Too often, we believe our strategy is evident as soon as we have shared our aspirations. Then, with growing discontent, we realize that nothing has happened. With explicit where-to-play and how-to-win areas connected to the aspiration, a vision becomes more fulfilling for employees who struggle with their reality discrepancy between today and tomorrow. If you don’t know where you are going, you will end up someplace else.

“More collaboration” is often suggested as a magic potion in inefficient organizations. But in reality, you need better collaboration. A carefully curated collaboration, to avoid unintended effects and cognitive overload. With inefficient collaboration, jumping to conclusions and making rapid decisions becomes tempting. But chances are that those decisions are predictable courses based on existing assumptions and prejudices ushering true insights out the back door.

Designers have traditionally focused on enhancing desirability. But with strategies on the growth and the changing role of design, designers now have to balance desirability, feasibility, and viability simultaneously. Designing is turning vague ideas, insights, and evidence into concrete value propositions and solid business models. This forces designers to take on a whole set of new strategic practices.

Design strategy becomes the filter you use to control the amount of subjectivity in a product or service development process. It materializes as a decision-making framework and a rationale for stakeholders to make product development decisions. Therefore, we should double down on finding a profile that can unlock this potential. 

Good design involves strong business model patterns to maximize returns and compete beyond product, price, and technology. Good design supports enduring financial success by creating substantial value for customers, employees, and suppliers.