Stakeholders are users too

Moving into consultancy has fundamentally changed how I approach design.

As a design lead, my job is to make sure every project is covered from a design perspective — while working with individual contributors to get things done. That shift broadened my view of how design fits the bigger picture.

The biggest realization: business stakeholders are just as central to human-centered design as the end users. They also have problems they want to solve, and understanding their needs takes the same empathy and listening we use in user research.

In many ways, conversations with stakeholders are a form of user research. Interview them properly and you gain insights that don’t just shape design decisions — they shape the direction of the whole project and keep it aligned with the business goals.

What’s become clear is that design is about much more than delivering outputs. It’s about driving outcomes — orchestrating collaboration, aligning diverse perspectives, and making sure both user needs and business goals are met. That alignment is what leads to impactful, sustainable solutions.