Driving ~87.5% increase in dev efficiency at a start-up by advocating for design
In 2022, when Omni Strategies pivoted from contract software development to consumer products, I seized the opportunity to boost efficiency across the product suite.
As the first product designer (and later Head of Design), I led the introduction of high-level design thinking, UX design principles, design system & built a design team to maintain the product portfolio.
Head of Design
2 Product managers
6 Engineers
4 Business ops
3 Designers
Exec Team
At a glance
▸ Inefficient product development process.
▸ Disconnected team communication.
▸ Limited team resources and heavy workload.
▸ No research & design in the org and product process.
▸ Increase product development efficiency.
▸ Improve product quality across the portfolio.
▸ Establish a team to maintain multiple brands and products.
▸ Collaborate with engineering to deliver on projects.
Compared to feature-turnaround for the prior year.
In the leadership team and the product org.
Across 4 products for design and engineering.
Between business, engineering, product and design.
Result — An mature, agile and efficient product org.
After 2+ years at the helm of design leadership, I contributed to a shift in the product development culture leading to increased development efficiency, development of a design system, development of a design team and true cross-functional collaboration.
Most importantly, a culture that values research-informed product design began to take root within Omni Strategies, fostering a shared understanding of its role in creating successful products efficiently.
Inside the Outcomes and Results
Open communication and collaboration are crucial for success.
I fostered transparency across departments – design, product, and engineering – by establishing regular communication channels and collaborative workshops. This ensured everyone was aligned on project goals, user needs, and design decisions.
Why this solution?
Knowledge gap
Limited understanding of design processes and value among teams and leadership.
Inefficiency
Disjointed communication and lack of transparency hindered project progress.
Decrease stakeholder frustration
The constant rise of stakeholder frustration due to failed expectations was hindering access to resources for teams.
What I did
Knowledge sharing
I conducted workshops to educate various teams and leadership on design thinking principles and their benefits.
Process development
I collaborated to create a new product development process, documenting it for clarity and involving stakeholders in optimization.
Transparency initiatives
I implemented project charters to provide insights on design involvement, timelines, and budgets.
How did it go?
Initial stakeholder friction
Leaders initially resisted the change due to perceived efficiency concerns, despite the actual process time remaining the same.
Bridged the knowledge gap
Workshops and communication initiatives improved design understanding across the organisation.
Streamlined workflows
The new product development process enhanced efficiency and reduced project roadblocks.
Weekly syncs enchancing collaboration
Weekly meetings and frameworks fostered a more collaborative and communicative work environment.
To champion user-centricity and ensure consistent design quality across all products,
I spearheaded the creation of a dedicated design team. This team would be the voice of the user and a central point of contact for design expertise throughout the development process.
Why this solution?
Limited design expertise
The existing workload required a dedicated design team to tackle responsibilities across the company.
Resource constraints
Financial limitations necessitated building a team with efficiency in mind.
What I did
Prioritized hiring
I facilitated the hiring of a product designer, content designer, and graphic designer, focusing on roles that would maximize impact.
Team structure
I created a team structure with clear roles and responsibilities, assigning members to collaborative units based on their strengths.
How did it go?
Increased design capacity
The design team effectively handled design tasks across the company, alleviating the workload burden.
Improved collaboration
Embedding designers within different units fostered transparency and alignment between teams.
Motivated team
The focus on career development empowered the team and fostered a culture of continuous learning.
Building a sustainable foundation for user-centred product development was crucial.
I implemented design thinking methodologies and user research practices throughout the design process within the company's resource constraints.
Why this solution?
Inefficient processes
The existing development process lacked user-centricity and resulted in rework and delays.
Limited resources
Time and resource constraints necessitated a lean approach to design and development.
What I did
I incorporated lean UX principles, including user research, usability testing, and agile collaboration, into the workflow.
Design thinking implementation
I introduced design thinking practices to prioritize user needs and ensure user-centred product development.
I established a developer handoff process to streamline communication and reduce feedback loops.
I introduced accessible design practices to ensure products were inclusive for users.
How did it go?
People-focused approach
Design thinking ensured products were built to meet actual people's needs, reducing the risk of market failure.
Reduced development time
Lean UX practices minimised rework and streamlined the development process.
Improved product quality
Usability testing and developer handoffs elevated the overall quality of deliverables.
As our product portfolio grew, maintaining design consistency and efficiency became a challenge. To address this, I led the development of a centralized design system.
Why this solution?
Multi-product challenge
Maintaining design consistency across a growing product portfolio was becoming difficult.
Efficiency gains
A centralised design system could save time and resources in the long run.
What I did
Presented the value proposition
I secured leadership buy-in by outlining the benefits of a design system for efficiency and product quality. This included potential cost savings through reduced development time and fewer design inconsistencies.
I collaborated with engineering and product teams to define the design system roadmap and technology stack. This involved identifying core components, defining design patterns, and selecting appropriate tools (e.g., Storybook) to facilitate development and maintenance.
How did it go?
Foundation established
We implemented core components and guidelines across the existing product suite. This initial rollout served as a strong foundation for future product development and ensured consistency across the user experience.
Streamlined design process
The design system empowered designers to work more efficiently, focusing on innovation rather than repetitive tasks.
Scalability for future growth
The modular approach established a scalable foundation that could readily adapt and grow as the product portfolio expanded.
My multi-part plan transformed Omni Strategies. A new design team and user-focused approach led to products that solved user problems. Collaboration soared, making workflows smooth and efficient.
Most importantly, a design-centric culture began to take root within Omni Strategies, fostering a shared understanding of the value of design in creating successful products.
Key takeaways
Curiosity promotes growth
Joining as the first product designer, collaborating, and mentoring some of the best people I have ever worked with would not have been possible without being constantly curious. Try and try again, always stay curious!
The power of structure
Previously, teams worked in an ad-hoc manner which led to inefficiencies. Implementing a standardized process, even a basic one, fostered a more cohesive product experience and a smoother workflow.
A great team goes a long way
Under intense pressure, working with great people was something I cherished.
Thanks 💛 to my team of designers: Deborah O., Yaw Precious T. and Enyonam A.
Update in progress
I'm still working on an updated version of this case.
