Session notes: Partnership Playbook: Lessons Learned in Effective Partnership
Frank Duran, Design Director at USAA, introduced the Partnership Playbook on Day 4 of Enterprise Experience 2020. It’s based on a pyramid with Connection at the base, followed by Communication in the center, and topped off by Collaboration. The effort required increases as we ascend these dimensions. The increased effort returns a great benefit: improved services and products.
Connection
“3 in a Box” Model – plus+
- Start with Business, Tech, and Design representation at meetings
- Think about who fills these roles? Despite titles – who might engage and contribute the most value to conversations?
- Consider your company needs when adding to the “box” of connections
Decision Makers + Influencers
- Seek out the decision-makers – engaging them sooner in the design process is often better
- Continue discovering who are the influencers in your organization and field (like subject matter experts and connectors)
- Effective connections include decision-makers and influencers
Concrete Asks = Better Connections
- Be upfront with your needs and asks rather than saving them for the end of the presentation
- Be prepared to navigate connections to the correct stakeholder – it often takes time and many conversations
- It’s worth the effort upfront to save backtracking later
Communication
“Seat at the Table” vs “Build the Table”
- Set expectations for engagement
- Define the value of a “Seat at the Table”: understand why you need to be in the conversation. Connect your objectives to business strategy
- “Build the Table: set up your own routines and meetings, then invite stakeholders to join your table. Create value and clarity, while driving inclusivity.
Establish and Maintain Routines
- Exec-level alignment and communication to maximize successful outcomes
- Core working group alignment, sharing, and feedback
- Routines = predictable engagement = better communication (example: regular design reviews)
Answer Business Needs and Concerns
- Educate yourself about business strategy and roadmaps
- Connect design outcomes to business performance and risk metrics
- Keep channels open for feedback and employ multiple tactics
Collaboration
Measure Connections + Communication
- Evaluate your connections – are you getting the input you need?
- Evaluate communication quality – are you getting and giving input?
- Collaboration requires constant effort – are your partners engaged?
Maintain Alignment
- Business and design strategy alignment = more value generated and better outcomes
- Actively make interesting connections using data and synthesis
- Group activities reinforce alignment – maintain the sentiment that everyone is on one team
Enable Advocates – signs of success
- Has dialogue changed to include design-led perspectives?
- Are partners advocating for design activities?
- Design is open-source but requires facilitation