Design Executive Council (DXC), the premier membership network for corporate design executives, in partnership with product design and development platform Figma, today announced the unveiling of its inaugural white paper, Strategic Behaviors and Mindsets of Design Executives. Spearheaded by DXC Research, the business intelligence arm of DXC, the report delves into the evolving landscape of design’s intersection with business strategy and sheds light on the burgeoning influence of design leaders in executive roles within major corporations.
Strategic Behaviors and Mindsets of Design Executives showcases compelling data that reveals a significant uptick in the presence of design leadership within Fortune 1000 companies: approximately 5.3% of these corporations today boast a chief design executive, a 39% increase since 2022.
Featuring illuminating case studies and impactful stories from chief design officers and VPs of design with experience from industry giants that include Cisco, CNN, IBM, Target and Warner Music Group, the report underscores how these visionary executives are driving strategic innovation and driving business transformation.
Among the key findings are diverse achievements attributed to design leadership, including:
- Generating over $100 million in enterprise growth through design initiatives
- Increasing market share and fostering cultures of innovation within their organizations
- Elevating the role of design by presenting to boards of directors
- Spearheading digital transformations to meet evolving market demands
Each of these achievements represents a strategic leap forward for design leadership, demonstrating its pivotal role in driving business value and fostering competitive advantage.
Through detailed examples and insights into the leadership approaches that facilitated these successes, Strategic Behaviors and Mindsets of Design Executives equips design and business leaders with actionable insights to effectively navigate the evolving landscape.
"This research underscores the critical role of design in strategic leadership and company effectiveness," said Gordon Ching, DXC CEO and Founder. "It illustrates how design executives are partnering with a wide-range of cross-functional executives and demonstrating design's value across the company; within traditional areas of product development; and more broadly in customer experience, brand, sales and operations.”
As companies continue to recognize the strategic importance of design leadership, this white paper serves as a vital resource for those seeking to leverage design as a catalyst for innovation and growth.
Strategic Behaviors and Mindsets of Design Executives is available for complimentary download here.