Align on principles for speed and impact
Every product team starts with excitement - the blank slate, the endless possibilities, the collective ambition to build something meaningful. But sooner or later, things get messy. Decisions become harder. Debates stretch longer. People pull in different directions, each carrying their own experiences, assumptions, and beliefs about what good design looks like. The unspoken rules that seemed fine in the beginning suddenly feel like cracks in the foundation.
That’s when teams realise: they never really agreed on how they make design decisions in the first place.
Defining design principles
A design strategy isn’t just about visual consistency or having a design system - it’s about the values that guide how teams make choices. It determines whether new features are shipped fast or refined over time, whether user onboarding is seamless or experimental, and whether innovation takes priority over reliability. These aren’t just design questions; they are business decisions. And when teams lack shared principles, every decision turns into a debate.
People’s viewpoints are often shaped by past experiences, which may not always align with the current business objectives or user expectations. While some argue for pushing updates quickly to keep momentum and iterate later, others believe every detail needs to be technically perfect. Without aligning on what matters most, teams risk designing in a way that contradicts business needs.
Justify your choices
Each product has its own DNA, shaped by its audience, market, and business goals. Here are some choices to think through:
Efficiency versus refinement
Do we build a lean MVP to test an idea quickly, or invest in high-end usability from the start? The answer depends on whether speed to market outweighs the risk of potentially poor first impressions.
Edge cases add another layer of complexity. Do we build for every possible scenario upfront, or launch with the essentials and refine based on real-world feedback? In regulated industries like finance or healthcare, the margin for error is small. But for consumer apps, getting too caught up in hypotheticals can slow down progress.
Predictability versus innovation
There’s the usual tension between established patterns and innovation. Do we go with familiar patterns or push bold innovations?
Some products gain trust by feeling familiar - sticking to well-known UI elements that users intuitively understand. Others differentiate by breaking conventions, creating fresh, standout experiences. Amazon, for instance, prioritises usability over aesthetics, maintaining a pretty cluttered but functional UI that prioritises conversions. Meanwhile, Airbnb invests in sleek, modern design to create a careless impression and build trust.
Consider your user base - do they value stability and predictability or are eager for fresh ideas and new possibilities?
Need for onboarding and what kind of?
From here it goes to adaptability versus structured onboarding - do our users need guidance, or will they naturally explore and adapt? Some products demand step-by-step walkthroughs, while others succeed by letting users dive right in. For example, TikTok requires minimal onboarding, while enterprise tools like Salesforce invest in comprehensive onboarding because their users need structured learning to handle complex workflows.
These questions shape not only how a product looks but how it evolves over time.
Create your playbook
None of these choices exist in isolation, and without alignment, teams risk getting stuck in endless back-and-forths. So how do product teams navigate these trade-offs efficiently?
Some teams hold dedicated workshops to define their core design principles upfront. Others document them in a ‘Design Strategy Playbook,’ creating a reference point for future debates. Decision-making frameworks even as simple as a simple pros-and-cons list can help clarify priorities.
Research from McKinsey suggests that companies with strong design principles outperform their competitors by 32% in revenue growth and 56% in shareholder returns.
And of course, principles should evolve. Revisiting them regularly ensures they stay relevant as the product grows.
At the heart of it all, aligning on design principles is about clarity. It gives teams a shared language, a way to move forward without getting caught in the weeds of every decision.
When business values and design decisions are in sync, product teams don’t just work faster - they build with purpose. Whether you’re creating the next disruptive app or refining a well-loved platform, knowing your design principles ensures every decision moves the product in the right direction.
