Do You Want a Seat at the Table? Earn It. Here’s How.

Introduction

So there I was, feeling like the Leonardo da Vinci of the digital age. I’d just put the finishing touches on what I thought was a killer app design. It was slick, it was intuitive, and damn, it was pretty. Fast forward a couple of weeks, and what happened? That “masterpiece” was a complete mismatch with the company’s actual business needs. It was the equivalent of putting a Tesla engine in a go-kart—sexy but utterly useless. My bosses weren’t amused, and neither was I when I saw all that time and effort go down the drain.

Why am I telling you this cringe-worthy tale? Because it serves as a sobering wake-up call, a call I should have received much earlier in my career. One of the most frequent gripes I hear from designers is that we’re often left out of the important conversations. We lament, moan, and grumble that we don’t have a “seat at the table.” But here’s the kick in the gut, my friends: most of the time, we haven’t really earned it.

Design is critical; it’s a powerful force that can define brands, shape user experiences, and drive sales through the roof. However, just knowing how to make things look good isn’t going to cut it. Not by a long shot. Why? Because while design is a part of the picture, it isn’t the whole enchilada.

What’s the bigger picture? Ah, that’s the million-dollar question. Look, we’re masters at obsessing over fonts, color palettes, and user flows. We can spend hours, days even, nitpicking the hell out of a single icon. But the brass tacks is this: we often miss out on the larger ecosystem in which our designs function. We fail to see how they fit into the business strategy, the user needs, and the technological frameworks.

Trust me, the suits upstairs don’t care how beautiful your designs are if they don’t serve a greater purpose. They won’t give you a seat at the table for simply being good at your craft. No, you’ve got to bring more to the table. And that’s what we’re gonna dive into.

It’s Not Just About Design; It’s About the System

Alright, listen up. You’ve got skills when it comes to crafting visual delights, and for that, hats off to you. But listen, your job doesn’t end with just jazzing up pixels and screens. You need to pull up a chair and buckle up, because we’re diving into something way deeper—the broader ecosystem.

Think of it like this: you can be the best cook in the world, but if you don’t know where the ingredients come from, or if they’re even fresh, your dishes are bound to flop at some point. So it is with design. It’s not just about what you’re making, but how and why you’re making it. You gotta understand the business strategy, consumer behavior, even the damn politics of the office, if you want your design to make a lasting impact. I call this the “Golden Triad”—the ‘What,’ the ‘Why,’ and the ‘How.’

Remember that case study of a designer who was lauded for his aesthetic brilliance but whose project bombed in the end? Let’s dissect that a little. The guy was so focused on the ‘What’—the aesthetics—that he neglected the ‘Why’ and the ‘How.’ He didn’t bother to understand the target audience or the business goals; he didn’t think about how the design would be implemented technologically. And because of that, his project was a total disaster. Don’t be that guy.

For real, it’s time to step up and look beyond just the surface. Start by getting a grip on the company’s business strategy. What’s the mission? Who are the customers? How does your design fit into this big, complex puzzle? If you’re stuck designing without this broader understanding, you’re just spinning your wheels.

Now, the customer—those elusive people that companies bend over backward to please. Yeah, your design needs to cater to them, but not just in terms of how pretty the user interface is. What’s the actual problem your design is solving for them? Time? Money? You’ve gotta get down to the nitty-gritty of customer needs that go way beyond the screen.

Oh, and let’s not kid ourselves; we designers often get high on our own supply. We think that our vision should trump all else, but here’s a reality check: you’re not operating in a vacuum. Every design decision you make impacts the engineering team, the marketing squad, and the bottom line. You’re a part of a complex machine, and understanding your role within that is crucial.

So here’s the takeaway: if you want that coveted seat at the table, you gotta be more than just the ‘design guy’ or ‘design gal.’ You have to be a strategic thinker who understands how your work fits into the broader picture. That means getting comfy with terms like ‘business objectives,’ ‘customer lifetime value,’ and ‘scalability.’ It’s not just about making stuff look pretty; it’s about making sure that the pretty stuff actually serves a damn purpose.

