WORKSHOP SERIES

Designing Businesses

Create business value through design

As creatives, we believe in the value of design. But to amplify its visibility and impact, we need to integrate our creative practices with the objectives of the business.

This design leadership training helps creatives at all levels develop basic business acumen and perspectives that apply directly to their day-to-day responsibilities. It’s an extremely accessible workshop that helps participants understand common business terms and acronyms and make the connection between business and design.

An understanding of business basics can accelerate a design career from day one and is an essential requirement for operating at the executive level.

“An excellent understanding of business basics with frameworks and approaches on how to utilize them in your career as a designer.
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— Maxine Wicks, Director Product Design UX at Target

“The missing business on-ramp to amplifying design’s visibility and impact at any size organization.”

— Lauren Hanford, Head of Design at Tidelift

“I was worried that a business class was going to be boring, and while there was a lot of business lingo, I was completely surprised. Everything was so relevant to my role and the challenges I face as a director at a growing startup.
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— Design Director, startup

“It was full of insights, very practical, and highly recommended.”

— Shu Jiang, Senior UX Designer at Google

Session details

Business basics

Design creates experiences for people — that’s one of the reasons we love it. But we can create those experiences only when we (and our design work) are part of a sustainable business. This session helps creatives contextualize the value of design within a business by providing an easy-to-understand overview of common business models and financial tools.

Business Strategy

It’s difficult to illustrate the value of design if there’s no alignment with business strategy. This session explores different business strategies, clarifies organizational strengths and risks, and connects the day-to-day work of creatives to business strategy.

Product Dynamics

Business priorities shift based on the stage and maturity of a product. However, the mindsets and goals driving those shifts aren’t always clear to creative teams. This session explores trade-offs and opportunities through the product maturity cycle and gives an overview of how to create impact at any stage.

Crafting Debates

Key interactions with executives and leadership teams can often feel like debates. This session builds on concepts from the previous sessions to help creatives craft and facilitate logic-driven and business-centric narratives that foster trust and understanding among peers and leaders.

What you’ll learn

Why do designers need to understand the business?
What’s a P&L (and why should I care)?
How does a business leader think about creating value?
What’s the difference between strategy and tactics?
How do I align with my organization’s business strategy?
How do I convince the business to focus on user needs?
How do I communicate the impact of design quality?
How can I use design to create impact in the business?
Why should I care about business metrics?
How do I influence leaders?

Who it’s for

Any creative leader or manager looking to shape their team or organization's culture. This includes brand design, product design, research, and content strategy. All industries and backgrounds welcome.