Introduction
To evaluate each specialty and measure the quantity and quality of their operations, a key performance indicator is established especially for them. That is, every specialization should perform its activity in line with the defined indicators. For specialties that depend on numbers, it is easier to define a key indicator and measure it. For example, the organization’s sales team, which is dependent on the amount and number of product or service sales, has a more transparent key performance indicator and metric. In the case of specialties that are quality-oriented and the results of their efforts and works are defined over time and within other processes, Determining the key performance indicator (KPI) is a highly challenging task.
Designer performance
Before delving into the key responsibilities of a designer, it is essential to clarify the role, tasks, and responsibilities of a designer during the process of creating a service or product; Although there are several definitions of design in the world, each designer can tailor their main role based on the field of design specialization in which they are employed. Such as car designers, digital product designers, service designers, furniture designers, fashion designers, and packaging designers, all based on their industry and the process and company they are working in, key performance indicators can be defined for them.
But if we want to describe the performance of a designer in a basic way, regardless of the industry, we generally face the following:
1) Creativity and innovation
2) Ability to solve problems
3) Ability to analyze the problem
4) Ideation and the ability to implement it
5) Productivity and efficiency
6) Creating an experience for the user
Another important point is that having various design skills such as specialized software, workshop operations, the power of freehand design, modeling, etc., serves the things mentioned above, and none of them can be named as the main function of design and designer.
Another important point is that having various designer skills such as specialized software, workshop operations, the power of freehand design, modeling, etc., serves the things mentioned above, and none of them can be named as the main function of design and designer.
Designer in business
Designers, in addition to having the functions mentioned in the previous section and being measured based on them, should be able to know the demands and needs of their business and take steps accordingly.
For example, the importance and criteria of business competitiveness in different industries can be different. In the digital industry, the speed of creative response to customer and user needs is very important. Based on this speed, it is very important to improve, grow, and develop the product.
In the home appliance industry, the product’s lifespan, the beauty of the product, which meets the customer’s needs in the long term and can provide a sustainable solution based on the customer’s lifestyle, is important.
As a result, each designer needs to have a vital indicator regarding the company and sector they perform in. This indicates that it is generally impracticable to establish a universal indicator or set measure that applies to all designers throughout all industries.
Of course, it should be added that even two brands in the same industry can define different key indicators for designers based on their development and growth strategies.
Key Performance Indicator
According to the efficiency of a designer, the industry and policies of each brand can define the key performance indicator
1) The ability to diagnose the customer’s problem and needs
A- The number of problems and needs discovered from the market.
B- The number of creative answers for each problem.
C – Finding the right root of the problem.
D – Creating the right relationship between customer needs and organization operations.
2) Innovation and Creativity
A- The number of presented original ideas, solutions, and concepts.
B – The amount of innovation feedback from stakeholders.
C – The number of solved problems to make the product perform better.
3) Design project management in line with brand strategy
A – Adhering to the budget.
B – The number of launched projects.
C – The number of projects carried out based on the demands of the brand.
D – Alignment with the book brand.
4) Productivity and Efficiency
A – The time required to complete the project.
B – The number of projects that it provides in the specified period.
C – The amount of time needed to modify each idea.
D – The amount of involved resources to provide a solution.
5) Creating an experience for the user
A – Results of product usability test.
B- Customer satisfaction score.
C – NPS test when testing the product.
6) Implementation of the idea
A) Number of ideas that led to business growth.
B) Life of ideas in business.
7) The quality of the provided design
A- The customer’s feedback and his level of satisfaction typically inform you
B – Based on the framework and established design in each brand.
C – The number of designs produced in each season and day.
D – The number of repetitions of the intended design before the approval of the design manager.
As mentioned, a designer can obtain their key performance indicators (KPIs) from their design manager based on their specialization, industry, and business. In fact, each organization is responsible for developing its design strategy under a roadmap and dividing it into smaller projects for micro-design teams. Based on these projects, they can develop and collect KPIs for their designers.
By: Majid Ahmadi Khoshbakht
CEO of MAKH
