Understanding Shadow Design and its Impact on Organizations

Shadow design refers to design work that occurs outside of the designated design team in an organization. It involves non-designers creating the final stages of design, such as workflows or screens meant for production. Shadow design is often driven by factors like a lack of access to design resources or under-resourced design teams. To combat shadow design, organizations can consider increasing the design team's headcount or budget, bringing individuals who enjoy doing design into the design team, or providing basic design and research training to non-designers. By addressing shadow design, organizations can improve the quality and efficiency of their design work.