Design Tips: Guiding team praise

Design is a bit mysterious and magical for most people outside of our profession. Most folks recognize the impact of good design, although rarely do they appreciate the ingredients, skills, efforts, and individual roles involved in its delivery. Often, people will notice the visual aspects (aesthetics, motion, etc.) of a design deliverable. However, they will often overlook distinct contributions and roles (e.g., user research, content strategy, interaction design, testing, etc.). This limited awareness is to be expected and is perfectly fine; yet, as a leader in design, one can look at this gap as a missed opportunity to help build understanding.

Spotting opportunities

Let’s walk through a familiar scenario; imagine that your team just finished a vital project, and your team is being recognized in front of the broader team. A business leader declares, “The design team did an incredible job crafting a handsome design. It will make a substantial difference!” — A broad and safe team appreciation statement, and perfectly acceptable. As mentioned earlier, most folks only have a surface level understanding and are less confident in expressing specific credit. Naturally, we are all contributing as a team. However, let’s be honest, people do enjoy being acknowledged for their contributions; well-placed credit for a job well done just feels good and enriches individual morale. Hence, breaking out and acknowledging the individual contributions serves two purposes: educating others on the complexities and roles involved in design and boosting team morale.

Shepherding praise

As a design leader, when encountering this situation, use the opportunity to extend it further. Think of yourself as a shepherd, and thoughtfully guide credit to relevant team members. Referring to the earlier scenario, you may reply “Thank you for the compliment! We worked diligently on the project and are always excited to help. Additionally, I want to quickly highlight the contributions by Jackie, who conducted all of the insightful research, and Mike, who created a multitude of prototypes.”

Summary

As a design leader, your team and adjacent peers depend on you to advocate design nuances and distinct design roles. Therefore, be observant and watch for opportunities to acknowledge team members and articulate their contributions. By extending credit for a job well done, you will simultaneously elevate team morale, as well as enhance the general understanding of design process, complexities, and individual roles and contributions.

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