What do you do if your design goals clash with the product manager's vision?

This is pretty simple honestly... Products do not get made in a vacuum, and being successful by any/every measure not only means building and cultivating deep meaningful relationships with your peers and partners across the entire org, but respecting all of the knowledge and experience they bring to the table. Ultimately, you're on the same team. :) Be malleable in your thinking and fight for what you believe in, but be willing to compromise. The push and pull between Product and UX not only drives tension from time to time, but also greatness. Questions can hone your thinking. Constraints can force you to prioritize, and sometimes conflict can create opportunities. It's all in how you want to see it.

It is important as UX designers to have some business knowledge. It will help you to understand the business goals of the product you and working on and the product manager’s perspective. A book I can recommend for designers to read is Business Thinking for Designers. It will enable you to learn vocabulary and strategies to effectively communicate with your business partners, plus tools, tips and frameworks that you can put right to work.

Hitting a snag with the product manager (PM)? Before diving into defending your design, take a step back. Open communication is key. Talk openly with the PM to understand their vision, the product's overall goals, and the reasoning behind their ideas. This puts you on the same page and allows you to tailor your design advocacy to align with the bigger picture.

Being an open-minded UXer is key in these kind of situations. in most cases, you can use the PM's feedbacks to learn and grow, and to know how to match your designing workflow with the organization's general goals. when you keep your mind open and the conversation ego-free, there is also a chance to convince others in your designing Ideas.

Talk openly with the product manager (PM) to understand their vision. Ask questions about their goals for the product, the target audience, and the business objectives driving their vision.

Communicate your design choices using language that your product manager will understand, use data to back up these choices and always ask for feedback from your product manager to ensure that they understand what you are communicating.

Back up your design goals with user research, data, and design best practices. Explain how your design choices address user needs and contribute to the product's success.

Design clash alert! My finance app navigation vision doesn't quite match the PM's. Hitting pause before diving in. Let's chat! Understanding their business goals for the feature might spark a user-centered solution that checks all the boxes. My design is backed by user research and best practices, but I'm always open to feedback. Can brainstorming together bridge the gap? A UX win-win for users and business goals is the sweet spot! Let's use this to collaborate and create a fantastic finance app experience!

Clear, concise communication forms the bedrock of resolving any clash in vision. Articulate the reasoning behind your design choices by grounding them in user research and proven design methodologies. Simultaneously, listen attentively to the product manager’s rationale, as they bring a different, equally valuable perspective on product strategy and business goals. Establishing a dialogue based on mutual respect and evidence-backed arguments paves the way for finding common ground or reaching a consensus that honors both user experience and business objectives.

In resolving clashes of vision, effective communication is key. Think of it as a conversation where you're building bridges, not walls. Clearly explain why you've made certain design choices, using user research and proven methods as your foundation. But it's not just about talking; listening is just as important because the product manager has valuable insights into the bigger picture of the business goals and how they align with the user's needs, representing a side of the puzzle that's needed to solve the whole problem. So, by having open discussions based on respect and evidence, you can find a middle ground. It's about creating a win-win situation where both the user experience and business goals are in sync.

I once worked with a product manager whose vision frequently clashed with my design goals. It was the best thing ever! It forced me to rethink things and to see them from another perspective. I needed to step up my game and make sure that my designs were defendable and that they took into consideration both the users' needs and the requirements from the business standpoint. It's good to not always agree with the other stakeholders. It will make you a better designer, and through your discussions they will begin to understand the user experience more.

Find areas where your design goals and the PM's vision can align. Look for win-win solutions that prioritize both user needs and business objectives.

Seek common ground by identifying and building upon objectives that UX design and the product manager's vision share. It starts with listing and comparing goals to find overlaps, such as improving user satisfaction or enhancing functionality. These shared goals serve as a foundation for collaborative discussions, helping to negotiate differences and foster mutual understanding. The process emphasizes empathy and openness, aiming to merge design principles with strategic visions into a unified strategy that prioritizes user experience while meeting business objectives. This approach moves teams beyond conflict, allowing for the creation of products that are both user-centric and strategically sound.

