Can a designer enter the corporate world and still remain inspired and a source for innovation? Historically, IBM has been an engineer lead company. Four years ago, it made the decision to put design at the center of its core cloud strategy and hire over 1000 designers. I joined IBM during this cultural shift and learned to lead a team through the challenges and conflicts. My talk will outline how my team has adapted to best compliment our development and product management counterparts, make release deadlines, and preserve our creative souls.

1. September 16, 2017
Matt Eng
@engmatthew
Creative Soul Searching
Take This Job and Love It!
#bigd17

2. Take an Index Card and a Pen Draw Something

3. Intro

4. Hi @engmatthew
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5. IBM Design
@engmatthew @engmatthew
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6. IBM Design
@engmatthew @engmatthew
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7. UX/UI Designer
at Mozido
UI Designer
at Golfsmith
UX Designer at BestFit IxD and Research @ IDEAN
@engmatthew
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8. @engmatthew
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9. @engmatthew
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10. @engmatthew
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11. @engmatthew
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12. @engmatthew
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13. IBM is known for its technology
not for connecting with people
“ Roxy Huntington
Head of Design at TradeMe

16. @engmatthew
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17. Challenges

18. Challenges

19. Challenges
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20. Challenges
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21. Challenges
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22. A lot of talented designers freaked out and left
Problem

23. Foster a creative environment to increase engagement and reduce turnover
Hypothesis

24. Our Approach

25. Approach - Short Term
Control
Influence
Concern

26. Approach - Short Term
Control
Concern

27. Approach - Short Term
Control
THREATS

28. Approach - Short Term
FEAR
Concern

29. Approach - Short Term
Control
INFLUENCE
Concern

30. Approach - Short Term
Control
INFLUENCE
Concern

31. Good leaders make
their teams feel safe“ Simon Sinek
Leaders Eat Last

32. Approach - Short Term
Start with my
designers
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33. Approach - Short Term
design feedbackInternal Review
@engmatthew
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34. Approach - Short Term
Next, focus on how
designers…
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35. Approach - Short Term
Work with
developers
@engmatthew
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36. Approach - Short Term
Reviews with
the right
people

37. Approach - Short Term
Epics and
Stories
@engmatthew

38. Approach - Short Term
Folders, Files,
and Naming
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39. Approach - Long Term
OM workshopRoad Mapping
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40. EXPLORE AND GROW
Explore and Grow

41. Approach - Long Term
Schedule time
Designer lost in an art exhibit
Innovation
Time
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42. Approach - Long Term
“After a few Friday afternoons,
I learned to code prototypes”
John Challis
Visual Designer
@engmatthew

43. Approach - Long Term
“I thought it would be fun to teach
people about circuit breakers”
Logan McCaul
Front End Developer
@engmatthew
#bigd17

44. Approach - Long Term
“Create a poster that represents
the meaning of ‘home’”
Cameron Sandage
Visual Designer
@engmatthew
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45. Approach - Long Term
Skill building
and growth
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46. Approach - Long Term
After Hours Post Show
Cameron Sandage
Visual Designer
@engmatthew

47. Approach - Long Term
Discovering
the Team
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48. Approach - Long Term
Deeper Dives
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49. Approach - Long Term
DISC
DISC Index measures your preferred behavioral style and the Values
Index measures your motivational style and drivers. Together they will
help you understand HOW you prefer to get things done, and WHY
you’re motivated to do them.

50. Approach - Long Term
DISC

51. Approach - Long Term
DISC

52. Approach - Long Term
DISC

53. Approach - Long Term
Deeper Dives
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54. Approach - Long Term
Deeper Dives
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55. Takeaways

56. Invest time to build
an engaged team
Takeaways
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57. Start small
Takeaways
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58. Find your circle of
influence
TakeawaysTakeaways
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59. TakeawaysTakeaways
Tackle problems
together
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60. Remember This?

61. Tea Drawings
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62. Tea Drawings
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63. Tea Drawings
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64. Takeaways
Fight for creativity everyday
@engmatthew
#bigd17

65. September 16, 2017
Matt Eng
@engmatthew
Tea Drawings
Thank you