UX Design

Design Principles

Alignment is a characteristic that is essential to all high-performing teams.

It is true, in today's world, designers can be found in almost every industry from ag-tech to finance. The sprawling need for design input in industries that have long been devoid of creativity is at the crux of what it means to be a designer. To do something that has not been done before.

Among all of the excitement, the push and pull of the much-needed and highly sought after skill set of designers, it can be easy to lose a piece of yourself. It is not uncommon for designers to be asked to work on something that directly conflicts with their personal values. And it can be a challenging discussion to have when your livelihood depends on it. Cue secret weapon: Design principles!

When You Can Use Design Principles

As a consultant, I am typically brought into short engagements. They can be riddled with politics, unreasonable deadlines and tight budgets. I have learnt how to navigate stakeholders with personal agendas, all while meeting the needs of the business and advocating for users.

Creating a set of design principles requires the product team to make a promise to their users, and honour it. In my experience, the act…