This is the design strategy I use for Kitman Labs after we downsized the team based on a need for the company to mature and to start turning a net profit. It’s based on Roger L Martins book Playing to Win. The framework is summarised here: Playing to Win: How Strategy Really Works. I use this framework because of all the frameworks, models and thinking Martins work is by far the most practical and thought through. Another thing which strikes me is in the way he uses the word strategy, it could easily be swapped with the word design. He sees strategy as trade offs between what to do and what not to do, it’s a choice as he repeatedly writes. I see design in the same way. Strategy and choosing where to play and win is a creative endeavour as is design. Another thing I like is the title. I am competitive. I want to win. But I want to do it as a team and for the right reasons.
Context
Given the scenario, where my team was cut by half, 10 to 5, in a year. We still wanted to try to deliver a quality product experience. We looked at our competitor, specifically a company called Teamworks. They had expanded their design team. We were the industry leaders when it came to product experience, quality of our UI and workflows. Given they were updating their product, the signal being the hiring of 10 product/UX/interaction designers versus us who reduced our size to 5, we knew we had to try and still deliver a standard. We decided that we could still beat them on quality and speed through our experience and knowledge. Below is how we worked through a new strategy.
- What is your winning aspiration? The purpose of your enterprise, its motivating aspiration.
- Where will you play? A playing field where you can achieve that aspiration.
- How will you win? The way you will win on the chosen playing field.
- What capabilities must be in place? The set and configuration of capabilities required to win in the chosen way.
- What management systems are required? The systems and measures that enable the capabilities and support the choices.
What is your winning aspiration? The purpose of your enterprise, its motivating aspiration.
Deliver a great user experience that meets the global standards now set by consumer brands and is now also expected of the sports software industry.
Where will you play? A playing field where you can achieve that aspiration.
We are going to play at cost, quality and creativity. We can deliver a higher level of quality at a lower cost than our competitor. And we can be more creative in our designs with regard providing user value based on our innovative solutions.
How will you win? The way you will win on the chosen playing field.
This will be done through:
- Team structure: centralised team with oversight. We work on the most important high impact initiatives. We structured our team to cover all other work via consultations with the squads.
- Hiring specifications: smaller team which can cover a lot of ground and has a diverse set of attributes.
- Production: we can deliver design and technology quicker than competitors because we will automate and simplify as much decision making as possible. Specifically:
- Design System
- Lean Discovery process
- Simple designs
- Agile collaboration with Eng to make sure designs are feasible
- Innovation: we will look to enhance the product and deliver innovative and creative solutions which continuously which trump our competitors.
- Risk reduction: through usability testing and quick prototyping we will reduce risk of GTM with crap.
What capabilities must be in place?
- Strong design team 1:1 with PM. or 1:5 with FE
- FE support in delivering production cost improvements (ie Design System)
- PM support in IA work and innovations initiatives
- PM support in Discovery work
What management systems are required? The systems and measures that enable the capabilities and support the choices.
- Control of the design team
- QA process and alignment / adherence from squads
- Design System resources
- Roadmap process for innovation pieces