Going fast doesn’t matter if you’re lost

Saying yes to going fast is a pretty common trap in our industry. It’s easy to fall into. Six months from now, you can look back and point to a whole bunch of things your team accomplished. You met those “urgent” PM goals. You moved some metrics up and to the right.

And yet you can’t draw a clear line from those projects completed and features created to legitimate value generated for the business.

Speed without strategy leads nowhere fast

It’s important to ground the sense of urgency in strategy. Without it,?you might spin your wheels and move really fast, but all you’re left with is a cloud of dust.?

Right now, most designers are working with a limited set of resources in a very competitive landscape. Companies are cutting project budgets, shifting strategy, and changing their growth trajectories. They're trying to do more with less and managing resources more tightly.?

Designers have the opportunity to show up in a way that acknowledges?this current reality. To recognize the constraints, demonstrate rigor in prioritizing the work that will have the biggest return for the business, and get creative about solutions.

Ask questions before you agree to speed

Before you put the pedal to the metal, you need to ask the right questions.?

Not “How fast can we ship this?” but “What are the best possible new investments we can make right now?” And “How are our current investments doing?”

Once you have the answers to those questions, you can prioritize the investments that will best help the business compete. And then figure out how to get there as quickly as possible.

If your leader or PM is asking you for speed without grounding that ask in the larger company strategy, at minimum you need to ask for clarity before you comply. Is this urgency simply for the sake of urgency, or is there a solid “why” in the driver’s seat?

Sometimes they have an idea of what strategy their goal ties back to, but they haven't articulated it or documented it. Regardless, the business will benefit from you asking questions, documenting what lives in people's heads, and helping leaders around you refine their rationale.

If they can't make that connection, you’ve got another great opportunity: Jump in and partner with them. Define the strategy and shift where you're making investments accordingly.?

Your company will thank you for taking the time to make sure you’re speeding off in the right direction.

Want to grow as a leader? Here are three ways Design Dept. can help:

1. Attend a workshop?to focus on a learning area, or?design a customized learning series?for your team
2. Work one-on-one with leadership coach?to tap into your creativity as a leader and transform the way you work with your team
3. Sign up for our newsletter?to get design leadership wisdom in your inbox each week