Articulating design decisions — the power of effective communication

How to expertly explain your design decisions to the stakeholders that influence your projects.

As you progress in your career as a designer, we come to understand a fundamental truth:

“The success of our work depends on our ability to get support from everyone on the team. If we can’t do that, our designs will never see the light of day.”

To address this challenge effectively, I highly recommend reading the book “Articulating Design Decisions” by Tom Greever. It will provide invaluable insights into the proper approach to communicating with stakeholders, fostering an environment where stakeholders can clearly discern the expertise and thought process behind designers’ decisions, thus earning their support. By absorbing the concepts and strategies outlined in this book and applying them to your practice, you will undoubtedly enhance your approach and mature in your career.

“The purpose of this book is to help designers become better communicators — to expertly explain their design decisions to the people that influence their project. The entire premise of the book centers around a meeting: a meeting with clients and stakeholders at which we present and talk about our design decisions. Everything is written with this meeting in mind: before, during, and even after the meeting.”

Good communicators win every time

If there’s a single lesson to take away from this book, it’s this: good communicators win every time. Contrary to what you might expect,

‘It’s not about whether you can create the most innovative design, but whether you can work with people in a way that gives them confidence in your expertise. Your job will be easier if you’re a good communicator. Strangely enough, that may be all it takes to set yourself apart from other designers — even designers who might be more artistically talented than you. Very simply: good communicators win.’

As a designer, you’ll need to convey your vision not only to fellow creatives but also to technical experts and decision-makers. Depending on their discipline and personality, you’ll need to adapt your communication style, the information you share, and your approach.

The key to being articulate is understanding both the message you want to communicate and the response you desire in return. By crafting your message effectively to elicit the desired response, you’ll find greater success in achieving your goals. Good communication and collaboration are what distinguish exceptional designers.

All design is subjective. What one person likes, another person hates. What seems obvious to me might not be obvious to you. What works in one context could fail miserably in another. This is why design is such a difficult thing to talk about, especially with people who aren’t designers. There is little common understanding of what design is or should be.

Why Design Is a Conversation Starter

Let’s start with the qualities that define a good design:

• It effectively solves a problem: Every design should aim to achieve a specific goal for the business or user.
• It prioritizes user experience: Adhering to a user-centered design approach necessitates creating designs that are intuitive and easy for users to navigate.
• It is supported by all stakeholders: The acceptance and endorsement of a design by all involved parties are crucial for its success.

The qualities that define a good design

While much attention is devoted to problem-solving skills and enhancing user experience, the significance of gaining support from stakeholders is often overlooked. This aspect of design maturity tends to develop gradually over one’s career.

Let’s cover why this necessity arises in the first place:

“The truth is, all design is subjective. What one person likes, another person hates. What seems obvious to me might not be obvious to you. What works in one context could fail miserably in another. This is why design is such a difficult thing to talk about, especially with people who aren’t designers. There is little common understanding of what design is or should be.”

Design is inherently subjective; unlike mathematics, there isn’t always a singular correct answer. This variability in design solutions prompts discussions around them, an aspect that carries both positive and negative aspects.

“Everything we design has another way of doing it. For each design we create, there is an alternate, often opposing, way of solving the same problem. This is the reason why we have disagreements about solutions to begin with and a key problem with articulating design decisions. Designers can be really good at coming up with a solution for the problem, but we’re less adept at understanding all of the solutions to the problem. We become so myopic when we think we found it.”

On a personal note, I’ve observed how fascinating it is that when presented with the same problem, two designers may produce distinct designs. Even when utilizing the same design system, which constrains their options to a certain degree, they’ll still generate differing solutions. It’s worth noting that close collaboration within a certain group can shape our thought processes in such a way that we tend to think or design in similar ways — an observation that’s quite intriguing.

Become a great designer

“The difference between a good designer and a great designer is the ability to not only solve the problem but also articulate how the design solves it in a way that is compelling and fosters agreement. “

Getting support is as important as straightforwardly solving the right problems. You could have the most innovative design, but if the team does not understand it and is not convinced that this is the right solution to act on, then you won’t be successful in implementing it.

“That’s what getting support is all about: convincing people to trust us with the solution. You need to create an environment where everyone understands what you’re doing, believes in your expertise, and supports your choices so that you can move on to the next thing.”

