Ryan Rumsey: Designers need to understand the language of business
Apr 21, 2020
auto_awesome
Ryan Rumsey, a former designer at Apple and Nestlé, discusses the vital intersection of design and business. He emphasizes the need for designers to adopt an analytical approach to storytelling, enhancing negotiation skills after pitches. Rumsey introduces concepts like 'unconsulting' to empower teams and advocates for mid-career designers transitioning to leadership. He highlights the importance of understanding business metrics and offers insights from his new book, providing essential strategies for designers to effectively communicate and forge valuable partnerships.
Designers must cultivate business acumen alongside their creative skills to effectively communicate and align with organizational goals.
Analytical storytelling, which combines narrative techniques with data-driven insights, is essential for designers to influence decision-making processes.
Deep dives
Bridging Design and Business
The discussion emphasizes the necessity for designers to develop business acumen alongside their design skills. Ryan Rumsey, the author, introduces strategies for designers to better communicate with business partners, which involves learning the language of business. He highlights the importance of empathy, not just towards users but towards colleagues’ daily challenges and pressures, which fosters trust and collaboration. Rumsey illustrates this concept through real-world examples, demonstrating how designers can transition from craft-focused roles to influential positions where they contribute meaningfully to business strategies.
The Role of Analytical Storytelling
Analytical storytelling is presented as a critical skill for designers aiming to articulate their vision effectively and influence decision-making processes. This approach combines narrative techniques with data-driven insights to provide clear rationale behind design choices. Rumsey mentions that traditional storytelling may not suffice in high-stakes discussions; hence, analytical storytelling aids in presenting multiple scenarios and guiding businesses through complex decisions. This analytical lens equips designers to ensure that their recommendations consider diverse perspectives and potential outcomes, thereby increasing their impact on leadership strategies.
Preparing for Negotiation
Preparation is framed as a vital component in successful negotiations for designers seeking resources or support for their projects. Rumsey introduces tools, such as the negotiation canvas, to help designers outline their objectives and anticipate the needs of their partners before crucial discussions. This pre-emptive strategy not only aids designers in expressing their value but also cultivates better collaboration with stakeholders. By developing this level of readiness, designers can navigate negotiations with confidence, reducing stress and enhancing outcomes during high-pressure meetings.
Empowering Designers for Future Success
Rumsey's insights extend to individual contributors, stressing the importance of understanding business dynamics to enhance career prospects. He offers actionable steps for designers to visualize their business environment and anticipate the needs of their colleagues. The discussion highlights that knowledge of metrics such as OKRs and KPIs allows designers to align their objectives with broader business goals, reinforcing their value to the organization. Through proactivity and strategic thinking, designers can strengthen their roles, contributing to healthier workplace dynamics and positioning themselves for future opportunities.
Show notes: https://designbetterpodcast.com/p/business-thinking
We’ve just published a new book on DesignBetter.com called Business Thinking for Designers by Ryan Rumsey, formerly of Apple, USAA, EA, and Nestlé. It’s a challenging time out there, and we know many of you are facing uncertainty in your work, whether you’re in an industry that’s been heavily hit by the current crisis, or even if you’re lucky enough to be with a company that is navigating the current storm more or less intact. Now more than ever, designers need to be able to demonstrate an understanding of the business they work within, and show a return on investment for the work that they do.
This is why we’ve released this book now, and in this bonus episode with author Ryan Rumsey you’ll learn:
Why an analytical approach to storytelling is crucial to conveying your vision
How to prepare for negotiations after you pitch to stakeholders
Ways business thinking can help individual contributors in addition to managers
In the new book Business Thinking for Designers, you’ll get to know how to speak design in the language of business, learn essential strategies to effectively communicate with your business partners, and tools, tips, and frameworks that you can put right to work.