Designers as strategic therapists

Whenever we have a meeting with a client to go over the goals of their project I’m reminded how closely design is tied to organization structure and culture. You can tell pretty quickly how the client organization is run and how decisions are made just by how clients answer questions in this initial stage. Are they strategic in their decision-making, or are they political?  Are they clear in their direction, or do they waiver? As a designer, this is the most interesting part of the process as it allows me to take on the role of organizational therapist, helping to align the client organization through design.

By asking clients simple questions like; what is the goal of your organization, which customers will get you to that goal, and what unique and meaningful value do you offer them, designers can spark design conversations that transcend aesthetics and get them to deeper insights which can then be used to develop strategic design directions.

The more that designers focus on the upfront planning, strategy and research, the more they distinguish themselves from their peers (it’s getting crowded out their in Designland,  folks) and the more value they bring to their clients.