Stop Chasing Bullshit Problems and Start Asking “Should We?”

You know how you’ve been honing your skills to make things aesthetically pleasing? That’s cool and all, but what’s the point if you’re just putting lipstick on a pig? Seriously, too many designers get fixated on trivial issues—like debating the merits of Helvetica vs. Arial when the whole project is going off the rails.

Let’s get real. Your role isn’t just to slap a fresh coat of paint on whatever mess is handed to you. Your job is—hold on, big revelation coming—to solve actual problems. I mean, we’re talking real-world, meat-and-potatoes issues that keep CEOs up at night. Yet, some designers behave as if they’re some sort of wizards who can magically “design their way” into a leadership role. But let me debunk that myth for you—you can’t just finesse your way into the C-suite with some slick visuals. It doesn’t work that way.

Take those design projects that looked great but fell flat because they didn’t solve any real problems. You know the ones I’m talking about. They win design awards, sure, but they’re sort of like that super attractive person who turns out to be as dull as dishwater. Looks great on the surface, but zero substance. That’s not what we’re here for.

You need to start asking bigger questions like, “Should we even be doing this?” or “What problem are we actually solving?” If you’re just diving into projects without asking those key questions, you’re basically just rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic. Look, I’m not saying that your design skills aren’t valuable. They are. But they’re just one tool in a broader toolkit. You have to know when to use that tool and, more importantly, when to use others—like strategic thinking and problem identification.

So how do you stop chasing trivial issues and focus on what really matters? Easy. Start by saying “no” or better yet, asking “why” before you jump into the “how.” Remember, saying no is a skill, and it’s as important as any design tool you’ll ever use. Question the purpose, the motive, and the objective of what you’re being asked to do. Your role is not just to take orders but to challenge assumptions and bring fresh perspectives to the table.

Here’s the bottom line: if you’re going to earn your place at that high-stakes table, you’ve got to focus on solving real, meaningful problems, not just making things look pretty. We’re talking about adding value here, not just aesthetics. You want to be in the room where decisions are made? Show ’em that you can think beyond color palettes and typography. Prove that you understand what the business is really about. That’s the ticket to being taken seriously.

Speak Their Language, Not Just Yours

It’s fantastic that you’re fluent in ‘design,’ but let’s talk turkey—speaking ‘design’ is only half the battle. If you waltz into a business meeting yapping about “leading” and “kerning,” you’ll get blank stares faster than you can say Comic Sans. Look, you can be the Michelangelo of UX design, but if you can’t articulate your brilliance in a way that business folks understand, you’re essentially voiceless. Trust me, you don’t want to be the wallflower at your own party.

Now let’s break it down, starting with speaking Sales. Don’t tell me you “increased user engagement” without knowing how that translates to numbers the sales team cares about. You need to get comfortable with metrics like conversion rates, customer lifetime value, and ROI. Don’t let these terms intimidate you. All you’re doing is learning to present your design victories in a way that clicks with people who speak in numbers. And hey, a splash of business acumen could be the missing ingredient in your designer cocktail.

Next on the hit list: Finance. Don’t roll your eyes. I get it; numbers aren’t sexy. But guess what? They’re the lifeblood of any business. To win over the finance geeks, you’ve got to understand terms like “operating expenses,” “revenue,” and “profit margins.” I’m not saying you need to get an MBA overnight, but a little Finance 101 never hurt anyone. Once you understand the bottom line, you’ll design with a different perspective. Think of it as painting but with numbers. Okay, bad analogy, but you get the point.

Last but not least, let’s talk Engineering. You might consider yourselves strange bedfellows, but let’s be real—you need each other. Ever tried to bring a design to life without a developer? Exactly. So, learn to speak their language. You don’t have to code, but understanding the basics of what’s easy and what’s tough in development can go a long way. Like, if you design something super complicated, know that it’s going to take more time and resources to build. Communicate with devs in a way that shows mutual respect, and you’ll go far.

Look, the bottom line is, you need to be multi-lingual in this game. You’re not just a designer; you’re a communicator. You’re a mediator between the world of aesthetics and the nitty-gritty details of business. The more fluently you can ‘speak’ these different languages, the more indispensable you become. And let’s face it, who doesn’t want to be indispensable?

