DX Perspective: Driving Performance, Emotional Design, and The Need For Foresight
Hi all!
Here’s your weekly dose of DX Perspective, a list of what I’m exploring and thinking about. Feel free to forward this along to friends.
kw picks
The Hidden Levers Behind Your KPIs: A Senior Leader's Guide to What Actually Drives Performance
As senior leaders, we constantly track KPIs that define business success - revenue growth, market share, customer acquisition costs. Yet in my work with leadership teams across industries, I've noticed that the most impactful drivers of these metrics often lie in unexpected places that traditional business analysis might miss.
“I don't think writing code will become a commodity because of AI, but I do think that as the elements of business that were once extremely hard, expensive and rare, become more accessible, the core drivers of value change.”
The Fine Line between Visionary and Delusional Leadership - NOBL
Instead of being the next "visionary" leader, become an "earned optimist" who balances imagination with evidence.
What I'm watching + listening to
The Secret Art of Micromanagement with Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky - Simon Sinek
I’ve watched Brian grow as a leader for years, and so I was delighted to sit down with him for a conversation on what people get wrong about great leadership. He shares with me the difference between micromanagement and “eyes on” leadership, why leaders should fight the instinct to be liked, and why an existential crisis is the best thing to put a company’s values to the test.
What I'm reading
Human-centred Design with Qin Li at fuseproject
“What if design could not only solve problems but transform lives from day one?” This question lies at the heart of fuseproject’s approach to design, where the goal is not just to create functional products, but to make people feel better, live more independently and wear their challenges with pride. For Qin Li, Vice President of Design at fuseproject, design is a powerful force for positive change.
Navigating the Fog by John Rousseau
The Need for Foresight. My intuition is that most organizations do not think about the future as often or as deeply as they should. Amidst widespread sentiment that long-term thinking is necessary and helpful, many leaders discount the future, preferring quantitative forecasts to speculative scenarios despite the fact that there are no future facts, only assumptions.
Emerging Tech
Apple’s new research robot takes a page from Pixar’s playbook
Last month, Apple offered up more insight into its consumer robotics work via a research paper that argues that traits like expressive movements are key to optimizing human-robot interaction. “Like most animals,” starts the report, “humans are highly sensitive to motion and subtle changes in movement.”
Tools and Resources
What We See - Future Today Institute
Downloaded more than 1 million times each year, FTI’s annual Tech Trends Report is a must-read for every industry.
Inside the Duolingo Company Handbook
A culture like Duolingo’s doesn’t come from some corporate playbook - it had to be built from scratch.
60fps – UI/UX design animation inspiration for mobile & web apps
My recent articles
Are You Actually Making Progress? How I Rewired My Weekly Reflection to Drive Real Impact
Strategic Design Leadership: Essential Questions for Design Executives
Fueling Innovation: How Design Leaders Drive Product Transformation
Moving Beyond Execution — The Evolution to Strategic Design Leadership
Decoding The Future: The Evolution Of Intelligent Interfaces
🔈 Design Leadership at Scale — Shape The Future of Business
DLS courses are built for design leaders ready to sharpen their strategy, expand their influence, and lead at the highest level. Whether you‘re mapping your next career move, strengthening design operations, or stepping into executive leadership, these programs give you the frameworks and insights to drive real impact.
DLS: Executive (Mar 24–Apr 3)
This advanced course is tailored for senior design leaders—Senior Directors, VPs, SVPs, and CDOs — who are ready to lead at the intersection of design, business strategy, and emerging technology. Dive deep into aligning design with business objectives, fostering product culture transformation, and building scalable operations that support innovation and growth.
DLS: Operations (Mar 18—27)
Scaling a design organization without compromising quality or culture is a challenge every design leader faces. This course equips senior and emerging design operations leaders with the tools to build robust infrastructure, optimize processes, and drive operational excellence. From talent development to systems that support rapid growth, this program is crafted for leaders ready to take their teams to the next level.
DLS: Career Strategy (May 17—18)
Your career journey deserves intention and strategy. This weekend immersive is designed for design leaders who are ready to map out their path, elevate their impact, and align their leadership trajectory with long-term goals. Whether refining your current role or preparing for new opportunities, you’ll gain actionable frameworks to craft a career that stands out in a competitive market.
DLS: Director+
Built for experienced design leaders ready to step up to executive roles, Director+ focuses on leading in complex, matrixed organizations, scaling your influence, and making high-impact decisions. This course will empower you to lead with clarity and confidence, bridging design with broader business goals to drive value across the organization.
And please give me feedback. Which bullet above is your favorite? What do you want more or less of? Other suggestions? Please let me know.
Have a great weekend.
— Rachel
Thanks for sharing my piece!