DESIGN MANAGEMENT
7 MINS
People are a part of your problem statement
People are a part of your problem statement
Mobilizing craft as a Design Studio
Mobilizing craft as a Design Studio
Abin Rajan, Design Manager at Canvs, addresses how people are at the core of design challenges, from balancing expectations to preventing solutions from being diluted through layers of decision-making, and offers insights on overcoming these hurdles for successful execution.
A discussion around design services is often closely linked with the interfaces, the user journeys, the tools, and the techniques that define the craft. However, we generally forget a silent second half of the problem that is often equally important—people dynamics—how we work with clients, stakeholders, internal teams, and other external forces.
In a remote-first design studio like ours, where communication happens across digital platforms, navigating this human element becomes all the more critical. Project requirements, reviews, deliveries, and even commercial negotiations—all represent a complex interplay of human craft and collaboration. It's vital to clearly define and manage these elements from the outset to ensure we meet our delivery commitments effectively.
A discussion around design services is often closely linked with the interfaces, the user journeys, the tools, and the techniques that define the craft. However, we generally forget a silent second half of the problem that is often equally important—people dynamics—how we work with clients, stakeholders, internal teams, and other external forces.
In a remote-first design studio like ours, where communication happens across digital platforms, navigating this human element becomes all the more critical. Project requirements, reviews, deliveries, and even commercial negotiations—all represent a complex interplay of human craft and collaboration. It's vital to clearly define and manage these elements from the outset to ensure we meet our delivery commitments effectively.
"Design challenges often become people problems when numerous stakeholders are involved, each balancing their own expectations and needs"
"Design challenges often become people problems when numerous stakeholders are involved, each balancing their own expectations and needs"
The human element in design services
The human element in design services
When delivering craft is the priority, the medium of delivery also becomes a part of the process. Shaping experiences around high craft and its delivery to users and stakeholders is where service design steps in. Often, stakeholders possess a deeper insight into the target group and their challenges, making it critical to fully understand their expectations, your agency’s role as an external design expert within the domain of the problem, and the potential areas where your agency can push boundaries to deliver unexpected results.
Every project you embark on involves multiple layers of communication, collaboration, and negotiation. People—their opinions, egos, expectations, and their interpersonal dynamics—are often at the heart of the problem. Effectively executing a project hinges on balancing three key axes: the people involved, the planning process, and the problem at hand—each equally critical to delivering what customers truly need.
When delivering craft is the priority, the medium of delivery also becomes a part of the process. Shaping experiences around high craft and its delivery to users and stakeholders is where service design steps in. Often, stakeholders possess a deeper insight into the target group and their challenges, making it critical to fully understand their expectations, your agency’s role as an external design expert within the domain of the problem, and the potential areas where your agency can push boundaries to deliver unexpected results.
Every project you embark on involves multiple layers of communication, collaboration, and negotiation. People—their opinions, egos, expectations, and their interpersonal dynamics—are often at the heart of the problem. Effectively executing a project hinges on balancing three key axes: the people involved, the planning process, and the problem at hand—each equally critical to delivering what customers truly need.
Working together to move solutions forward
Working together to move solutions forward
In a design project, crafting an elegant solution is just the beginning. Navigating it through the complex decision-making framework of large teams presents a nuanced and challenging task that demands more than mere reasoning—it requires strategic finesse and effective communication. Stakeholders, whether internal or external, may have varying interpretations of the problem statement, differing priorities, or preconceived notions of what the solution should be. As mentioned already, they are the true custodians of a project, no doubt about that. Hence, it becomes the responsibility of the design team to not only defend the team’s solution but to present and push it in a way that resonates with each stakeholder.
For instance, at Canvs, most design deliverables are not just final UIs. We start off with the IA (Information architecture) and discuss the structure we have in mind with stakeholders to look for any oversights in our understanding before getting to wireframes. Key screens like dashboard, product details, and buy journeys are something we focus on to refine our thought process and align with the requirements. This is also the phase where we brainstorm possible optimizations or value-added features for the business. It is only after a successful review of wireframes with clients that we get to the final UI.
This approach allows us to go into the UI phase with much better clarity of the requirement and the direction to pursue. Even before we start with the UI, we have at least 2-3 rounds of discussion with the client, which allows them to have a visual reference of what we will be working on, and also opens channels of communication to discuss any new ideas.
In a design project, crafting an elegant solution is just the beginning. Navigating it through the complex decision-making framework of large teams presents a nuanced and challenging task that demands more than mere reasoning—it requires strategic finesse and effective communication.
Stakeholders, whether internal or external, may have varying interpretations of the problem statement, differing priorities, or preconceived notions of what the solution should be. As mentioned already, they are the true custodians of a project, no doubt about that. Hence, it becomes the responsibility of the design team to not only defend the team’s solution but to present and push it in a way that resonates with each stakeholder.
For instance, at Canvs, most design deliverables are not just final UIs. We start off with the IA (Information architecture) and discuss the structure we have in mind with stakeholders to look for any oversights in our understanding before getting to wireframes. Key screens like dashboard, product details, and buy journeys are something we focus on to refine our thought process and align with the requirements.
This is also the phase where we brainstorm possible optimizations or value-added features for the business. It is only after a successful review of wireframes with clients that we get to the final UI. This approach allows us to go into the UI phase with much better clarity of the requirement and the direction to pursue. Even before we start with the UI, we have at least 2-3 rounds of discussion with the client, which allows them to have a visual reference of what we will be working on, and also opens channels of communication to discuss any new ideas.
Mobilizing solutions: Preserving the integrity of craft
Mobilizing solutions: Preserving the integrity of craft
With multiple teams and individuals being involved, the original design vision can sometimes be watered down. In instances where design discussions are often asynchronous and feedback is provided in fragmented chunks, the risk of misinterpretation is high. At such times, it’s imperative to have a holistic view of feedback and assess how it affects the product at large before actually deciding on implementation.
