Building Effective Design Teams

What makes an effective design team?

Building effective design teams is essential to creating successful and innovative products, services, and solutions. To achieve this, it is important to have a team that has the right combination of people who possess a diverse set of skills, varied experiences, and the ability to collaborate.

When we talk about diversity in a design team, we are not just referring to cultural or ethnic diversity. While cultural diversity is important, it is only one aspect of a much broader concept of diversity. A design team with diverse skills and perspectives is better equipped to solve complex problems and create innovative solutions. A team with different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives brings unique insights and approaches to the design process.

Here are some types of diversity that can be present in a design team:

Cultural diversity: This refers to differences in race, ethnicity, and nationality. A team with members from different cultural backgrounds can bring diverse perspectives, ideas, and approaches to design challenges.

Gender diversity: Having a mix of male and female team members can bring different viewpoints and experiences to the table. It can also help ensure that a product or solution is designed to meet the needs of both genders.

Generational diversity: Teams that have members from different age groups can bring varied experiences and perspectives to the design process. This can lead to a product that is designed to meet the needs of different age groups and appeal to a wider audience.

Language diversity: A team with members who speak different languages can help ensure that a product or solution is designed to be culturally sensitive and accessible to a broader audience.
Neurodiversity: This refers to differences in cognitive functioning and can include conditions such as autism and dyslexia. Having team members with different cognitive styles can bring new and unique approaches to problem-solving.

Photo: Interwoven Design

Why Diversity Works

Diversity in a design team leads to a wider range of ideas and approaches to design challenges, which can result in more innovative and creative solutions. When team members with different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives collaborate, they bring fresh and unique ideas to the table. This leads to a more well-rounded and comprehensive design process that can better address the needs of a diverse audience.

Moreover, a diverse team can also help avoid the pitfalls of groupthink, where individuals in a homogeneous group tend to think alike and fail to consider alternative viewpoints. This can lead to a lack of creativity and innovation in the design process.

In conclusion, a highly effective design team requires a diverse set of skills, varied experiences, and the ability to collaborate. The benefits of having a diverse team are clear: it leads to a wider range of ideas and approaches, helps ensure that a product or solution meets the needs of a diverse audience, and can prevent groupthink. Embracing diversity is key to creating successful and innovative products, services, and solutions.

How to create a supportive work environment?

Creating a supportive work environment is essential to the success of any team. A work environment that fosters collaboration, communication, and continuous learning can lead to greater creativity, innovation, and job satisfaction. Here are some key factors that can help create a supportive work environment:

Clear Goals and Roles: To be successful, team members need to have a clear understanding of their goals and individual roles. The overall goal needs to be clearly defined so that everyone is working together to achieve the same outcome. Each person’s role needs to be understood by everyone on the team. A clear definition of responsibilities keeps the team running smoothly.

Collaboration and Teamwork: Design is rarely a solo endeavor, and effective design teams work together to create solutions that meet the needs of their users. Collaboration and teamwork are essential, with team members working together to brainstorm ideas, solve problems, and create solutions. Teams are greater than the sum of their individual parts.

Communication: Communication is essential for any team to function well, and design teams are no exception. Effective design teams communicate regularly and openly. Sharing ideas and feedback ensures that everyone is aligned and moving in the same direction. This is demonstrated from the top down.

Continuously Learning Mindset: Design is constantly evolving, and the best design teams are always learning and improving. Encourage the team to stay up to date with the latest trends, technologies, and techniques. Promote curiosity by encouraging people to experiment and try new things. It is also important not to limit learning – any new tasks, skills, or interests should be encouraged and nurtured.

Inclusivity in the Workplace: Inclusivity is a core value that needs to be in every part of a business. This includes promoting a safe space for employees to have and share their voice. Making them feel like they belong to the company environment also heightens their connection to the workplace. When an employee feels that their voice and unique self are appreciated, there’s a greater sense of value and satisfaction.

Creating a supportive work environment is essential to the success of any team. Clear goals and roles, collaboration and teamwork, communication, a continuous learning mindset, and inclusivity in the workplace are all key factors that can help create a supportive work environment. When teams work together in a supportive and inclusive environment, they can achieve great things and create innovative solutions that meet the needs of their users.

Photo: Interwoven Design & Even Adaptive

How to build an A-team?

Attracting and retaining top talent is critical for the success of any business, and the design industry is no exception. But in order to attract and retain the best talent, companies need to be proactive in their approach. Here are some ways to attract talented individuals to your team:

Identifying where diverse candidates can be found – Diverse candidates can be found in a variety of places. Identify those places and actively seek out those candidates. Attend job fairs, post on niche job boards, and engage with professional organizations that focus on diversity.

Creating job descriptions that use inclusive language that highlight the importance of diversity. The language used in job descriptions can have a significant impact on who applies for the role. Use inclusive language that highlights the importance of diversity in the workplace. This can help to attract candidates who are looking for an inclusive work environment.

Building relationships with diverse communities and organizations to expand your network of potential candidates. Attend events and engage with local organizations that focus on diversity in the workplace. This can help to build relationships with potential candidates and create a pipeline of diverse talent.

