Design is going through a crisis - teams are shrinking and questions about ROI are louder than ever. Be ready before you’re caught off guard. This masterclass will help you prepare for tough conversations with C-levels, prove design’s business value and position your team as a strategic asset. Learn how to defend design’s role, navigate the new reality and answer the classic: “What does design even do here?” Format: 1. An intro + setting the stage: - Who we are, what we do, where is this coming from - Framing the current business context without panic: shrinking teams, tighter budgets, growing pressure - What’s the role of a design team in 2025? - What role does design leadership play in coping with those changes? 1. The tough questions from CEO, HR, ENG are coming: - Who are designers and what are they really doing here? - Where’s the ROI of Design? - Can’t we just ship without designers? - Why do we have so many designers? *Here we will ask which of these questions have already been brought up, give participants a chance to share their experiences, and possibly vote on one topic to explore more deeply. 1. Preparing your business narrative: - Translating design impact into business language - Identifying the stakeholder landscape, influence beyond org chart, time allocation per key relationship - Crafting narratives & success stories beyond “users like it” - Aligning design goals with business goals 1. Proactive positioning in 2025 and beyond: - Can we make design indispensable a.k.a what’s our core value proposition? - Speaking the CEO’s language: make money or save money a.k.a clear ROI of design function? - Internal advocacy & partnerships e.g. with PMs/MKTs a.k.a who are design allies over here? 1. Open Roundtable Discussion: - What is your biggest struggle right now? - What’s working and what’s not? - What is one thing you’ll start doing tomorrow to protect and elevate design in your organization?