Summary: A four-step framework for building influence over product direction by closing the information gaps that large, complex organizations create.
Let me tell you a story I recently heard. A lead designer at an online review platform kept hearing that businesses were cancelling their ads because the setup was too confusing. The setup experience was slightly different on mobile, desktop, and web. The problem was split across the three teams, none of whom had the whole picture. Sound familiar?
The lead designer pieced together a comprehensive view of the problem by pulling together support tickets, past research, roadmaps, and analytics from all three teams. She then proposed three solutions that accounted for each team's constraints. When her senior stakeholders saw the rigor behind her solutions, they asked for her recommendation. She saw the problem, took the initiative to gather the information she needed, and synthesized it into a recommendation that boosted her influence over what got built. This is design autonomy.
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Get a CRO Audit - $99What Is Design Autonomy?
Design autonomy refers to designers' ability to make informed decisions about product direction, not only surface-level UI choices.
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