This Is A Prototype

This Is A Prototype: S1•E8 Tom Scott

Nov 7, 2023

Guest Tom Scott, founder of Verified and host of Verified Insider, discusses challenges faced by design leaders, navigating the path to chief designer, access to budgets and tools, challenges of inflated titles, and measuring the success of design leaders.

35:14

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Episode guests

Tom Scott

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Episode notes

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Quick takeaways

Design leaders often face challenges such as inadequate funding, lack of clarity, and reporting to individuals with little understanding of design.

Design leaders should possess both design acumen and business acumen, prioritize finding the right talent, and focus on wider impact beyond immediate products or services.

Deep dives

Challenges Faced by Design Leaders

The podcast episode highlights the challenges faced by design leaders in organizations. These challenges include not being placed in the right part of the organization, not having a broad enough remit, and not receiving the necessary budgets and resources to build effective design teams. Additionally, design leaders often report to individuals who have little understanding of what they do, further hindering their ability to drive results. The lack of understanding of design's value and the need for proper reporting lines are also identified as key issues.

Introduction

2min

Challenges Faced by Design Leaders

16min

Navigating the Path to Chief Designer

6min

Access to Budgets and Tools in Hiring

5min

Challenges of Inflated Titles and Lack of Leadership Experience

2min

Measuring the Success of Design Leaders

4min

Executive design recruiter Tom Scott is the founder of Verified, the publisher of the weekly newsletter Verified Insights, and the host of the new podcast, Verified Insider. Tom recently interviewed me for a future episode of Verified Insider, and in this episode I combine my interview of Tom for my podcast, with a preview of his interview of me for his podcast.

Tom and I discuss the reasons design leadership roles are often not set up for success—from inadequate funding and resources, to scoping of the mission, to lack of clarity around what value design can actually bring. Tom explores the critical role recruiters can play in helping companies shape their vision for design leadership.

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