DesignOps
initiatives
examples and attributes for success
Peter Boersma - DesignOps Consultant - @pboersma UX Camp Europe 2024
This is a Discussion
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DesignOps
initiatives
examples and attributes for success
Peter Boersma - DesignOps Consultant - @pboersma
Design Operations (DesignOps)
according to “DesignOps 101” by the Nielsen/Norman Group
“DesignOps refers to the
orchestration and optimization
of people, processes, and craft
in order to amplify design’s
value and impact at scale.”
Design Operations (DesignOps)
according to Peter Boersma
“We continuously & structurally
improve the circumstances
for designers and the design org,
to increase the chances
of good design happening.”
DesignOps
initiatives
examples and attributes for success
Peter Boersma - DesignOps Consultant - @pboersma
DesignOps Initiatives
Any Projects / Program / Ritual
that improves the circumstances
for designers or the design org.
Peter’s examples of DesignOps Initiatives
• Design process documentation
• Desing project tracking
• Design review guidelines
• Design bug bot
• Design presentation by experts
DesignOps initiative - Miro’s design process
PRODUCT ORG
DesignOps initiative - Miro’s design process
DesignOps initiative - design project tracker
DesignOps initiative - design review guidelines
DesignOps initiative - design bug bot
DesignOps initiative - design bug bot
DesignOps initiative - invited presentations
Some more examples of DesignOps Initiatives (1/2)
• Career ladder maintenance
• Onboarding new product team members
• Maintain calendar of interesting conferences, workshops,
books, etc.
• Moderating all-hands & leadership meetings
• Support performance reviews
• Regular designer happiness surveys
Some more examples of DesignOps Initiatives (2/2)
• Integrate design work in JIRA
• Accessibility training
• Align with localisation, brand, and marketing teams
• Set up and maintain product design dashboards with
data & analytics team
• Design System contribution management
• Tool research and license management
Your examples of
DesignOps initiatives
Sidebar: Management of DesignOps Initiatives
What DesignOps Managers do with DesignOps initiatives:
1. Inventory <— continuously, and from internal and external sources
2. Prioritise <— with stakeholders and Ops peers
3. Distribute <— de ne scope and teams
4. Coordinate <— ensure progress, report, and adjust scope
5. Measure <— prove the impact of DesignOps and Design
…and when there is time left: Execute.
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5. Measuring of initiatives - exercise
Sidebar: DesignOps Initiative Management with a Roadmap
DesignOps
initiatives
examples and attributes for success
Peter Boersma - DesignOps Consultant - @pboersma UX Camp Europe 2024
Attributes of DesignOps Initiatives
Attribute Values Attribute Values
People / Process / Craft /
Size Small / Medium / Large Pillar
Tooling / Procurement / etc.
No DO / just DO / DO +
Designers / Managers /
Audience Team designers / DO + managers
Others
/ DO + other Ops
Via OKRs / via KPIs / via
Horizontal (for everyone) / Link to
Orientation Metrics / via Gol ng
Vertical (for a few teams) Business
Sessions With The CEO
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Your Attributes of DesignOps Initiatives
Attribute Values Attribute Values
Time to Impact Short / Middle / Long
Cheap / Average /
Costs
Expensive
Maturity
(of the Low / Medium / High
audience)
DesignOps
initiatives
examples and attributes for success
Peter Boersma - DesignOps Consultant - @pboersma UX Camp Europe 2024
Success of DesignOps Initiatives
Any Projects / Program / Ritual
that improves the circumstances
for designers or the design org.
Success = change in one or more metrics
Design Org metrics DesignOps metrics
• design quality • designer happiness
• design speed • completeness of
• design org budget process documentation
• number of designers • % of projects that
follow the process
• involvement in planning
• design system
• completeness of project coverage & contribution
status tracking
• time to rst review
• alignment to products
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Thank you!
DesignOps
initiatives
examples and attributes for success
Peter Boersma - DesignOps Consultant - @pboersma UX Camp Europe 2024
