How can effective collaboration be created between product managers, researchers, engineers and, of course, designers themselves? In design leadership, Sara regularly encounters questions, situations and mixed expectations related to effective design collaboration from product managers, researchers, engineers and, naturally, designers themselves. Given that design is in the “messy middle” between product discovery and a developed solution and that team members may come from a variety of backgrounds shaping their expectations, it’s no surprise the role of design can get lost in translation. Therefore, the most effective products are designed with intention.
But why is it so crucial for designers in software companies to collaborate? Let’s take a closer look at this evergreen theme
In the fast-paced world of software development, collaboration is a cornerstone of success for designers, with benefits that include:
1. Shared Vision: Cross-functional alignment unites designers with product managers, developers, and quality assurance engineers, fostering a shared vision that ensures the final product surpasses stakeholder expectations.
2. Understand user needs from diverse angles: Empowerment drives designers to comprehend user needs from diverse angles, igniting a user-centred approach that crafts remarkable experiences catering to a broad array of requirements.
3. Fresh perspectives: By mingling with diverse minds, designers tap into a wellspring of creativity and innovation, inspiring fresh perspectives to tackle design challenges.
4. Seamless project execution: Effective communication facilitates seamless project execution as designers understand and address the concerns of team members.
5. Early stakeholder feedback: The iterative design process thrives on stakeholder feedback, perfecting the final product with polish and finesse.
In summary, collaboration empowers designers to create exceptional software products united by a common purpose, enriched by diverse perspectives, and fueled by creativity and efficiency. It is the driving force behind the success of software companies in an ever-evolving landscape.
Join Delivery Hero’s Senior Product Design Manager Sara Kalinoski at Digitale Leute Summit 2023
Operating in over 70 countries from its headquarters in Berlin, Delivery Hero — serving millions of customers across four continents — is a global leader in the online delivery industry, connecting people with whatever they need through its innovative platform.
Delivery Hero’s product platform is complex, ranging from a riders app to communicate with its large ecosystem of drivers, to a partner system to support restaurants and vendors, to a pioneering quick commerce strategy and dmarts (delivery-only supermarkets) that enable next-generation e-commerce.
Given the importance of design collaboration and Sara’s insights into the industry, this will be a talk you won’t want to miss. She will share honest observations, pain points as well as practical approaches to co-creating more impactful solutions applicable in various environments (startups, scale-ups, agencies, and mature tech companies).
About Sara Kalinoski: Sara is a high-energy product design lead and full-stack designer at Delivery Hero. Over the past 15 years, she has crafted experiences for Apple, Audi, Contentful, Zalando and more across San Francisco, Berlin and Minnesota. She loves to work and is motivated by great teams, complex challenges, customer needs, and impact. Sara especially enjoys building strong community and company design cultures.
Discover more UX topics at this year’s summit
- Are planet-centric design and inclusion at odds with each other? // Julia Weinmann, Lead Experience Design at Thoughtworks
- UX for XR – The Challenge of Designing Immersive Usability Experiences // Panel by KölnBusiness Wirtschaftsföderungs-GmbH
Want to engage and become a partner?
Then do not hesitate to get in touch with us. We would happily offer customised sponsoring packages for the perfect presentation of your company and/or software product at the Digitale Leute Summit. We look forward to discussing partnership opportunities with you.
Digitale Leute Summit takes place in Cologne on November 8th. Prices won’t get any cheaper — 499€ instead of our final price of 699€ — but the deadline is Wednesday, September 13 at 11:59 pm. Hurry and buy your Digitale Leute Summit ticket today!