Design culture. Why soft skills aren’t the whole story

Lately, I’ve noticed companies place such a heavy emphasis on designers’ soft skills, like communication and stakeholder management, not only as part of the design process but also during their hiring and job interviews.

While effective communication is undeniably crucial for a designer — after all, we frequently collaborate with cross-functional teams and need to articulate our ideas clearly — I’ve noticed that designers sometimes end up spending more time than necessary controlling environment dynamics and navigating workplace politics. This can lead to inefficiencies, where more time is spent on managing the environment rather than on meaningful design work. It raises questions about why we continuously push individuals — or emphasize this during the hiring process — to control their surroundings and manage situations and people, rather than focusing on fostering a collaborative team dynamic.

This brings us to the concept of a strong design culture, which is more critical than ever. As organizations strive to differentiate themselves, creating a culture where design is not only valued but also deeply integrated into every aspect of the business becomes a competitive advantage. But what does it truly mean to “create a design culture,” and how can design leaders spearhead this transformation?

Throughout my experience as a product designer working with diverse teams, I’ve learned that a strong design culture goes beyond having skilled designers. It’s about creating an environment where creativity thrives, collaboration is encouraged, and design work aligns with the overall goals of the company. Here is how to build it, according to what I experienced.

Start with a shared vision and values

In many of the teams I’ve been a part of, I noticed that there often wasn’t a clear vision for the design team. But a strong culture starts with a shared vision. For design teams, this means being clear on what great design looks like and how it fits with the company’s goals. When there is a clear vision, designers can see how their work makes a difference and think beyond just making things look good. It becomes about how design can solve real problems for users and support the business. From my experience, having a clear idea of the product’s direction helps me plan better and solve problems more effectively. It also leads to fewer changes later because the design already considers future needs or at least built some bridges.

Promote cross-functional collaboration

Design doesn’t work well in isolation. It’s important to break down barriers between designers, developers, product managers, marketers, and others involved in a project. A healthy design culture should encourage collaboration, where everyone’s input is valued. This approach leads to solutions that look good, work well, and make sense for the business. However, I often notice a gap between team members from different areas. People tend to focus on their own tasks without seeing themselves as part of one team working towards the same goal. I believe that in the design process, every idea and piece of feedback matters. When everyone works together with a shared purpose, creativity grows. In such a collaborative environment, developers can add real value by sharing what’s possible technically, helping to turn designs into reality instead of just mockups for show. The project timeline also becomes more realistic and less about just pleasing executives. When everyone collaborates openly, trust grows, and the team can focus on doing their best work and coming up with creative solutions.

Read the rest on my medium page here.