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