Most times, a disconnect also happens when the design is not clearly conveyed to clients. Let me explain: design delivery is only half the solution. It has to be coupled with a design walkthrough wherein you get to explain the rationale, the design decisions involved and more importantly, how the design sits within the framework of meeting business objectives and customer needs, all the while conforming to user research patterns and best practices. Defending the integrity of your solution in this context requires strong communication and documentation, ensuring everyone involved understands the rationale behind each decision.
With multiple teams and individuals being involved, the original design vision can sometimes be watered down. In instances where design discussions are often asynchronous and feedback is provided in fragmented chunks, the risk of misinterpretation is high. At such times, it’s imperative to have a holistic view of feedback and assess how it affects the product at large before actually deciding on implementation.
Most times, a disconnect also happens when the design is not clearly conveyed to clients. Let me explain: design delivery is only half the solution. It has to be coupled with a design walkthrough wherein you get to explain the rationale, the design decisions involved and more importantly, how the design sits within the framework of meeting business objectives and customer needs, all the while conforming to user research patterns and best practices. Defending the integrity of your solution in this context requires strong communication and documentation, ensuring everyone involved understands the rationale behind each decision.
"Design isn’t just about creating solutions; it’s about defending them against dilution as they move through the layers of decision-making."
"Design isn’t just about creating solutions; it’s about defending them against dilution as they move through the layers of decision-making."
Keeping the end-point in mind: Execution over ideation
Keeping the end-point in mind: Execution over ideation
Even the best solutions can lose their way during the handover process. When the team working on ideation is not the same team implementing the solution, ensuring consistency becomes a key challenge. One of the biggest frustrations while working on design projects comes from seeing your work transformed—sometimes into something not intended for—by the time it reaches the end user.
The solution? Clear documentation, consistent communication, and regular check-ins between design, development, and project management teams. In one of our recent projects, the initial design was meticulously crafted, but without constant alignment with the developers during execution, the final product risked diverging from our original intent. We initiated regular workshops with the development team and weekly build-feedback sessions to maintain alignment, ensuring the design principles were respected throughout. We used our in-house tool, Cassini, to provide our feedback to developers on the builds we received and tracked the progress on the Cassini app for each subsequent build. Since we were able to track the evolution of changes all in one place, it became easier both for designers and developers to track progress.
Even the best solutions can lose their way during the handover process. When the team working on ideation is not the same team implementing the solution, ensuring consistency becomes a key challenge. One of the biggest frustrations while working on design projects comes from seeing your work transformed—sometimes into something not intended for—by the time it reaches the end user.
The solution? Clear documentation, consistent communication, and regular check-ins between design, development, and project management teams. In one of our recent projects, the initial design was meticulously crafted, but without constant alignment with the developers during execution, the final product risked diverging from our original intent.
We initiated regular workshops with the development team and weekly build-feedback sessions to maintain alignment, ensuring the design principles were respected throughout. We used our in-house tool, Cassini, to provide our feedback to developers on the builds we received and tracked the progress on the Cassini app for each subsequent build. Since we were able to track the evolution of changes all in one place, it became easier both for designers and developers to track progress.
Strategies to see design projects through to fruition
Strategies to see design projects through to fruition
Here are some actionable tips to help carry a design project from concept to completion.
Here are some actionable tips to help carry a design project from concept to completion.
Stakeholder management
Every stakeholder in a project has their own set of objectives and expectations. Effective design requires not just satisfying user needs but aligning solutions with these diverse interests while managing trade-offs.
Every stakeholder in a project has their own set of objectives and expectations. Effective design requires not just satisfying user needs but aligning solutions with these diverse interests while managing trade-offs.
Cross-functional collaboration
Working with cross-functional teams increases the need for transparency and clear communication. Early discussions around direction and approach can help mitigate later-stage redesigns.
Working with cross-functional teams increases the need for transparency and clear communication. Early discussions around direction and approach can help mitigate later-stage redesigns.
Maintaining design integrity
It’s common for designs to be modified as they pass through various stages. Maintaining the integrity of your original solution requires strong reasoning backed by user research and business alignment.
It’s common for designs to be modified as they pass through various stages. Maintaining the integrity of your original solution requires strong reasoning backed by user research and business alignment.
Execution and delivery
Ideas are only as good as their execution. Ensure that the final solution aligns with the original design intent by maintaining constant communication with the team responsible for implementation.
Ideas are only as good as their execution. Ensure that the final solution aligns with the original design intent by maintaining constant communication with the team responsible for implementation.
Wrapping up: How to drive impactful outcomes
Wrapping up: How to drive impactful outcomes
In design services, the challenge extends beyond the craft itself. The people involved in a project—across different functions and hierarchies—become an integral part of the problem statement.
In design services, the challenge extends beyond the craft itself. The people involved in a project—across different functions and hierarchies—become an integral part of the problem statement.
"It isn’t just about designing the best user experience; it’s about navigating the dynamics of people, managing stakeholder expectations, and maintaining the integrity of your solution through to execution."
"It isn’t just about designing the best user experience; it’s about navigating the dynamics of people, managing stakeholder expectations, and maintaining the integrity of your solution through to execution."
Creative problem-solving coupled with adept people management is what will make agency-client relationships meaningful. Only then can we deliver solutions that are not only functional but meaningful and impactful.
Creative problem-solving coupled with adept people management is what will make agency-client relationships meaningful. Only then can we deliver solutions that are not only functional but meaningful and impactful.
Canvs is an interface design and engineering studio based in Mumbai, India. We are group design partners to some of India’s market leaders in Banking and Finance and have been around since 2016.