UX or Bust: Building a Design-First Culture in Big Corporations
In this installment, we focus on the unique challenges and strategies for fostering design in large organizations.
This is the second of a two-part series on building a UX culture. In this installment, we focus on the unique challenges and strategies for fostering design in large organizations. If you missed Part 1, check out our guide for startups.
In big corporations, UX design often exists—somewhere. Maybe it’s an understaffed department tucked away in a back corner, or maybe it’s a mature team drowning in bureaucracy. Either way, the challenge isn’t starting from scratch but breaking silos, driving integration, and making design a strategic partner across the organization. Here’s how to build (or rebuild) a design-first culture in a corporate environment.
1. Break Down Silos
Big corporations are notorious for their silos. Marketing doesn’t talk to engineering, product doesn’t sync with design, and user experience gets lost in the shuffle. Here’s how to fix it:
Embed UX in Cross-Functional Teams: Designers shouldn’t be an afterthought. Place them at the core of product teams alongside developers, product managers, and marketers.
Create Shared Goals: Align teams with metrics that measure success across departments, like customer satisfaction or retention rates.
Host Cross-Department Workshops: Bring teams together to solve user problems collaboratively. Shared experiences build trust and break down walls.
2. Elevate Design’s Role
In many corporations, design is still viewed as a “make-it-pretty” department rather than a strategic driver of success. Changing this mindset requires intentional effort:
Give Design a Seat at the Table: Design leaders need to be part of high-level discussions. If UX isn’t represented in strategy meetings, it’s sidelined.
Tie Design to Business Outcomes: Link UX initiatives to revenue, retention, and other critical KPIs. Show executives how good design drives results.
Champion UX Wins: Share stories of how design solved major problems or improved customer engagement. Celebrate the impact loudly and often.
3. Invest in Scalable Systems
Large organizations need consistency, and a design system can provide it. But don’t stop at a library of components:
Build a Living Design System: Keep it updated based on user feedback and evolving needs. It’s not a one-and-done project.
Encourage Adoption: Make it easy for teams to use the system by providing training, documentation, and internal evangelists.
Measure Its Impact: Track how the system improves efficiency and user satisfaction. Use data to refine it over time.
4. Foster a User-Centered Culture
Getting everyone to care about users is half the battle. Here’s how to make UX a shared responsibility:
Involve Teams in Research: Let engineers, PMs, and marketers observe usability testing or join customer interviews. Seeing real users struggle with your product is eye-opening.
Educate on UX Principles: Offer workshops or lunch-and-learns on topics like accessibility, usability, and design thinking.
Highlight User Stories: Share real-life examples of how your product helps (or frustrates) users. Keep the human impact front and center.
5. Embrace Continuous Improvement
In a large organization, it’s easy to let processes calcify. Avoid that by embedding a culture of iteration:
Set Up Regular Reviews: Create recurring opportunities to review and improve designs. These should involve cross-functional input.
Experiment Boldly: Encourage teams to test new ideas, even if they don’t work out. Failures teach valuable lessons.
Listen to Users Constantly: Regularly gather feedback through surveys, analytics, and direct interactions. Let data drive decisions.
6. Navigate Corporate Politics
Let’s be real: big companies come with big politics. UX leaders need to be diplomats as much as designers:
Build Alliances: Find champions in other departments who see the value of UX and can advocate with you.
Communicate in Their Language: Frame UX goals in terms of business impact when speaking to executives or other stakeholders.
Be Patient but Persistent: Change takes time. Keep pushing, but don’t expect overnight transformations.
Conclusion
Building a design-first culture in a big corporation is an uphill climb, but the rewards are worth it. By breaking down silos, elevating design, fostering a user-centered mindset, and embracing continuous improvement, you can turn a lumbering giant into a user-focused powerhouse. Remember: culture change doesn’t happen overnight. But with persistence and smart strategies, you can create a legacy of design excellence that shapes the future of your organization.