Melanie Aycock | MADesigns

Bold Brands. MAD Designs. Happy Cows. www.melanieaycockdesigns.com

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Final Reflections

As I submit my final project for the semester, I can't help but think how much my idea of "design leadership" has evolved over the semester. Compiling and editing my writing from throughout the semester has made me realize just how fuzzy my understanding of the concept really was. My earlier projects were filled with buzzwords and vague filler content, as I was clearly trying to grasp the "essence" of design leadership. While there are a lot of esoteric concepts and "word words" that compose design leadership, its a lot more concrete than my earlier self seemed to realize. Here's my take at a non-BS summary I'd give my earlier self:

"Design" is not making something pretty. It's another word for "plan" or "strategy."

"Leadership" is not (merely) "management." It's a matter of taking ownership of your work and assuming its consequences.

"Parameters" are just your limitations for the project. They're pretty obvious—no need to search for them.

Putting a "stake in the ground" is merely working with integrity. Define your values and don't cross them.

"Responsibility" is just sticking to the aforementioned values.

Tumblr is arguably the worst social media platform (yes—even compared to X) and should have died in 2014.

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Becoming A Design Leader

This article summed up everything we learned in our Design Leadership course this semester. Particularly this quote:

"UX leaders don’t work like individual contributors. They don’t wait for an assignment. Instead, they look for projects where they can add the most value. And they start working on them."

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Ethnography for Good

Talk about true empathetic, human-centered thinking! When this writer volunteered at a food bank with one of her clients this holiday season, she conducted an ethnographic observation to determine which items are best to donate. Her findings certainly inspired me to donate more frequently and strategically in the future:

Simple: Things that don't need a lot of other ingredients to prepare are very popular (i.e. canned corn).

Pricier: The more expensive and easier to prepare products are the more prized (i.e. pasta sauce, peanut butter, canned soup, canned vegetables, tuna and salmon, granola bars, cereal)

Not just food: Hygiene items were very popular, particularly the higher quality soaps and shampoos.

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RESPONSIBILITY PRACTITIONERS 2/2

Birdy Grey

Birdy Grey is another great example of a company giving back to its community. They offer high-quality bridesmaid dresses at an affordable price, and they are committed to ethical and sustainable practices. They also give back to the community by partnering with the Princess Project to donate prom dresses to young women in need. Read more about their mission here.

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RESPONSIBILITY PRACTITIONERS 1/2

Warby Parker Glasses

Warby Parker is a company that is doing good for its customers and community at large. They sell high-quality, better-looking prescription eyewear at a fraction of the going price. They also believe that everyone has the right to see, so they work with a handful of partners worldwide to ensure that for every pair of glasses sold, a pair is distributed to someone in need. To date, over 15 million pairs of glasses have been distributed through their Buy a Pair, Give a Pair program. As I advance in my career in design, I hope to find creative ways to give back to my community with my skillset.

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WEAK STAKES 2/2

Pepsi

Even after six years, few have forgotten the infamous Kendall Jenner-Pepsi ad and its ensuing controversy. In a weak attempt to promote unity and peace, Pepsi aired an ad that ultimately trivialized the Black Lives Matter protests to sell their products. The corporation clearly misunderstood the strife of the protestors and to this day has suffered in the court of public opinion. Read more here.

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WEAK STAKES 1/2

Bud Light

An unforgettable example of putting a weak stake in the ground was the Bud Light-Dylan Mulvaney fiasco of 2023. It all started in April when Dylan Mulvaney posted a video promoting the Bud Light March Madness giveaway with the personalized tallboy beer the company sent to her. In an attempt to break from its "fratty" stereotype and attract a younger audience, the VP of Marketing was trying to rebrand the beer as "more inclusive." The plan backfired as many conservatives called for a boycott, ultimately causing Anheuser-Busch Inbev revenue to plummet by 13.5% in the U.S. during the July-September period. What's worse is that the company did not support the influencer in the midst of the backlash, exposing their motives as purely profit-seeking—not out of alliance with the LGBTQIA+ community.

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STRONG STAKES 2/2

For Days

The fashion industry is broken, and For Days is leading the charge to fix it. As fashion industry mavens, founders Kristy Caylor and Mary Saunders were seeing first hand the effects of fast fashion: growing landfills. That's why they put a stake in the ground and started For Days. For Days is the first circular fashion brand: everything produced is organic, non-toxic, and can be recycled into new fabric. Completing the circle, For Days also collects, sorts, and recycles used garments through its take back bag. Read more about For Day's story and methods here.

