I. Welcome back & follow up
Good Morning and thank you again for inviting me into your inbox. Or if this is your first time, welcome all the same! I write about insights and provocations on the evolving nature of digital design. You can always subscribe here.
Follow up: I’m still getting comments on the content moderation topic from a few weeks ago asking “How do we need to handle it”. Next week I’ll make that the main topic, looking at it from a design perspective, in how we break down the problem and potential solutions.
From last weeks newsletter on exploring, I received comments asking “What did you hope to change that didn’t”. As mentioned, sometimes I simply like to ask questions without answers as a thought experiment. I didn’t have one thing in mind. It was more if we started to rethink our approach to various activities - work, shopping, social life - based on the current pandemic life situations, what would happen?
Ben Thompson at Stratechery also wrote a great article a few days ago (note: behind a paywall) on “New Defaults” looking at what we accomplished in the last year, and what happens when we change our approach to our default thinking. In the article he also discussed the speed at which a vaccine was produced, and what else could be accomplished with collective action. I enjoyed his framing:
And yet, that isn’t a reason to settle, or to not examine our defaults: why can’t we accomplish other big projects in a year? What else can we build with so much broad benefit so quickly? And critically, what can we change about our psychology and behavior to make that happen? New defaults are the best place to start.
Additional notes: This week I learned of sad news, as one of my friends and long term mentors, August de los Reyes died due to COVID-19 complications. Of all the years we spent talking about design together, one memory stands out. During an event we attended, I introduced August, who was many levels above me at the time, as my boss. After the person left August turned to me and said
“Never introduce me like that again, I’m your peer”.
15 years later that humbleness stuck with me, and shaped the way I try and think of my leadership style and approach.
Todays newsletter, which reviews a conversation I had with Dan Makoski, the Chief Design Office of Lloyds bank, and another friend of August’s, is dedicated to him.
II. Getting to the Executive Level
Everything here is a summary of our conversation based on my notes. Exact quotes are called out as such.
Joe: Tell me a little bit about the main differences in how I might think of design at a Director level versus Executive level
Dan: It’s really about the level of impact you have within a company, and bringing the culture and principles of design into a company.
“It was always interesting thinking about moving from features to products to teams to organisations. And then thinking, what would it be like to design Design within a culture and a company”
Joe: How did you manage to get hired into these roles?
Dan: Most of the time I would create them. A company would be hiring for a Director position and I’d have a conversation that if they were serious about Design, it should be on the same level with Technology or Product. I created my roles through conversations based off an initial starting point. Of course it doesn’t always work, but at this level you need to find the right role, not simply any role.
Then once you achieve the role
“Once you achieve it, be humble. Work with the people you have. Be with the team. Don't separate yourself. Make sure the team sees you as one of them. That you're also a designer.”
When I got hired at Lloyds I was on a floor with a corner office with the other executives and I was asking where the team was. Apparently they sat in another building. I said
"I'm going to sit where the floating contractor does"
And promptly moved so I could sit with the team.
Joe: Do you still work on products?
Dan: Right now I’m about 20% getting involved with products. Maybe a day a week working with the team. Looking forward I’d like to be 40% or more building products. You can’t escape the Executive part. 10 hours a week at in meetings - Leadership, Risk Committees, Design Leadership Team.
Joe: How do you see your job now as Chief Design Officer (CDO)?
Dan: It’s bringing the culture of design into the company and across the company.
“Often time my job is to keep the voice of the human and user empathy in conversations.”
Then it’s working with the organisation on how Design partners with Technology / Product or how we work as a team during COID-19. I look at how we are supporting our Design talent. How we are offering an environment they can grow within. Or how we might think of the values, purpose, and manifesto of the design team.
“What are 2 or 3 words or phrases that you would live or die by? Then how do we create values out of those and then articulate those into a purpose for everyone.”
Finally, for our users, it’s standard design work. It’s how are we presenting our products and services and how they connect to users.
Joe: Lastly, when you present at a higher level, are their differences?
Dan: I think storytelling is huge at all levels. For anyone who wants to progress in their career, it's critical for exec sign-off.
“Your design and work are only as good as you can persuade. You want to express to people if you don’t do this, how much opportunity is left on the table.”
I also try to express the pain users have and make this tangible. I try to express it in user value and business value. With the team. we try to tell emotionally persuasive stories. Even something as simple as short clips of user participant interviews with people struggling can help make users difficulties tangible and express what may be left on the table.
III. New Software tool of the week
No analysis or judgement, simply a new nice application for everyone to check out each week
I’ve been a huge fan of Snapchat and ephemeral messaging. The idea of a lasting digital presence after death isn’t always as appealing as it might sound, and I’ve discussed it on several episodes of my old podcast, Dark Side of Design.
Therefore this week, the new software is Honk. Actual real time and ephemeral messaging.
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