Rise to Their Level; Don’t Expect Them to Descend to Yours

So you’ve learned to speak Sales, Finance, and Engineering. Props to you! But guess what? It’s not a one-and-done situation. Adapting and growing your skill set is like going to the gym; you can’t just work out once and expect to run a marathon.

And I’ve got a challenge for you: become what’s known as a T-shaped professional. Imagine the letter ‘T,’ alright? The vertical line represents your depth in design; that’s your core competency. Now, the horizontal line is where things get spicy. That’s your breadth of knowledge in business, finance, and tech. If you’ve got the vertical down but are lacking in the horizontal, it’s high time to broaden those horizons.

Why? Because let’s face it, nobody wants to be typecast as “just a designer.” Man, even saying that feels like a kick in the gut. You’re not just slinging pixels or drafting wireframes; you’re a problem solver in a business context. So why limit yourself? The more hats you can wear, the more valuable you are. You’ll be like a Swiss Army knife in a world full of butter knives.

Don’t be the designer that waits for someone to hand them a comprehensive brief with all the problems already identified and all the business metrics neatly defined. If you’re not at the table, you’re probably on the menu. You can either wait to be told what the problem is or be the one who identifies the problem in the first place. Take the initiative to understand the market, the customers, and the business drivers. You’ll not just be reacting; you’ll be steering the ship, even if it’s just a little nudge here and there.

You’re not going to be an expert in everything; that’s neither expected nor realistic. But you can have a solid understanding of how your work plugs into the larger scheme of things. Your designs don’t exist in a vacuum, my friends. They’re part of a bigger narrative, and you need to know what that narrative is.

Let’s be crystal clear: Rising to their level doesn’t mean you have to abandon your roots. You’re a designer first and foremost, and that’s your superpower. But just like Clark Kent had to understand journalism to be an effective Superman, you need to understand the business to be an effective design leader. Let’s not pretend that you can rock up to any board meeting and own the room just because you’ve learned a few new buzzwords. This is about an ongoing commitment to expand your toolkit and be a multi-dimensional asset to your team.

Don’t wait for the world to hand you a seat at the table. Bring your own damn chair, and make sure it’s equipped with all the tools you need to contribute in a meaningful way. You’ve got this.

Conclusion

You want that seat at the table? Then stop the moaning and start acting. You’re not entitled to a leadership role just because you can make a sleek UI or a killer mood board or talk about empathy. The world owes you nada, zip, zero, zilch. It’s not about what you deserve; it’s about what you earn. And if you haven’t been listening, let me reiterate: it’s grind time, people!

See, there are two types of people in any profession, not just design. There are those who wait for opportunities to fall into their lap, and then there are those who create opportunities for themselves. Which one do you think is going to get that coveted seat at the table? Spoiler alert: it isn’t the one twiddling their thumbs, waiting for the universe to deliver.

No more excuses, no more “But I’m a designer, not a business person!” That’s yesterday’s narrative, and it’s old news. Start expanding your skill set, become that T-shaped individual we talked about, and be proactive about learning the ropes of the business side. That’s not just good for your career; it’s absolutely vital.

And remember, you’re not climbing this mountain alone. Look for mentors, engage with your team across different departments, and for heaven’s sake, don’t be a lone wolf. Sure, the lone wolf may look cool in movies, but in the real world, they’re the ones missing out on the collective wisdom and the power of collaboration.

Just to tie it all back together: You’ve got to understand the system you’re operating in; stop working on surface-level, pretty problems; get comfortable with business, finance, and tech talk; and bring yourself up to their level, because nobody is going to reach down and pull you up. That’s on you, buddy. Oh, and let’s not forget the key ingredient—action. You can read all the blog posts, watch all the webinars, and listen to all the podcasts you want, but unless you put that knowledge into action, you’re going nowhere fast.

So, what’s it gonna be? Are you going to be the designer who just makes things pretty, or are you ready to roll up those sleeves, take on the gritty and the nitty, and finally grab that seat at the table?