Our latest DesignMap newsletter doesn't come with tricks, but hopefully offers some design treats? Yup, that’s right. We’re going there with a spooky-inspired October edition!
Take a closer look into Partner Audrey Crane’s “crystal ball” with her latest article that covers "so-what" sketches, a concept that enhances design’s impact on product development.
And ICYMI, we’re resharing our article on "The Cost of Shadow Design Teams," which shines a light on the costly phenomenon of non-designers doing design work. We’ve also included a follow-up article that offers strategies to exorcise the design shadows and make more of your design investments.
Finally, in "Have You Created a Platform Monster?" we examine the challenges of transforming products into platforms—exploring how strategic design can help keep your platform masterpiece from becoming a Frankensteined monster of product parts.
In this piece, we introduce the concept of "so-what" sketches to help bridge the gap between design work and its impact on the actual product. With the power to provide immediate, goal-focused insights, so-what sketches are like crystal balls for your design work, guiding decisions and predicting your design's future.
There's a problem lurking in the shadows of countless product teams: non-designers are doing solo design work. Learn how to quantify these hidden costs and redirect your resources toward higher-quality design. We even offer a survey template to assess your own shadow design expenses and a presentation template to share your findings with the powers that be. After all, quality design investments are the real magic, even when budgets are tight.
In the next installment of our shadow design series, we offer strategies for design leaders to reclaim the “light” (it’s not about investing more in design but investing smarter, especially in these budget-stricken times). Learn about techniques—like setting clear objectives, obtaining headcount and budget, converting the design-curious, and training non-designers—to lessen shadow design waste and empower everyone on the product team to maximize design’s full strategic potential.
Are you at risk of creating a platform monster? Explore common reasons for product-to-platform transformations and why these transformations too often become monstrosities of disparate product parts all stitched together. In this piece, we offer ways to identify your own platform monster and how you can tame the beast with the help of design.
Now, here's something scarier than anything we just shared…the end of year is almost upon us 👻. Whether you’ve found spare budget that needs to be spent or are planning for 2024, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Audrey, Chuck, or Greg to help you advocate for better investments in better design.
— The DesignMap Team
Make your year-end budget moves meaningful
As the year winds down, we often hear from folks who’ve stumbled upon leftover couch cushion budget that's just waiting to be put to good use. Whether you've got funds to allocate for upcoming projects, bespoke workshops, or staff aug, DesignMap offers lots of flexible engagements that can help you maximize your spare change.
DesignMap is a product strategy and experience design consultancy. We help teams use design to go from mess to meaning—especially in complex B2B and B2B2C spaces. Our services align clients around purpose, product, and people (with discovery and research underpinning everything we do). Together we can map a future that aligns and inspires your team.
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