The business world often evaluates design based on its outcomes – and that’s no surprise. In a results-driven world, everything is measured by its impact. But the real question is: what kind of results are we judging?
I love data and the process of measuring success, so this question has been on my mind for a while. Traditionally, design has been evaluated by its output: the object, the composition, and the tangible end product. But what happens when our focus shifts from how a product is used to how the very decision to create it is made in the first place?
That’s the reflection I want to share today, not about design as a means to create or make a product perform better, but as a way to transform discussions into decisions.
And before we dive in, a little disclaimer: one of the best things about being a designer is the sheer variety of hats we get to wear. The ability to switch between them, layer them, or even invent new ones in response to a challenge – that might just be our greatest superpower. I wouldn’t dare say that one hat is better than the others, but today, I want to talk about one that I find particularly interesting to wear: the “therapist” hat.
From Noise to Clarity
If we start seeing design as a way to facilitate decisions, it changes how we integrate it into business. Instead of being a downstream function (something that happens after strategy, finance, and engineering) design becomes an upstream force, shaping the very foundations of a business.
And no, this isn’t about designers “having a seat at the table” just because. I’ve been in too many conversations where different disciplines all want a seat, and let me tell you, there’s only so much room. So the real question is: Where does it make sense for a designer to step in with their “therapist hat” on? And, what does this hat even mean?
We live in a world drowning in content, distractions, and urgency. Everything moves fast, and we’re losing the ability to sit down, focus, and truly collaborate on the future of something. Meetings are rushed, important discussions get postponed, and the only time we seem to pause is when we spill coffee on our laptops – at which point, the only discussion is about how to fix the damage.
The famous quote said by Eisenhower is one of my favorites: “The urgent is the enemy of the important.” It’s quite challenging to switch the focus back to the important, but there’s a great opportunity to foster spaces where meaningful conversations can happen.
The Keys to Induce Conversation
I can’t stress this enough: there is no actual recipe, things that once worked aren’t a guarantee for the next time. But, here are some of the key ingredients to have in mind:
1.Recognize the Buy-In
If you’ve managed to get the right people in a room, it means there’s already some level of commitment. No one high up in a business attends a meeting they think is pointless. Instead of feeling like you need to prove why you’re there, trust that your presence is valuable and enjoy the challenge.
2.Bring the Right People to the Table
For a conversation to truly matter, the right mix of voices must be present: those directly impacted, decision-makers, and also fresh perspectives. It’s not about having a large group but ensuring key contributors are involved, as without them, critical gaps can stall progress. If you’re not the one selecting participants, take the time to understand why they’re there, chances are, it’s not by coincidence.
3.Understand Power Dynamics
If everyone at the table is there for a reason, then all voices should hold equal weight. The key to good facilitation is ensuring that each person finds their space to contribute meaningfully. That means recognizing and balancing power dynamics, creating an environment where real conversations, not just surface-level agreements, can happen.
4.Go Beyond the Symptoms
Most discussions start with symptoms, not root problems. Just like in therapy, where you start by describing how you feel, the real work is in digging deeper to understand why you feel that way. In business, the designer’s role is to help move conversations from symptoms to causes.
5.Bring the Unseen into Focus
People in leadership don’t have time to see everything. Their job is to keep the business running, and in doing so, they miss key context, such as blind spots, data points, and systemic challenges that aren’t immediately visible from their vantage point. Designers have a unique opportunity to surface these unseen elements and help create a more complete picture for better decision-making.
6.Recognize the Expertise in the Room
A personal favorite, and one of our rules at Vandals, when facilitating any session for our clients we always remind ourselves that we’re not the ultimate experts in the room. Either you happen to be the expert or not, the people sitting at the table have likely spent countless hours thinking about these problems. Recognizing that, and tapping into their expertise, leads to the most meaningful conversations. It’s not about us having all the answers, but about bringing together the right perspectives and creating the space for those insights to shine. If they don’t shine on their own, bring up our favorite artifact: questions.
Challenges in Suiting this Role.
Wearing this hat isn’t about applying a set framework or following a fixed process; it’s about sharpening the skills that help us navigate complex business landscapes and manage high-stakes conversations. Facilitation is its own craft, and as designers stepping into this role, we have some challenges to overcome:
You Are Not the Center of the Conversation
If you’re wearing this hat, your job isn’t to lead – it’s to guide. Read the room. Know when to push and when to pull. Develop an active listening mindset, one driven by empathy and strategy rather than personal input. The best facilitators create space for others to contribute, ensuring every voice at the table is heard.
Business Duolingo Mode: On
If Duolingo had a “business mode,” it would be our go-to tool. As we said above, every stakeholder has their own agenda and speaks their own language – whether it’s finance, engineering, or operations. Be curious. Learn their language. Adapt. Design should be fluent in business, technology, and beyond. Our strength lies in building bridges, not just making points.
Enough Zooming In, start Zooming Out
From pixel-perfect execution to big-picture strategy, there’s a huge gap. And if you’re in this facilitation role, you need to move seamlessly between both. Zoom in when details matter, zoom out to connect dots. Don’t be afraid to introduce fresh perspectives, challenge outdated assumptions, and reframe discussions to reveal new possibilities.
Ask, Ask, Ask
There’s a saying in my family: It’s better to ask and look silly for a minute than to stay silent and be silly forever. No one expects you to know everything. Especially in these conversations, there will always be gaps in information. The smartest thing you can do? Ask. Clarify. Dig deeper. The right question at the right moment can change the course of an entire discussion.
It’s not about Solutions
If our goal is to turn discussions into decisions, we might be tempted to turn decisions directly into solutions. But as Maslow famously said, “If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail.” Instead of rushing to solve, our role is to bring as many tools as possible so we don’t treat every challenge the same way. The real value lies in expanding the lens before narrowing in a solution, ensuring that when the time comes to act, we’re solving the right problem in the best possible way.
So, Do Designers Finally Get a Seat at the Table?
Here’s the thing: a table with infinite seats would be the most inefficient table ever.
The key isn’t forcing design into every conversation, but recognizing when our presence matters most. Our discipline is about wearing many hats and knowing when to put each one on. The business world is full of rotating seats, and our role as designers isn’t to claim one permanently: it’s to step in at the right moment with the right hat, bringing clarity to the discussion and ensuring the best decisions get made, not just the fastest ones.
Now, as I mentioned, I’m a data fan. So, how do we measure this impact? In the short term, it’s nearly impossible. In fact, trying to measure it too soon might even be counterproductive. It’s hard to know how different things would have played out if we hadn’t facilitated those conversations. But if we engage in this process consistently over time – tracking, reflecting, and comparing – we might be able to measure things like: how many important decisions were made within a given period, how many initiatives were led, the amount of people implied…
Of course, what qualifies as “important” will differ from company to company. But here’s the kicker: the criteria underlying what’s “important” matters more than the number itself. And perhaps that’s where our most overlooked hat comes into play, because at its core, design isn’t just about solving problems; It’s about creating the space for questioning assumptions and guiding into articulating what truly matters.
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Stay tuned to Juli Groshaus – Business Designer @Vandals & Co-founder @La Diseñería by following her on @juligroshaus on Instagram or view her on LinkedIn
