Articulating Design Decisions book club questions

1. 1.

   Greever argues that design communication is part of the designer's core competency, not a separate skill. Do the design programs and workplaces you know treat it that way?

2. 2.

   Think of a time you made a sound design decision that was overruled by a stakeholder. Using Greever's framework, what might you have done differently in that conversation?

3. 3.

   He distinguishes between a stakeholder's stated objection and their actual concern. Can you think of an example from your own experience where those were different things?

4. 4.

   The HiPPO problem — senior authority overriding considered judgment — exists in most organizations. What strategies beyond the ones Greever offers have you found useful?

5. 5.

   Greever says the goal of a design review is not to leave with your design unchanged. Is that framing empowering or demoralizing to you?

6. 6.

   He offers specific language for common situations. Did any of the scripts he provides feel natural to use, or do they feel like scripts that would be obvious to the listener?

7. 7.

   The book is focused on digital product design. How much of the framework transfers to other types of design work — graphic design, architecture, industrial design?

8. 8.

   Research and data are presented as useful but insufficient for persuasion. What makes some data presentations persuasive and others irrelevant in your experience?

9. 9.

   How do you currently prepare for a design review? Does Greever's approach change anything about that preparation?

10. 10.

    He argues that treating stakeholder conversations as adversarial is a losing strategy regardless of who is right. Do you agree, or are there situations where you need to hold a position firmly?

11. 11.

    What's the hardest type of stakeholder feedback for you to handle well? Does the book give you a better approach for that specific situation?

How to run the discussion

• Pick six to eight, not all of them. An hour of real discussion covers fewer questions than anyone expects, and racing the list is what makes a book club feel like homework.
• Open with what people noticed, not what they concluded. Asking for a verdict first hardens opinions before anyone has heard each other.
• Let the disagreement run. The questions below that split a room are the ones worth the time; the ones everyone answers the same way can be skipped.
• Ask the quiet person a specific question. A direct, narrow question is far easier to answer than an open invitation to contribute.