Good design matters.  It doesn’t matter if you are putting together a spreadsheet for a meeting, creating a process for users to share feedback, or developing a website, good design matters.  The types of design that are ever present in my work are: product design, project design and process design.‍

Product Design

• Have you ever filled out one of those government documents only to realize you were writing your name where the address should go?
• Have you been to a website where you have no idea how to get to the content you know is buried deep somewhere?

Project Design

• Have you been on a project that sets unrealistic goals for when work can be accomplished?
• Have you been on a project where even after weeks, it’s not clear who is supposed to make key decisions?

Process Design

• Have you heard feedback from consumers/users/constituents who complain that they don’t understand what they have to do to make X happen?
• Have you wondered why your doctor's office makes you write the same information on five pieces of paper?

If you've answered yes to any of the questions above, you've been on the other end of a clunky or disorganized design process. This leads to misinformation, frustrated constituents and mixed outcomes. That's why organizations are much better served when they spend the time to:

• Develop a clear vision that includes specific expected outcomes and define meaningful measures of success
• Create a detailed implementation or work plan that is a living document; it should evolve with the project, not collect dust on a shelf
• Communicate and adhere to roles and responsibilities so that work can get done
• Take the time to identify the right resources, both internal and external e.g. vendors, consultants
• Commit enough time and budget to creating a strong system/product so that rework isn't required
• Provide timely feedback from the right stakeholders, versus trying to please people politically
• Incorporate people at the receiving end of your project/program/process, so that they can inform the vision and scope, this will keep them invested

No matter what you're embarking on, it's important to know what it is you want to develop, for whom and work to ensure that your core audience is invested. The second step is not budging on having adequate time and resources to be successful. Good intentions matter, but having a good design process matters more.