Design Operations

What is Design Operations?

Design Operations (DesignOps) involves the systems, processes, and practices that enable design teams to work efficiently, maintain quality standards, and scale impact across organizations. It encompasses workflow optimization, tool management, team coordination, design system maintenance, and cross-functional collaboration that allows designers to focus on creative problem-solving rather than operational overhead.

This discipline includes project management, resource planning, quality assurance, team development, vendor management, and strategic planning specifically tailored to design team needs and organizational integration.

Design Operations in Product Organizations

Product managers work closely with design operations to ensure design resources align with product priorities while maintaining quality standards and efficient delivery across multiple projects and stakeholders.

Resource planning and project coordination

Design operations coordinates design resources across multiple product initiatives ensuring appropriate skill allocation while preventing designer overcommitment and burnout. This includes capacity planning, project prioritization, and timeline coordination.

Quality assurance and design system governance

Operations teams maintain design system consistency, coordinate reviews, and ensure quality standards across all design outputs. This prevents design debt and maintains user experience consistency across products and features.

Tool management and workflow optimization

Design operations selects, implements, and maintains design tools while optimizing workflows that enable designers to work efficiently. This includes software licensing, training, and process improvement based on team feedback.

Cross-functional integration and stakeholder management

Operations facilitates design team collaboration with engineering, product management, marketing, and other functions through clear processes, communication protocols, and shared tools that prevent miscommunication and delays.

Design Operations Tools and Technologies

Project management and coordination:

• Asana: Task management with design-focused templates and timeline coordination
• Monday.com: Visual project management with customizable workflows for design processes
• Notion: All-in-one workspace combining project management, documentation, and knowledge management
• Linear: Modern project management designed for design and development team coordination

Design collaboration and file management:

• Figma: Design tool with real-time collaboration and version control capabilities
• Abstract: Git-like version control specifically designed for design file management
• InVision: Design prototyping and collaboration platform with stakeholder feedback collection
• Zeplin: Design-to-development handoff tool with specification and asset generation

Design system and asset management:

• Storybook: Component documentation and testing platform for design system maintenance
• Chromatic: Visual testing and review platform for design system quality assurance
• Brand folder: Digital asset management specifically designed for brand and marketing materials
• Frontify: Brand management platform with guidelines and asset organization