Starting with Clarity
Listen up.
“Without a vision, your team may work hard, but their efforts will lack focus and alignment”
“A great vision inspires ambition, fosters creativity, and sets the tone for collaboration”
“Repeated exposure to a vision helps teams internalize and align with it”
A team without a vision is like a ship without a compass
Before embarking on any journey, you need a purpose, a clear destination that guides every decision and effort. Let’s explore why crafting a vision is the most critical step in building a high-impact design team.
Why Vision Matters
Picture this: you’re setting off on a road trip, but you don’t know where you’re going. Sure, you might cover a lot of ground, but you’ll also burn time, energy, and resources without a clear destination. The same principle applies to design teams. Without a vision, your team may work hard, but their efforts will lack focus and alignment.
A vision isn’t just a motivational statement, it’s the foundation of your team’s identity and purpose. It’s what ties day-to-day tasks to a greater goal, ensuring that every designer understands not just what they’re doing, but why it matters. When done right, a vision transforms a group of individuals into a cohesive, driven team.
The Power of a Strong Vision
Research consistently shows that teams with a clear vision are more engaged, innovative, and productive. A strong vision doesn’t just guide decision-making; it also attracts and retains top talent. Designers aren’t looking for just another job—they want to solve meaningful problems that align with their values and ambitions.
Consider Amazon’s vision: “To be Earth’s most customer-centric company”. This statement drives decisions at every level, uniting teams with a common, customer-focused purpose. Similarly, Apple’s vision, “To make the best products on earth, and to leave the world better than we found it,” emphasizes innovation and responsibility, inspiring designers to create products that aren’t just functional but transformative. Such statements resonate deeply with people who want to create impact, not just deliver features.
How to Define Your Vision
◎ Define Your ‘Why’
Begin by asking yourself: Why does your team exist? What purpose does it serve within the organization? A strong vision is always rooted in the ‘why,’ connecting your team’s goals to the larger mission of the company.
For example, if your organization values innovation, your vision might focus on pushing the boundaries of user-centric solutions. If your company prioritizes sustainability, your team’s vision could emphasize creating eco-friendly and ethical design practices. The key is to make this purpose clear and meaningful, so your team feels aligned with a greater goal.
◎ Make It Inspiring
A vision should be more than a statement, it should be a rallying cry. Use language that energizes your team and sparks their imagination. A great vision inspires ambition, fosters creativity, and sets the tone for collaboration.
Think of it as a story your team can tell themselves: What future are they helping to build? For example, rather than saying, “We offer innovative accommodation services,” aim for something like, “We create a world where anyone can belong anywhere,” which is Airbnb’s mission statement. This kind of vision paints a compelling picture of impact and purpose, inspiring your team to rally behind a shared mission. The difference lies in its ability to motivate and unify.
◎ Share It Widely
A vision that isn’t communicated is a vision wasted. Make it a living, breathing part of your team culture by embedding it into everyday activities. Research shows that repeated exposure to a vision helps teams internalize and align with it.
Share your vision in onboarding sessions to set the tone for new hires. Revisit it during team meetings to keep it top of mind. Use it as a guiding principle in decision-making discussions, performance reviews, and even informal conversations. The more visible and integrated your vision, the more your team will embody it.
A well-communicated and continuously refined vision will serve as your team’s anchor. It will guide hiring decisions, align efforts, and drive meaningful impact.
Your action item: Craft your own vision
Now it’s your turn. Craft a one-sentence vision statement for your design team that is clear, bold, and actionable.
Start with clarity: What impact do you want your team to make?
Test for resonance: Share your draft with your team and stakeholders to gather feedback. Does it inspire? Does it reflect your team’s purpose
Refine and evolve: Use the feedback to strengthen your statement. Revisit it periodically as your team grows and your goals shift to keep it relevant and motivating.