The main idea is that you need to get their “agreement to move forward, not necessarily them agreeing on the solution.”

“Forward momentum is the goal, not consensus.”

Your ability to be thoughtful about a problem and articulate any solution is more important than your ability to design the perfect solution each time. When other people realize that you’ve put thought into it and are being intentional, they’re more willing to trust you, even if they disagree.

How to successfully communicate your design

If we’re going to be successful at communicating with people about our designs, we must be able to answer these three questions about our work:

• What problem does it solve?
• How does it affect the user?
• Why is it better than the alternative?

Let’s briefly address the last point: “Why is it better than the alternative?” Implicit in this question is that we know what the alternatives are, we’ve considered them, or even tried them, and we’re prepared to explain why our solution is superior.

In my personal experience, it is crucial to present that other alternatives were considered and explain why this was, in your opinion, the best solution to move forward. Some advice:

• Keep your discarded explorations. You can use them as support to showcase the options that you considered. Having a visual artifact will be easier for stakeholders to interpret.
• Practice generating multiple solutions to a problem; not only does this likely enhance your deliverable, but it also serves as an excellent thinking exercise. Considering potential solutions suggested by your colleagues broadens your perspective and fosters collaboration.

Build good relationships

The single most important investment you can make is in the relationship between you and your stakeholders. Enhancing this line of communication, building trust, and establishing rapport will significantly ease the process of advocating for your decisions. The perception they hold of you will often speak louder than the words you utter in a meeting.

When I chose the word “invest,” it was to highlight the time commitment required. From my own experience, strong relationships are cultivated over time, through consistent effort and a series of positive interactions. The benefit is that, afterward, you won’t need to expend as much effort explaining your decisions; sometimes, your recommendations will be trusted implicitly.

Begin by understanding your stakeholders. While designers excel at prioritizing users and empathizing with them, we often overlook doing the same for those essential to our success. Let’s apply the same principles that we use in our UX practices to our colleagues to enhance collaboration and product development. It’s imperative to comprehend our stakeholders’ perspectives and engage with them personally to enhance the quality of our interactions.

Empathizing with our stakeholders means attempting to look at our project from their perspective so that we are no longer defensive and protective about our own ideas. This is the point at which the script flips. Genuine empathy transforms our perception of our role; we see ourselves as facilitators of their success. Our own success becomes intertwined with theirs. Consequently, we endeavor to address their challenges, whether by integrating their viewpoint into our design process or by tailoring our work to meet their specific needs.

However, having empathy doesn’t imply complying with every request. It means shifting our communication priority from defense to solidarity while maintaining authenticity in our beliefs. Empathy is vital for establishing a foundational mindset conducive to crafting the most effective responses to feedback.

The lesson is clear: effective communication thrives in healthy relationships, which demand ongoing effort. Your efforts determine the quality of your relationships.

An intriguing analogy for these relationships is “The bank account of trust.” Imagine it as a bank account: every positive interaction serves as a deposit, while every negative one acts as a withdrawal. Your aim is to maintain a positive balance with stakeholders at all times.

It’s remarkable how much a strong relationship can influence others’ perceptions of our work. Positive relationships render our designs more palatable to key stakeholders.

Understanding our team members’ roles and priorities is essential for successful collaboration. Recognize what matters to them and adapt your approach accordingly. Ultimately, our success is intertwined with that of our stakeholders.

Design a successful meeting

As we’re well aware from our design practice, getting users to complete a task depends partly on their available brain capacity: their cognitive load. The more clutter, options, or obstacles we introduce, the harder it becomes for them to accomplish their goal. This same principle extends to our stakeholders and our meetings. To gain their support for our design decisions, we must minimize clutter, options, or obstacles so that their minds can stay focused on what truly matters. For this to happen, we need to design a well-structured meeting. Our objective is to ensure this meeting is productive, valuable, and successful.

Here are some strategies to ensure the smooth running of your meeting:

• Establish the context Begin by setting the context. Kick off the meeting with a recap of the project’s goal or design objective, its current stage in the process, and the type of feedback sought.It’s worth reminding ourselves, as designers, of an important point:

“While we may immerse ourselves in these problems daily, our stakeholders may not. Amidst numerous meetings throughout their day, all addressing different products and designs, it can be challenging for them to recall our purpose here.”

