Design For Startups - Issue #32

While writing a recent post for Entrepreneur.com, I couldn't help but go back to an area that fascinates me: the deep connection between Design and Org Design. The Design (intended or otherwise) of structures and processes, the org charts and the hierarchies, which have a lot to do with how design is perceived, leveraged, created, shaped and shipped.

It also reminded me of an interesting anecdote by Ed Catmull in his seminal work Creativity, Inc. (a highly recommended read) about the design of a table (a physical object, not rows/columns of data), how that invisibly influenced decision making in Pixar and why it was one of those things that Steve Jobs didn't quite get right!

Whether you're a 'team of one' or part of a larger group - here are some interesting talks and reads to think and rethink about your role, your UX/Design org—within a larger ecosystem.

Video, 51m | Its long, but worth sitting over a lunch for this. Leah Buley, author of The UX Team of One, dives deeper into the connections between team structures, design influence and more! From IxDA's Interaction 2015 Conference

I have shared this before - but its worth a re-read, or read: What's life really like designing for Apple? An alum shares what he learned during his seven years in Cupertino.

This is one of those Quora Qs with answers by some recognized names from the UX world! Feel free to add an answer or follow the question, or both!

UX and product designers/researchers ply their trade in a wide range of settings. Here's a look at the pros and cons of some of the most common UX organizations.

Video, 21m | This is a fascinating talk by Brazilian CEO Ricardo Semler, who practices "a radical form of corporate democracy, rethinking everything from board meetings to how workers report their vacation days... It’s a vision that rewards the wisdom of workers, promotes work-life balance — and leads to some deep insight on what work, and life, is really all about." Time for some introspection...

Until next week,

@JDallcaps @SAIFpartners

Ol Chiki Typeface of Santali Speakers, by Pooja Saxena via AIGA