Compromising is inevitable in every designer’s journey. The most important part of this process is knowing what to compromise. Identify the non-negotiable elements of your design so that they are maintained. You can use the importance vs feasibility graph to evaluate this Ensure that you communicate properly with your project manager and identify the areas of the design that can be compromised to fit the business goals without reducing the user experience. Remember, the USER is KING.

Recognizing which design elements are non-negotiable versus those where there's room for adjustment is key to wisely compromising. Evaluate the impact of potential compromises on the overall user experience and weigh this against the strategic benefits outlined by the product manager. Aim for solutions that uphold the integrity of the user experience while aligning with the broader business strategy. Remember, the aim is to find a balance that respects both the design and product management viewpoints without compromising the core user needs.

When compromise feels out of reach, don't give up! Tap into the power of brainstorming. Work together with the product manager to explore alternative solutions. Think outside the box – there might be a middle ground that merges the strengths of both your visions, ultimately creating an even better product.

So, there is no 'right' answer. Ever. ?? Some answers will be more 'right '- some will be less, but at the end of the day there is always (ALWAYS) another way to go. In the middle of conflict or tension it can be difficult to keep perspective and remember that you are ultimately not fighting for "your idea". It's not you who needs to "win". You're there so the user, the human you're designing for - can "win". And if they win - everyone wins! All teams are truly on the same team and it doesn't matter where the idea or the approach comes from - just make great stuff. Bonus, you'll be surprised how far listening and seriously considering the opinion of others (having mutual respect) can take you. Products do not get made in a vacuum.

Collaboration is key in this aspect. Exploring alternative solutions by yourself can be tricky. Do your best to bring the manager onboard to avoid any bias while exploring these solutions. They say two heads are better than one, so you and your manager can come up with potentially better solutions.

Okay, brakes on the defensiveness! I think we should brainstorm together. Is there a middle ground that merges our ideas? User-tested navigation + PM's strategic tweaks could be a win-win. We can also explore alternative layouts, and A/B test them with users. Data can be our compass here. Collaboration is key! The ultimate victory is finding a solution that works for both users and business goals.

Brainstorm alternative design solutions with the PM. Explore different approaches that might address both user needs and the PM's vision.

Showing proof that solidify your design choices is important in convincing the product manager that your design choices are effective and will yield results because they have done so before. Ensure that you present the data in a clear and visually appealing manner. Presenting raw data could be boring so try to make it as simple and visual as possible.

If available, present user data (e.g., A/B test results, user surveys) to support your design approach. Data can be a powerful tool for reaching a consensus.

Data is one of the best things that can help if there are situations where both manager and you have different understandings. Through data you can always showcase how your design can make the difference, you can use data showing examples how the design decisions made impact.

Finance app navigation brainstorm, here we come! My vision and the PM's might differ, but that's a recipe for innovation, right? Let's map out the user journey together. A design that's user-tested and aligns with their goals - that's a UX dream! We can even explore A/B testing different layouts. Data is our friend! By collaborating now, we can prevent future roadblocks and design a finance app that users love and the business thrives on.

Once a solution is reached, collaborate with the PM to develop a clear plan for moving forward. This ensures everyone is on the same page about the design direction and next steps.

To be successful, you must consider using data—customers' usage data collected with systems such as Hotjar or Mixpanel will be used in every argument you make. Remember that it's not about the users but your relationship with your PM. If you have a good relationship, he'll be more inclined to agree with you than if you don't. Make sure you pick your battles wisely.

Disagreements happen! Beyond the core steps, consider the bigger picture. Business limitations or technical hurdles might influence the PM's vision. Discuss the long-term product plan – maybe your design can be integrated later? Propose A/B testing to gather user data and see which vision works best. Remember, it's about collaboration, not winning an argument. Openness to iteration based on data and teamwork will lead to a product that excels.

I find it very good to have meetings with the product managers during the design process. It's important to listen to their feedback. During the meeting the Research Analysis, User Feedback and Product Requirement Document should be considered to see if the product meets the intended purpose as well as aligns with users' needs. During the open discussion, it would be good to explain clearly the thinking behind a design and be willing to compromise as needed in line with the aforementioned information.