• Anticipate reactions After collaborating with your stakeholders for some time, you will develop a sense of their likely reactions to your designs. Prepare in advance for the questions or suggestions they might raise during the meeting.

“Through ongoing interaction with stakeholders, your task is to discern their priorities, understand their concerns, and devise strategies for addressing them promptly.”

• Foster a support network Ensure your design advocates are present at the meeting to endorse your decisions. Surround yourself with allies who will support back you up, help you make your case, and tip the scale when it comes to the final decision

How to design a successful meeting

Here is the timeline of the design meeting and what are the main takeaways for each step:

Listen to understand

Listening plays a crucial role in any relationship, including discussions about design decisions. The primary objective of attentive listening is to ensure a deep understanding of our stakeholders and their goals before formulating a response. Crafting an articulate response involves employing implicit skills like listening without interruption, discerning the unspoken aspects, and identifying the underlying problem they’re attempting to solve.

Firstly, prioritize allowing your stakeholders to express themselves freely. This approach offers several benefits:

• It enhances clarity in their communication.
• It instills confidence in them that they are being heard and understood.
• It demonstrates your appreciation for their input, fostering trust and increasing the likelihood of agreement later on.

Creating an environment where stakeholders feel comfortable expressing themselves without interruptions fosters a culture of open communication, enabling them to provide valuable perspectives essential for effective decision-making.

• Hear what isn’t being said: Often, understanding stakeholders’ underlying message requires a deeper exploration of intentions. In design discussions, this is particularly important due to the subjectivity of design and the challenge in articulating design problems. People tend to jump to solutions without clearly identifying the underlying problem, making it essential for us to listen attentively to decode the real issue from their suggestions.
• Document Everything: In design, thorough note-taking is indispensable as opinions and ideas evolve over time. Notes serve as a record of the rationale behind decisions, building trust with stakeholders by demonstrating that their input is valued and will be considered throughout the process. Recording not just decisions but also the reasoning behind them ensures a comprehensive history of design decisions, preventing repetitive discussions.
• Ask Questions: Even when you believe you understand the stakeholder’s perspective, asking thoughtful questions reinforces that you are actively listening and understanding their viewpoint. This practice fosters trust, respect, and a sense of being heard and valued.
• Shift from “Likes” to “Works”: Transitioning from discussing preferences to evaluating what works and what doesn’t provides a more constructive framework for addressing stakeholders’ concerns. This approach allows for a more objective analysis and facilitates problem-solving.
• Summarize and Confirm: Concluding discussions with a summary of stakeholders’ concerns framed in terms of effectiveness helps clarify misunderstandings and confirm mutual understanding. Effective listening involves paraphrasing and restating stakeholders’ points to ensure alignment and a solid basis for decision-making.

Get in the right mindset

To effectively articulate design decisions, it’s crucial to adopt the right attitude. This involves understanding your role, putting aside personal biases, and fostering a positive attitude that encourages trust and cooperation.

• Understand your role: There’s a common misconception regarding the designer’s role in these interactions. While we may expect feedback, our true responsibility is to steer discussions toward positive outcomes and champion excellent design. Our presence isn’t merely to receive criticism but to guide conversations toward viable solutions. Understanding and acknowledging that our designs aren’t solely under our control prompts a mental shift, underscoring the importance of effective communication for maintaining user experience integrity.
• Stakeholders represent our work: As facilitators of design conversations, we shoulder the responsibility of equipping stakeholders for their own meetings. Our duty extends beyond design; we must ensure stakeholders possess the necessary tools and language to effectively convey our work to others. By empowering them in this way, we foster confidence and garner crucial support for our endeavors.
• Check your ego at the door : We must detach ourselves from our ideas to welcome external input without bias. Balancing firm recommendations with receptivity to others’ suggestions is key. When ego clouds our judgment, we dismiss valuable input with shallow excuses, hindering progress. Overcoming this requires humility, enabling us to respond logically rather than defensively.
• Lead with yes: One of my personal takeaways from this book is the concept of “lead with yes”. People are motivated, empowered, and passionate when their ideas are given permission to succeed. This mindset opens doors for innovative new projects.

“We learned that if we want to be involved in innovative and creative new things, we have to ‘lead with yes’.”

“Innovation thrives in environments where “No” is seldom heard.”