Creating a work environment that is supportive and inclusive is critical for attracting and retaining diverse talent. Foster an inclusive culture that values diversity and provides opportunities for growth and development.

Unconscious Bias – It’s important to consider potential biases in the hiring process and implement strategies to minimize their impact. Use blind resume reviews to remove identifying information and create diverse interview panels. Be conscious of your own biases and work to overcome them.

In addition to the above strategies, there are other ways to build a strong and diverse team. Continuously grow your team and network by bringing in people with new and different skills. Solve problems together by asking questions and requesting input on workflows. Get involved in your local design community and volunteer to review portfolios or be a guest critic at a local school.

Attracting and retaining top talent is critical for the success of any business, and creating a diverse and inclusive workplace is essential to achieving that goal. By identifying where diverse candidates can be found, creating job descriptions that use inclusive language, building relationships with diverse communities, minimizing unconscious bias, and continuously building your team and network, you can attract and retain the best talent and create a successful and diverse design team.

A highly effective design team requires a diverse set of skills, varied experiences, and the ability to collaborate. Diversity in a design team leads to a wider range of ideas and approaches to design challenges, which can result in more innovative and creative solutions. To create a supportive work environment, companies should promote clear goals and roles, collaboration and teamwork, communication, a continuous learning mindset, and inclusivity in the workplace. Finally, to attract and retain the best talent, companies should identify where diverse candidates can be found, create job descriptions that use inclusive language, offer flexibility, provide opportunities for growth, and foster a positive company culture. By embracing these practices, companies can build an A-team and create successful and innovative products, services, and solutions.

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Why Work with a Design Consultancy?

We keep describing ourselves at Interwoven Design as a design consultancy that specializes in soft goods and wearable technology, but what is a design consultancy, and why would you work with one in the first place? In this article we explain the many benefits of working with a design consultancy, and under what circumstances it might be the right choice for you.

What are the benefits of working with a design consultancy?

Let’s say you have an idea, and you’re interested in developing it. Regardless of how vague or refined the concept might be at the start, research and development is not a straight line. It’s a convoluted, long-term process that can take months or years to complete successfully. It takes a special combination of knowledge and skills to do efficiently and effectively, and these are completely different skills from those needed to manufacture, promote, and sell existing products. While some companies have the resources to do this on their own, it is far more likely that the development is outsourced to another kind of company, one that specializes in bringing ideas to life. This is the design consultancy. 

The development of a new product ideally involves a team with customized skills for that specific industry and product category.

While any given company is an expert on their slice of the market to some degree, it is less likely that they are also experts in trends, marketing, a new area of the market for their brand, ergonomics, behavioral psychology, research, testing, prototyping, and all manner of skills needed to create innovative products that can succeed. Diverse teams are more creative, and these teams need diversity not only in gender and background but in skills, experience, and knowledge, both professional and personal. Design consultancies come in a wide variety of flavors, which means that a company can identify the specific array of skills that are needed for their particular project and have access to those skills in a convenient package.

When is the right time to work with a design consultancy?

a designer references a sketch of a buckle while prototyping
Many companies choose to work with a design consultancy to develop a new brand or product line, expand an existing product line, or enter a new space in the market.

Giant corporations (think Estée Lauder or Proctor & Gamble), who need to constantly diversify and expand their own innumerable product lines—as well as those of their child corporations— are likely to have a dedicated R&D department, or even multiple R&D departments. They are generating so many products for existing and reliable distribution channels that it is logical and economical to develop projects internally. Many companies don’t need R&D at all times, they need it at specific times to accomplish specific goals for their growth and development.

Big companies known for their dedication to innovation (think Nike or Patagonia) are another kind of company that is likely to have in-house R&D. After decades of demonstrating this dedication, they have amassed a faithful audience for cutting-edge products. It is part of their branding strategy to push the envelope in their industries, and while it is of course valuable to sell the products, it is enormously valuable to be pioneers in new spaces in the market, and to develop newsworthy projects. While many companies would appreciate the branding and market benefits of innovation, they don’t have the time or the expertise to generate it.

Most companies don’t have the time, the funds, or the bandwidth to execute research and development in-house.

A typical business isn’t likely to have the luxury of in-house R&D. They often don’t have the time, flexibility, funds, or bandwidth to do their own in-house development. All of their employees have tasks to complete, and those tasks cannot be suspended for a year or more to transition them to research and exploration. That said, companies still see value in developing new products for existing product lines, developing new product lines, expanding into new product categories, and offering cutting-edge products within their industries. Design consultancies are often behind new brand launches as well, and could be the right fit for a new company looking to establish their place in the market. When you want to achieve any one of these goals, it could be a good time to find a design consultancy.

To sum up

Working with a design consultancy allows small, medium, and even large companies to outsource R&D to experts who can work knowledgeable and efficiently to bring a product to the market. A company with a certain set of skills can gain access to an entirely distinct and targeted set of skills without needing to headhunt and hire for them. This saves time and money.  You get a team with precisely the skills you need when you need them in a convenient bundle, a team that is professionally trained to innovate and develop ideas on a timeline, within a budget. Are you curious about industrial design and product development? Sign up for our newsletter and follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn for design news, multi-media recommendations, and to learn more about product design and development!