How does a designer fit into an organization as a leader alongside their client service, project management, and financial management peers? Or, as happens in many cases, how does a solo designer, studio owner, or in-house group determines that fine balance between the health of the studio from an operational perspective and nurturing a strong creative vision that guides both the client work and the studio culture?

1. Photo 470780785 by ewen and donabel remix cc license flickr.com
Becoming a Design Leader
DAVID SHERWIN | HOW DESIGN CONFERENCE | SATURDAY, JUNE 23, 2012
T: @CHANGEORDER / B: CHANGEORDERBLOG.COM

2. 1. What does it mean to be a design leader?
2. What traits does a design leader need to succeed?
3. Ok, how can I become a design leader?
4. Now I’m a design leader, what should I watch out for?
Becoming a Design Leader 06/23/12 2

3. Design leaders make
awesome s*@% happen.
Becoming a Design Leader 06/23/12 3

4. A cultural focus on making awesome happen, since 1969.
Becoming a Design Leader 06/23/12 4

5. Apple
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6. Apple
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7. Medingo
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8. Intel
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9. Girl Effect
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10. “When we have a ‘concept’ and
people smile, we take the next step.
When there are questions,
we go back and try harder.”
—Hartmut Esslinger, founder, frog
Becoming a Design Leader 06/23/12 10

11. design leadership
design creative
mgmt vision
Becoming a Design Leader 06/23/12 11

12. design leadership
design creative
mgmt vision
Becoming a Design Leader 06/23/12 12

13. Just managing
de
mgsign designers may not be
mt
design leadership.
cr vis
ea i o n
tiv
e
Becoming a Design Leader 06/23/12 13

14. the
“future”
client
creative
vision
Being a creative
visionary doesn’t always
equal design leadership.
(But it helps.)
Becoming a Design Leader 06/23/12 14

15. 1. What does it mean to be a design leader?
2. What traits does a design leader need to succeed?
3. Ok, how can I become a design leader?
4. Now I’m a design leader, what should I watch out for?
Becoming a Design Leader 06/23/12 15

16. Great design leaders have an
unquantifiable creative “secret sauce.”
Photo 373877988 by Fensterbme CC remix / flickr.com
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17. intuition perspective vision
character ambition
education skills
creative
impulse talents hobbies
Photo 373877988 by Fensterbme CC remix / flickr.com
Becoming a Design Leader 06/23/12 17

18. articulate
brave
craft-focused
creative
It takes more than connected
“secret sauce” to make curious
engaged
awesome happen… directed
Here are some traits insightful
you’ll need. motivated
oversight
passionate
productive
professional
strategic
visionary
Becoming a Design Leader 06/23/12 18 witty

19. Enjoy working with designers
and clients—as people.
Photo 373877988 by Fensterbme CC remix / flickr.com
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20. Function daily as a
behavioral psychologist.
NO TOUCHING!
Photo 373877988 by Fensterbme CC remix / flickr.com
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21. Understand
people’s creative
dispositions—
as well as
your own.
Photo 144448750 by David M* CC remix / flickr.com
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22. Answer the question “Why?”
Source: Ocular Trauma, Wade Clark ©2005
Becoming a Design Leader 06/23/12 22

23. See from miles to microns.
Charles and Ray Eames: “Powers of Ten”
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24. Communicate
up, down, and
sideways.
Photo 2775415074 by shadowstorm CC share & remix / flickr.com
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25. Collaborate around
shared interests.
Photo 37085152 by CarbonNYC CC share & remix / flickr.com
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26. Apply steady,
constant pressure.
Photo 3309219331 by Paolo Camera CC share & remix / flickr.com
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27. Keep your perspective when taking risks.
(Even in the fog of war.)
Photo 94326793 by ambrown CC remix / flickr.com
Becoming a Design Leader 06/23/12 27

28. 1. What does it mean to be a design leader?
2. What traits does a design leader need to succeed?
3. Ok, how can I become a design leader?
4. Now I’m a design leader, what should I watch out for?
Becoming a Design Leader 06/23/12 28

29. Project leadership
• Planning, methodology and approach/direction setting
• Ideation & innovation, measured in the quality of ideas and designs
• Creative/art direction
• Hands-on design, when necessary
• Storytelling and presentation/communication—to client and internally within your organization
• Ability to articulate complex solutions clearly
• An understanding of delivery technologies
• Strategic perspective applied to the work
• Project management, planning, ownership and delegation
• Oversight and reviews of direct reports
• Project resource management
• Confident client communication
• Quality of end results leading to client happiness
If you want to work at a place like frog…
Client service skills
• New business generation: talking to leads on a daily basis
• Proposal and approach definition; process, resource allocation, and budget assessment
• Leadership in pitching and client-facing presentations
• Vision, strategy and opportunity articulation
• Design advocacy
People management, organizational planning, and studio management
• One-on-ones, career development, goals, reviews, feedback articulation, motivation
• Stability, trust, and professional confidence as experienced by the org
• Visible and mature leadership, recognized by reports and teams
• Coordination, communication and collaboration
• Organization design, org planning, recruiting, interviewing and hiring
• Design and development process (understanding, communication, optimization)
• Managing and communicating up (incl. escalation, presentations, reviews, transparency, proactive communication, etc.)
• Humor, character, inspirational strength, special sauce, emotional connection to creative organization
Becoming a Design Leader 06/23/12 29

