Modelos de equipo de diseño

What is a design team model?

The structure of a design team is critical to the success of a project or an entire organization. The way the design team is organized directly affects the way they work, communicate and accomplish objectives. Currently, there are three main models: centralized, decentralized and mixed. Knowing these structures allows us to choose the one that best suits our organizational needs and goals.

How does the centralized model work?

In a centralized model, all designers belong to a single design team that is accountable to the entire organization. This central team is led by a person or group that makes administrative and resource management decisions, such as hiring new designers or purchasing software licenses.

Advantages of the centralized model:

• Full budget control within the design team.
• Ability to provide ongoing training to designers.
• Freedom to make internal team decisions.

Challenges of the centralized model:

• Possible leader saturation due to responsibility for multiple initiatives.
• Excessive concentration of responsibilities in one person.

What is the decentralized model?

The decentralized model transfers more responsibility to the product team over the design team. The product leader oversees budget and activity management issues, incorporating the design team in strategic decision making.

Benefits of the decentralized model:

• Increased participation in strategic project decisions.
• Increased trust between design and product teams.

Potential problems of the decentralized model:

• Lack of full visibility of the design process by the product leader.
• Lack of reuse of resources and solutions due to lack of communication between design teams on different products.

What is the mixed model and what makes it attractive?

This model combines the best of both worlds: a central design team coexists with several product teams. Both teams maintain constant and fluid communication, allowing the design to be responsive to both the center and the individual teams.

Advantages of the mixed model:

• Increased focus on team management and success, aligning design with specific product needs.
• Perception of design as a crucial and scalable element within the organization.
• Flexibility to adapt and evolve, meeting new demands.

Challenges of the mixed model:

• Possible confusion about who designers should report to: core team or product team.
• Need to establish clear communication rules from the beginning.

I invite you to reflect on which of these design team models would be the most appropriate for your current organization. Think about it and share your opinions and experiences in the comments of our class. See you in the next lesson to continue exploring how to build an effective team!