The described strategy is focused on creating a comprehensive OKR (Objectives and Key Results) and KPI (Key Performance Indicators) framework for a design team, aiming to enhance creativity, improve collaboration, and deliver high-quality designs on time while driving measurable business impact. The first strategy targets enhancing team creativity through various initiatives like weekly brainstorming, monthly creative workshops, and annual retreats. For example, team members are encouraged to dedicate 20% of their time to personal creative projects, fostering an environment of innovation.
The second strategy focuses on improving collaboration with other departments, cementing relationships through bi-weekly cross-departmental meetings and assigning design liaisons to streamline feedback. Hosting quarterly design showcases allows stakeholders to review current projects, bridging the gap between departments. Regular feedback sessions ensure that design outcomes align with expectations, improving overall communication.
Finally, delivering high-quality designs on time is emphasized by establishing standardized checklists and implementing real-time progress tracking tools. Peer review sessions and feedback loops with clients ensure that quality standards are met, while regular project debriefs help identify areas of improvement. By aiming to reduce project timelines by 10% each quarter, the strategy ensures efficient and timely delivery.
The strategies
⛳️ Strategy 1: Enhance team creativity
- Organise weekly brainstorming sessions to generate new design ideas
- Set up monthly workshops with external creative specialists for inspiration
- Implement a 'design of the month' award to recognise standout creativity
- Schedule quarterly team outings to creative exhibitions or events
- Introduce a half-day each month dedicated to exploring new design tools and techniques
- Encourage team members to allocate 20% of their weekly schedule towards personal creative projects
- Conduct an annual team retreat focused on creativity enhancement exercises
- Maintain a shared digital board for ongoing idea sharing and feedback
- Incorporate a variety of design challenges into weekly team meetings
- Conduct bi-annual surveys to measure perceived creativity improvement within the team
⛳️ Strategy 2: Improve collaboration with other departments
- Establish bi-weekly cross-departmental meetings to improve communication
- Assign design liaisons to each department to streamline design feedback
- Develop a shared project management tool for transparent design progress tracking
- Set up regular feedback sessions with key stakeholders from other departments
- Host quarterly design showcases for all departments to review current projects
- Create a design resource library accessible to all departments
- Implement an inter-departmental mentoring programme to foster understanding
- Launch a collaborative design sprint with marketing and product teams bi-annually
- Track inter-departmental project timeline adherence as a KPI
- Evaluate collaboration effectiveness through bi-annual stakeholder satisfaction surveys
⛳️ Strategy 3: Deliver high-quality designs on time
- Develop a standardised checklist for design review and quality assurance
- Set clear deadlines and project milestones at the start of each project
- Implement a digital tool for real-time progress tracking and deadline alerts
- Introduce peer review sessions prior to final design submissions
- Schedule regular project debriefs to reflect and improve on delivery times
- Establish weekly targeted design skill training sessions
- Create a feedback loop with clients to refine quality standards
- Measure the average project timeline and work to reduce it by 10% each quarter
- Track the number of design revisions requested post-delivery to evaluate quality
- Determine monthly success rates of on-time project deliveries and aim to improve
Bringing accountability to your strategy
It's one thing to have a plan, it's another to stick to it. We hope that the examples above will help you get started with your own strategy, but we also know that it's easy to get lost in the day-to-day effort.
That's why we built Tability: to help you track your progress, keep your team aligned, and make sure you're always moving in the right direction.
Give it a try and see how it can help you bring accountability to your strategy.
