Operating tenets guide us toward how we wish to work as a function—amongst our ranks, with peers across the organization, and in service to our users and the business.
I modeled this set of tenets over time by translating human-centered values into concrete actions. They each communicate an expectation for professional effectiveness & how we might reach representational product experiences for the people we serve, but are not explicit to the how.
These are my foundation, and I invite teams to personalize the set to meet the needs of our particular culture.
Frame It To Make It
We believe that the work to investigate, frame, and pursue the outcomes that fulfill the needs of the people who use our service is the kindling that sparks innovation. Empathizing with customers and users is critical for feeding ideation, and framing such insights point us in the right direction. We do not get paid to do the wrong things right.
Everything Is A Prototype
We approach all aspects of our day-to-day as a means to improve how we show up and deliver. Impactful experiences don’t come easy; they begin messy and ambiguous. We put forth ideas, have conversations, make prototypes, observe dynamics, and rapidly iterate to advance forward. We’re precious when we refine, not when we mine.
Data Are Our Friends
We synthesize data as numbers into information by investigating the context of data as stories (and vice-versa). We socialize our hypotheses, transforming information into knowledge, and lean on each other to gain collective wisdom. Data shapes our approach before and after we ship, and we align closely to make the proper bets to move forward.
All the Things, Intentionally
We engage with intent, from designed meetings to sketching concepts to interacting with peers. We understand that our approach to work models best practices for those with less experience. This takes concentrated effort, and we know that nothing worthwhile is ever easy, especially within challenging and ambiguous ecosystems.
Friction as Necessary
We are gracious partners, invest in shared context, and believe innovation is born through healthy discourse. We dig in deep even with difficult conversations, always providing plenty of grace. We exemplify courage by asking pointed questions, which may slow progress. We’re commit to our path to deliver value across a multitude of human-centered dimensions.
Multilingual Modus Operandi
We actively listen to colleagues as we investigate the intersection of human, technology, and business needs. We speak multiple languages to understand diverse organizational drivers while negotiating informed trade-offs, ensuring short-term value as we steer towards long-term effectiveness. We inform the business, as we too are the business.
Range of Scenery
We leave our comfort zone, and ask open ended questions of strangers. We observe behavior in the wild so that we can design our service to deliver value stemming from nuance. We look for hidden cues that spark our next “aha!” moment. As novel mental models become apparent, we lean into the solution space, prototype, and test our hypotheses.
Scaling Expectations
We operationalize for effectiveness and clear communication as the company grows. Our commitment to deliver consistency and user-centricity remains unwavering, though we recognize the importance of aligning with business goals that unlock scale. As a design function, we support each and every stage of the journey.