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RITUAL BUT NOT ROUTINE
DESIGNING YOUR DESIGN CULTURE
RITUAL BUT NOT ROUTINE
DESIGNING YOUR DESIGN CULTURE
Engrained in a design teams culture is a lifeblood of values, behaviors, and emotions that form its creative process used to make new things. At SAP Design, we take a deliberate approach to organic culture-building and use design rituals to cultivate and develop behaviors - from an appreciation of critique, to a culture of documentation.
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Below are some of our favorite things we’ve done, that we have found work to establish a cultural identity that sparks creativity, connection, and flow, which lasts through changes, departures, additions.
Bi-Weekly Standup
Bi-Weekly Standup
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What we do:
Every Monday and Thursday we host an 11:00a standup meeting to share team/management/project/pipeline updates and any urgent needs.
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Why we do it:
Get a pulse from the team and stay in-tune with weekly activities.
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What we found works:
Starting at 11:00a sharp and time boxing. Any extended conversation or updates get parking-lotted for later. Mixing up the meeting location helps keep up the team's energy.
Weekly Project Reviews
Weekly Project Reviews
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What we do:
On Tuesday's the entire team engages in a weekly project
review on for feedback and critique on active projects.
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Why we do it:
Create a more intentional and consistent culture of critique and knowledge transfer across the entire team by carving out a sacred time that everyone knows they have access to for feedback.
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What we found works:
Solicit for projects to share during Monday's standup. Teams should come
prepared in knowing what they need feedback on. Breaking into
smaller groups during this time for more focused feedback is effective.
Skills Shareouts
Skills Shareouts
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What we do:
Throughout the year we take time to share out our
unique knowledge and skills with the team.
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Why we do it:
Each and every person on the team has deep talents and skills
both related and unrelated to design, both known and hidden.
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What we found works:
Shareouts work best when self-initiated by the team, with a spectrum of skills shared - tactical design tools to SAP technology knowledge, to a creative art activities.
Friday Lunch Movies
Friday Lunch Movies
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What we do:
Every Friday short movies, talks, or videos around the
topic of design, tech, leadership, or art are played during lunch.
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Why we do it:
In efforts to broaden the teams knowledge about what is occurring in and outside of the design world, beyond our day-to-day work. Break up the weekly routine.
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What we found works:
The sessions have expanded beyond curated movies and videos to including time for the team to share topics they're passionate about. For example, a team member will share their recent trip to Cuba, or the team will share favorite photos taken throughout the week.
Project Recaps
Project Recaps
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What we do:
Upon completion of a project, teams document and share the outcomes and learnings with the entire team. These recaps are also posted to an internal portfolio site for later viewing.
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Why we do it:
Have teams reflect on their work while sharing their knowledge and learnings from the project so others can apply in their current and future projects.
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What we found works:
Keeping these presentations brief and engaging. Often times, to prevent too many sessions and maximize attendance, completed projects will be amassed and shared out from the last 6 months in one longer session.
Yearly Team Offsite
Yearly Team Offsite
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What we do:
Once a year, we spend two days as a whole team
disconnected from work to team-build, reflect, and bond.
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Why we do it:
Take time to disconnect, reflect, strengthen relationships, and build trust as a team outside of the office while leveraging the teams unique geographic proximity to incredible nature.
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What we found works:
Planning. Planning. Planning. It's good for reflection and team activities but also to make sure a balance is struck and enough time is given to just be with one another and bond.
Pechakucha From Birth Till Now
Pechakucha From Birth Till Now
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What we do:
Every team member has created a Pechakucha presentation (20 slides, 20 seconds each) to share their design story on what has framed their point-of-view in the world.
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Why we do it:
Through stories and share outs, we build empathy and better appreciate the diversity of perspective, skill and professional experience the team has. Plus, more tangibly, improve storytelling and public speaking skills.
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What we found works:
Give flexibility in the story team members want to tell - some will be personal while others professional. Give adequate time in scheduling for people to prepare. Record the presentations for new team members to learn when joining,
It’s the little things that add up to creating meaningful change in our team culture. Through design rituals, big or small, we ensure the team is supported in ways that allow them to reach their full potential as designers.
Website photoblog created by
Anthony Jakubiak, Design Director at SAP Design Design & Co-Innovation Center
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In collaboration with
Janaki Kumar, VP, Head of SAP Design & Co-Innovation Center
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Special thank you to
the entire SAP Design & Co-Innovation team for testing
these rituals and always willingly taking a part of our
experiments to collaboratively build our team culture.
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