know where your business is and where it’s going 
so you can be at the right place at the right time. Some of 

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25 
Why you need to know business
the exercises will be introspective in nature and may be 
challenging. But they’re well worth the time. 
Figure 1-2: Identifying intersections to meet out business partners
Three steps to anticipate the intersection: