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Designers have the opportunity—and, I would argue, the responsibility—to design a world that all want to live in.

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At DMI’s Design Leadership Conference, discussions centered on three principles that can help us navigate the complexities of design decision-making and truly achieve design success. 
I recently attended <a href="https://www.dmi.org/">Design Management Institute’s</a> annual <a href="https://www.dmi.org/page/Boston2022Overview">Design Leadership Conference</a> in Cambridge, Massachusetts. As I reflected on the topics discussed by both the speakers and the audience, three themes emerged for me: 

<h2>1. Successful design focuses on people. </h2>
Many designers claim to practice human-centered design. But do we really? Are you and your team designing with the needs of human beings at the core of your work—or do you tend to let business needs or cost requirements have the final say in your design decision-making? 
Keynote speaker Mauro Porcini, Chief Design Officer at PepsiCo, called this “the power of people in love with people”– and clarified that the principle applies not just to our customers, but to our collaborators as well.

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Iana Kouris, a speaker from BCG, emphasized the business value of this mindset, referencing Simon Sinek’s quote that “100% of customers are people. 100% of employees are people. If you don’t understand people, you don’t understand business.” Design succeeds when we put people first.
What does it look like when we put humans first in our design decision-making? At <a href="https://www.delve.com">Delve</a>, it means that our Human Factors engineers work across disciplines to inform every aspect of our product design work. The result is products that better meet the capabilities, limitations, and needs of the people who use them. Delve’s work on the <a href="https://www.delve.com/work/cgm">Dexcom G6</a> and the <a href="https://www.delve.com/work/eclipse-system">Pelvalon Eclipse</a> are good examples of “people first” design in action.
<h2>2. Successful design’s true deliverable is experience.</h2>
Design is fundamentally about improving the way we experience the world around us. As designers, we do our best work when we remember that we are data-driven problem solvers, not merely creators of shiny new things. Whatever form our product or service takes, it is simply a conduit through which a purposeful experience is delivered.
Delve’s own Mathieu Turpault highlighted that what separates most “durable” brands from the competition is their deep understanding of experience design. When our requirements have more to do with the product we are building than the experience that product delivers, we are not honoring the true intent of design. Design succeeds when experience is the requirement.

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At Delve, this means framing every project’s goal as not merely designing a product, but rather as solving a problem that impacts the experiences of real people. Time and again, we find that this approach results in products that have a truly transformative impact for end users. One good example of this principle in action is our work on the <a href="https://www.delve.com/work/real-immersive-system">REAL Immersive System</a>, a virtual reality rehab system for stroke patients. Keeping the experience of end users front and center throughout the development process enabled us to build a system that helps stroke patients feel empowered and stay motivated throughout the recovery process.

Accessibility and usability share key goals — both are concerned with creating an intuitive user experience. By necessity a product that is usable for someone who does not have the benefit of sight, hearing, or mobility must be more intuitive than most.

Don't Miss: How Design for Accessibility Drives Innovation for All

<h2>3. Successful design is fully achievable only when diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) are part of its DNA. </h2>
Kevin Bethune, in his talk on “Reimagining Design,” drew the ubiquitous triple Venn of design innovation – desirability, feasibility, viability – but added two important considerations: societal imbalance and broader ecologies. Bethune argued that DEI values cannot simply be bolted onto our design work after the fact; they must be at the core of our design decision-making. Design succeeds when it doesn’t leave anyone out.

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What does it look like when we put DEI at the core of our design work? One of my favorite examples of this principle in action is the work Delve did on the <a href="https://www.delve.com/work/not-impossible-labs">Not Impossible Haptic Vest</a>, a device that allows people who are deaf or hard of hearing to experience music. Our end goal was an inclusive concert experience for both deaf and hearing fans. We achieved this by developing a wearable that translated music into tactile vibrations. The product debuted at the three-day Life is Beautiful music festival in Las Vegas.
Whether these design themes are new to you, or simply welcome reminders, whether design is your profession or your passion, I hope you will take a moment to reflect on how the practice and impact of your design work can be elevated by these three principles.
As designers, we have the opportunity to design a future we want to live in. How might you design a more people-first, experience-focused, diverse, equitable, and inclusive future? This article was written by Taylor Cone.

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