As design equally drives brand and growth as much as dedicated functions for such, there seems to be a pretty solid case for the Chief Design Officer. 3 reasons why you need one.

Design has fought long and hard to finally get a “seat at the table”. Being on par with other C suite executives, Design now has an instrumental role and influence in driving the (triple) bottom line, benefiting not just the profitability of a company, but also the social and environmental implications attached to such endeavors. Renowned Chief Design officers can be found at companies like Johnson & Johnson, 3M, Logitech, and PepsiCo, to name a few, sitting next to executive counterparts, such as Chief Technology Officer (CTO), Chief Innovation Officer (CINO), Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) and as of lately, the newcomer to the suite of executives, the (CGO) Chief Growth Officer. These executive counterparts are essential leaders next to the CEO & CFO. Although design seems to have earned it’s merits to have a seat at the table, this is not the case in many market leading companies.

Here’s is why I believe every company should ideally have a Chief Design Officer, in addition to or perhaps in lieu of additional complementary/competitive C-suite seats.

• Design leaders are the connectors across and within the business, understanding how the functions (aka silos) work and how to tie them all together to develop and deliver a seamless consumer experience. And in today’s commoditized marketplace, experiences are the key factor in what the market says (often with their dollars) about your products & services.
• Design leaders are the voice of the customer. While many marketers may scoff at this statement, designer’s sensibilities are to that of the user, not a demographic or generalization, but people. And they ensure co-creation in the development of products and services to uncover and drive design for people who (aspiringly) love and advocate the brand and their experience with.
• Design leaders truly have both the business and user at heart. While design will always advocate for the user and ensure to deliver the best possible experience, design leaders also ensure all design objectives directly support the business and brand objectives. A true team player.

Check out the full article: 3 reasons why every company needs a Chief Design Officer.