DX Perspective: Moving Beyond Execution, The Work of Art, and Goodbye GPT
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 Costs of Not Integrating Design: Why Investing in Design Expertise Saves Money in the Long Run
It’s surprising how often hidden business costs tie back to design oversight. Many execs treat design as optional, but brand missteps and product recalls show that skimping on integrated design leads to bigger issues down the line. Thoughtful design isn’t just “nice-to-have”... it’s essential.Moving Beyond Execution — The Evolution to Strategic Design Leadership
Ever wondered what separates tactical design leaders from strategic visionaries? It’s more than just experience — it’s about influencing beyond your team and driving business-wide impact.
What I'm watching + listening to
Henry Modisett (Perplexity) – Conversations on Quality
Henry Modisett, Head of Design at Perplexity, highlights the importance of fast iteration and the qualities he looks for in his team.
What I'm reading
The Work of Art: How Something Comes from Nothing by Adam Moss
What is the work of art? In this guided tour inside the artist’s head, Adam Moss traces the evolution of transcendent novels, paintings, jokes, movies, songs, and more. Weaving conversations with some of the most accomplished artists of our time together with the journal entries, napkin doodles, and sketches that were their tools, Moss breaks down the work—the tortuous paths and artistic decisions—that led to great art.
Emerging Tech
Goodbye, GPT. Hello, Reasoning ‘O’
The pace of improvement of GPTs is slowing down, with new details about the development of Orion, the next big GPT. And now that OpenAI has the ability to bake reasoning into GPTs such as Orion, it may start branding these models as part of the “o” family.
Tools and Resources
My recent articles
Leading Beyond Authority: The Power of Influence in Design Leadership
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
Scaling Quality: 4 Steps To Foster A Culture Of Empowerment And Accountability For Design Excellence
🔈 Design Leadership at Scale
Whether you're a design leader refining your path or preparing for an executive role, Design Leadership at Scale courses are designed to equip you (and your team) with the skills, strategies, and insights needed to thrive in today's evolving landscape.
Design Leadership at Scale: Executive
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.
🗓️ Dec 9–19
Design Leadership at Scale: Career Strategy
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.
🗓️ Jan 11–12, 2025
Design Leadership at Scale: Operations
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.
🗓️ Jan 28–Feb 6, 2025
🗓️ Feb 4–13, 2025
Design Leadership at Scale: 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.
🗓️ Feb 10–20, 2025
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