30. Section title text
It’s not just about learning all this.
It’s about the journey
you want to take as a leader.
Becoming a Design Leader 06/23/12 30

31. Becoming a Design Leader 06/23/12 31

32. Becoming a Design Leader 06/23/12 32

33. Questions to ask yourself:
• What “hard skills” do I still need to learn?
• What domains of design do I want to
add to my portfolio?
• What “soft skills” do I need to acquire
to progress towards a leadership role?
• What ingrained behaviors might
stand in my way?
Becoming a Design Leader 06/23/12 33

34. What my career
path looked like.
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35. Ok, that’s nice.
What do I really need to learn to
become a design leader?
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36. Here are the first 3 steps you
should take on your journey:
• How to direct a team of creatives
• How to frame big, gnarly problems
• How to present effectively
Becoming a Design Leader 06/23/12 36

37. Work with your team
to form a braid.
These are NOT drawn-out meetings
or critique sessions. Think 2–3 minutes.
Quickly share work in progress across
all disciplines, then get back to it.
Becoming a Design Leader 06/23/12 37

38. This can help manage
“swoop and poop.”
That is only a symptom of a key leader
being out of the loop. Critique should
be scheduled or requested as part
of your project schedule.
Becoming a Design Leader 06/23/12 38

39. Publicly post work
in progress.
If it’s in the computer, it’s invisible.
If your workspace doesn’t allow it,
hack the space with moveable boards.
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40. Know how to critique.
Consider using the “egg system.”
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41. (P.S. Shut up and listen. Then count to ten before offering an opinion.)
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42. Be deliberate in how you structure teams.
Shepherd leadership from within your team as much as possible.
If you do this, you’ll need to invest your time in mentorship
more than minute-by-minute team management.
Becoming a Design Leader 06/23/12 42

43. Draw insight from everything.
Immerse yourself. Take a holistic view outside the client’s space.
customers competitors complementers sales & retail
organizational
trends technology comparatives toolbox
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44. Learn to see like
Business
strategy
a strategist.
Product &
service
strategy
Marketing
strategy
Tactics
Competitors
in your problem
space
Becoming a Design Leader 06/23/12 44

45. Use the right tools
Proposal
to get to tactics.
Research &
Experience
Brief
Creative
Brief
Deliverables
Brief
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46. ? ! !
research experience creative deliverables
brief brief brief brief
State business Reframe business State the agreed- State the agreed-
problem as it is problem with upon strategy upon strategy
understood new data & insight
Focus on the “parti” Restate the “parti”
Create objectives Create a “parti”
Set boundaries Describe relationship
for your research
Describe on brand voice between previous
List the inputs story arcs and visual project and
expression new work
Qualify the Convey story
audience concepts and Articulate Provide in-depth
themes emotional impact specification
Describe activities Provide high-level
& emotions specification
to evoke
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47. A brief should be… brief.
Killer creative thinking comes from focus.
You need a bull’s eye to aim at, not a dartboard.
Becoming a Design Leader 06/23/12 47

48. 1. What does it mean to be a design leader?
2. What traits does a design leader need to succeed?
3. Ok, how can I become a design leader?
4 Now I’m a design leader, what should I watch out for?
Becoming a Design Leader 06/23/12 48

49. Addiction to being in control.
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50. Being a flow junkie.
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51. Drowning in ambiguity.
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52. Focusing the spotlight
on your team.
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53. Hiring people that think
just like you.
OWNERSHIP
TITLE FORTUNE
EGO
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54. Envisioning the growth
of your organization over time.
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55. TUESDAY
8
Making the time 9
to be available, 10
11
to mentor, and
12
to teach. 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
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56. 1. What does it mean to be a design leader?
2. What traits does a design leader need to succeed?
3. Ok, how can I become a design leader?
4 Now I’m a design leader, what should I watch out for?
Becoming a Design Leader 06/23/12 56

57. The 6 C’s of design leadership:
Communicate actively, with both IQ and EQ
Coax stellar work from your team
Compel the team towards a shared vision
Cajole by asking open-ended questions
Cheer your team on with gusto
Conjure great work out of yourself, too!
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58. You can make
awesome s*@% happen…
and have a big impact
on the world.
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59. You can make
awesome s*@% happen…
without undue suffering
and sacrifice.
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60. You can make
awesome s*@% happen…
while having a lot of fun
along the way.
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61. Frog Section Title: Statement Layout
THE FIRST STEP:
DESIGNING THE JOURNEY.
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62. Reach outside of your
organization for growth.
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63. If you’re seeking mentorship:
Stand up so we can see you.
If you want to be a mentor:
Strike up a conversation
with one of those people.
Becoming a Design Leader 06/23/12 63

64. Email: david.sherwin@frogdesign.com
Twitter: @changeorder
Blog: changeorderblog.com
Book signing at 12:30 today
at HOW Design Live
Available December 2012
from HOW Books:
amzn.to/successbydesign
© 2012 frog. All rights reserved.