The yes mindset gives outrageous, seemingly impossible ideas a chance to flourish and sometimes be implemented in whole or in part.

“When faced with a challenge, don’t focus on reasons why it can’t be done. Instead, say, ‘Yes!’ Then figure out how to make it happen.”

Creating a space where everyone recognizes that we’re all on the same team, working toward common goals, fosters collaboration and leads to the best solutions.

Leading with a yes is also an effective way to engage stakeholders in decisions, especially when we anticipate challenges in meeting their requests. While it may be tempting to immediately say no in such situations, leading with yes helps stakeholders understand the tradeoffs involved. It invites them to be part of the decision-making process, enabling us to navigate challenges together.

The word yes can be transformative, creating a positive and collaborative atmosphere.As you develop your “yes” reflex, remember:

• It reinforces that we’re working together as a team, fostering collaboration.
• It encourages openness to new ideas, even those with uncertain outcomes.
• It keeps conversations open-ended, allowing time to find the right response.
• It prompts consideration of ideas within constraints and available resources.
• It shifts responsibility for new ideas to all participants, making them part of the solution.
• It builds trust and confidence with stakeholders, showing that their input is valued.
• Establishing a positive persona: Collaborating effectively with stakeholders can be more challenging without a strong rapport. Approaching meetings with a defensive mindset, anticipating conflicts, and responding guardedly can lead to a negative perception over time, portraying us as disengaged or difficult to work with. That is why establishing a positive relationship with stakeholders is key to successful collaboration. It’s crucial to project a likable, approachable demeanor and cultivate a persona that highlights our best qualities. This involves presenting ourselves in a positive light and demonstrating a genuine interest in assisting others. Developing this persona is crucial for gaining their support.

Form a response

Responding to stakeholders’ feedback involves framing your words in a manner that elicits the best response, all while staying focused on the primary goal of the meeting: gaining support and agreement to move forward.

Here’s a UX strategy for effective responses:

• Appeal to a higher purpose: Whenever addressing design feedback, strive to link your decisions to a specific goal, metric, or problem being addressed. Identify what matters most to your stakeholders and tie it to the proposed user experience.
• Advocate for the user: Help stakeholders grasp your decisions by addressing how they impact the user experience. Our role isn’t just about creating designs that consider users but also advocating for them to our stakeholders.
• Demonstrate efficacy: Answer the question, “Why is this better than the alternative?” Use your response not only to explain why your design is superior but also to visually illustrate how it will make a positive difference.

“Often, stakeholders’ design feedback overlooks these overarching goals initially. People tend to react to something without considering the project’s original intent. Art and design are meant to evoke emotions and elicit responses, so stakeholders’ immediate reactions may not indicate failure; rather, they may not be aligning with the initial project objectives.”

Choose a message

When crafting our message we aim to garner support from stakeholders. To achieve this, we employ a strategic approach that emphasizes how our design addresses a problem, enhances user experience, and outperforms alternatives.

Here are some effective ways to articulate design decisions:

• Business Perspective: Linking our designs directly to business needs is a powerful way to build a compelling case.
• Design Considerations: It’s crucial to factor in design-specific aspects, such as adhering to established design patterns.
• Research-Based Justification: Leveraging data, user testing results, and thorough research provides robust support for our design choices.
• Acknowledging Constraints: We also highlight any limitations that must be taken into account when implementing the solution.

Lock in agreement

Once you’ve clearly presented your argument, it’s important to directly ask for agreement. Leaving the conversation open-ended without a resolution is not ideal.

Follow up afterwards

Follow-up afterward is crucial. It’s important to do so while the discussion is still fresh in everyone’s mind. A prompt follow-up not only emphasizes the meeting’s significance to you but also indicates your appreciation for the participants’ time and shows that you were attentive during the meeting.

The follow-up should encompass several key elements:

• Express gratitude to the meeting attendees for their time and active participation.
• Recapitulate all the topics and points discussed during the meeting.
• Concentrate on outlining actionable steps, next procedures, or expectations moving forward.”

Dealing with change

Even with thorough explanations for your designs, there may still be instances where adjustments are necessary. Consider this as an opportunity to enhance and refine your work further.

In closing, I want to emphasize that the ability to articulate design decisions is just as crucial as effectively solving the right problems in a manner that is user-friendly and engaging. To facilitate this process, prioritize building strong relationships with your stakeholders.