Managing Design Debt does not have to be reactive - limited to auditing and paying it off. The real value lies in using Design Debt to create strategic advantages for the company regarding innovation, escaping linear growth, and conducting experiments. This workshop teaches about how to take your organization to the next level by creating a business case for working on Design Debt and persuading others to buy into your vision.

In addition to absorbing the theoretical knowledge, participants will practice by creating a business case for the real-life Design Debt project. They will need to win their team, convince the management and prepare to get the executive buy-in. They will learn how to overcome the most common objections and lead with the purpose of seeing your Design Debt project succeed.

Topics covered:

• Intro to Design Debt - definition, types, measuring, paying off
• The ROI (Return on Investment) of managing Design Debt
• Getting the buy-in for the Design Debt project and overcoming common objections
• Creating a business case for managing Design Debt
• Using Design Debt Strategically - processes and rituals that support innovation??

Exercises:

• Creating a business case for a real-life Design Debt project - Participants will work in small groups to prepare for the discussion about the Design Debt project's needs, benefits, and ROI. That materialwill be used as a base for the following exercise.
• Getting the buy-in from Design Team, Management, and Executives - We will split into groups representing the Design Debt project lead, their peers, management, and executives. The discussion between all these parties will mimic a real-life environment and require all the groups to defend their interests and respond to questions.
• Overcoming common objections - participants will work in small groups to prepare arguments they can use against the most common objections your teammates and management raises when discussing the initiatives related to Design Debt.

Key takeaways:

• How to explain the ROI on managing Design Debt in order to secure resources for the initiative
• How to get the leadership buy-in by making the business case for managing Design Debt
• Learn how to start using Design Debt strategically to create a competitive advantage for the product

Requirements for attending: None, no laptops needed. Participants can get familiar with the topic of Design Debt beforehand by reading materials on the Design Debt 101 website (not required).