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STRONG STAKES 1/2

Sunny Coffee Co.

Josh and Heather Weiss have a passion for Christ, community, and coffee; and they love to combine the three by hosting bible studies over coffee. But they had a problem: they felt that their money spent at most coffee shops were going to causes and organizations that contradicted their values. So they put a stake in the ground as the foundation for their own coffee company. Read more about Sunny Coffee Co.'s story here.

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WHEN CULTURE ISN'T KING 3/3

Cultural parameters are the shared values, beliefs, and norms of a particular group of people. They are essentially the "rules of the game" for how to behave in society, and should therefore be honored when possible. Unfortunately, though, culture isn't always king. When outdated cultural norms cross moral boundaries, they need to be broken. Here are some examples of when culture isn't king:

Racial Discrimination

In our increasingly globalized world, racial discrimination is a universal parameter that must be fought despite cultural norms.

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WHEN CULTURE ISN'T KING 2/3

Cultural parameters are the shared values, beliefs, and norms of a particular group of people. They are essentially the "rules of the game" for how to behave in society, and should therefore be honored when possible. Unfortunately, though, culture isn't always king. When outdated cultural norms cross moral boundaries, they need to be broken. Here are some examples of when culture isn't king:

Gender Inequality

"About four-in-ten working women (42%) in the United States say they have faced discrimination on the job because of their gender. They report a broad array of personal experiences, ranging from earning less than male counterparts for doing the same job to being passed over for important assignments, according to a new analysis of Pew Research Center survey data." - Pew Research Center

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WHEN CULTURE ISN'T KING 1/3

Cultural parameters are the shared values, beliefs, and norms of a particular group of people. They are essentially the "rules of the game" for how to behave in society, and should therefore be honored when possible. Unfortunately, though, culture isn't always king. When outdated cultural norms cross moral boundaries, they need to be broken. Here are some examples of when culture isn't king:

Social Castes

"Dalits, or those born into marginalized castes in India’s rigid hierarchies, have faced violence and oppression on the subcontinent for thousands of years. Though the system is now illegal in India, its impacts are still far-reaching and can manifest in every aspect of life. With the growing Indian diaspora in the U.S., the system has been brought to a new continent." - NBC News

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LEVERAGING PARAMETERS 2/2

Canva

Melanie Perkins founded Canva, a universal design platform valued at $40 billion, out of seemingly insurmountable parameters. She was a 19-year old Australian with no Silicon Valley connections or technical background. But her vision for an intuitive design platform that could give anyone the power of design was ultimately realized as she leveraged those parameters rather than viewing them as roadblocks. Read more about her success story here.

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LEVERAGING PARAMETERS 1/2

Figma

Figma—a collaborative design tool start-up that Adobe bought last year for $20 billion—was born out of a diversion caused by parameters. When founder Dylan Field set out to build the company, his focus was on drones. In his application for the Theil Fellowship program, he wrote, "I am going to change the world by creating a better software for UAVs." However, his friend and cofounder Evan Wallace eventually convinced him to shift directions from the drone space since they “couldn’t come up with a drone idea that didn’t hurt people or violate their privacy.” This apparent roadblock ultimately became a helpful parameter that allowed the founders to build a bold new tool that transformed the collaborative design process. Read more about the start-up's story here.

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AWE-INSPIRING DESIGN SOLUTIONS 3/3

Chartres Cathedral

This Gothic masterpiece in France stands as a symbol of medieval craftsmanship and religious devotion. Its soaring stained-glass windows, intricate sculptures, and harmonious proportions create a transcendent atmosphere that inspires awe and contemplation.

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AWE-INSPIRING DESIGN SOLUTIONS 2/3

Angkor Wat

This sprawling temple complex in Cambodia represents the pinnacle of Khmer architecture, dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu. Its intricate bas-reliefs, towering towers, and vast courtyards create a mesmerizing space that reflects the grandeur of the Khmer Empire.

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AWE-INSPIRING DESIGN SOLUTIONS 1/3

The Sistine Chapel

This awe-inspiring masterpiece of Renaissance art and architecture exemplifies the power of design to evoke emotions, inspire spirituality, and leave a lasting cultural legacy.