Naming is hard, but have you tried working with people? with Guy Segal — #15
Apr 28, 2025
01:05:32
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Quick takeaways
Effective communication and genuine listening are crucial for fostering collaboration and alleviating team friction amidst differing priorities.
Conducting pre-mortem exercises empowers teams to address fears and concerns proactively, enhancing transparency and alignment around projects.
Gaining momentum for design system adoption relies heavily on storytelling and showcasing success stories to build trust and engagement across teams.
Deep dives
The Importance of Listening
Humans have a fundamental desire to be heard, and this plays a critical role in collaboration. When there is friction in a team, it often stems from the belief that others do not care about their issues or challenges. Engaging team members directly by asking how to support them can foster understanding and alleviate concerns. Acknowledging that individual priorities may differ from team priorities is essential for building trust and effective communication.
Reinventing Design Systems
The need for a major transformation in design systems is highlighted as organizations move toward unified design efforts. A key element of this transformation is establishing a culture where communication takes precedence, as effective collaboration involves understanding the psychology of team dynamics. By addressing the messier aspects of working with others rather than solely focusing on creating components, teams can better navigate the complexities of design systems. Building trust is integral, and this begins with creating open channels for dialogue and understanding.
The Power of Pre-Mortem Exercises
Conducting pre-mortem exercises can be a therapeutic way for teams to voice their fears and concerns about a new initiative. By brainstorming potential reasons for a project's failure, teams can address apprehensions and develop strategies to mitigate them. This proactive approach encourages transparency and opens up discussions around communication and collaboration. Identifying these fears early on allows teams to plan ahead and maintain alignment with organizational goals.
Building Trust Through Visibility
Gaining momentum in design system adoption often hinges on the visibility and engagement of its use by various teams. As other teams begin to successfully use the design system, trust and interest increase significantly. Regular check-ins, storytelling, and showcasing success stories are vital tools in reinforcing the design system's value. By leveraging these narratives, leadership and team members alike can better understand the design system's impact and the positive outcomes it can deliver.
Effective Communication Skills
Developing strong communication skills is critical for design system practitioners to foster collaboration and partnership within their teams. Mastering listening, feedback, and the art of critique can enhance team dynamics and reduce friction. Practicing transparency and seeking input from all team members creates a more inclusive environment and ensures that everyone's voice is valued. As team members begin to understand how to engage with one another effectively, the entire organization benefits from improved collaboration and innovation.
Guy Segal joins Elyse to unpack the messy, complicated world of… people. Guy shares practical strategies from his experience at Thomson Reuters, including the powerful "pre-mortem" exercise he used to rebuild trust and alignment for the design system. They get vulnerable and unpack why (as cliche as it sounds!) genuine listening, storytelling, learning to give and receive feedback, and actively engaging with product teams, is so much more impactful than relying solely on processes or artifacts. Plus, Guy shares why he hated it at first when product teams started using the name of the design system.
Into Design Systems is back with their annual virtual conference, May 28-30, 2025. Get your ticket now for three days of practical, hands on sessions showing the what, why, and how of design systems. This year, the conference is focused on developer handoff, accessibility, multi brand theming, and governance. You'll get hands on knowledge you can put to use at work immediately, files and resources to take away, and hear from very well known industry speakers.
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