Repositioning Product Design as a Strategic Function

France.tv’s design team was historically positioned as a visual execution unit—producing UI after product decisions were made. I led a strategic shift to reposition design as a core function, integrated from discovery through delivery. This included redefining the role of product design, introducing new collaboration models, and establishing rituals and structures that aligned design with product and engineering.

Context

At the time, the design team operated in a siloed, reactive model:

  • Designers were brought in late—after product and business decisions were already made
  • Collaboration with product managers, developers, and business stakeholders was minimal
  • Design was seen as a service layer, not a strategic function

This led to:

  • Weak alignment with business goals
  • Limited ownership of product outcomes
  • Missed opportunities for user-centered innovation

The Vision: Redefining the Role of Product Design

To shift this dynamic, I introduced a clear, strategic vision to evolve the team from UI execution to product partnership.

The new identity of Product Design at France.tv was built on four pillars:

  1. UX Strategy → Understand user needs, friction points, and behavior—not just design screens
  2. UI Craft → Maintain visual excellence and accessibility across all platforms
  3. Product Collaboration → Partner with POs and PMs to influence priorities and co-own roadmaps
  4. Business Alignment → Tie design outcomes to measurable business impact

This vision positioned design as a driver of value at the intersection of user needs, technical feasibility, and business strategy.

Changing What It Means to Be a Product Designer

To support this new vision, I redefined the responsibilities of a Product Designer at France.tv:

  • Lead solution exploration during the 4D process (Discover, Define, Design, Deliver)
  • Develop user-centered solutions from EPICs, balancing product goals and technical constraints
  • Collaborate early and often with developers and product owners
  • Actively contribute to decision-making from the earliest phases—not just execution

Team Structure & Collaboration Model

To embed this mindset, I worked with design leadership to reshape collaboration across teams:

  • Cross-Platform Ownership → Designers could lead initiatives spanning web, mobile, and TV
  • Discovery Involvement → Designers joined product teams from the Definition phase onward
  • Functional vs. Device-Based Teams → We assessed and evolved how designers were assigned to increase effectiveness
  • Epic-Based Planning → Designers participated in Epic shaping to plan their design work proactively

Key Actions Taken to Implement This ChangeImplementation Tactics

This shift wasn’t just philosophical—it was operationalized through specific changes:

  • Cross-Functional Retrospectives → Established post-PI rituals to improve collaboration with devs (see separate case study)
  • Figma File Governance → Reorganized Figma to support collaborative, cross-functional design
  • Daily Product-Design Touchpoints → Ensured ongoing alignment with dev teams
  • Stakeholder Collaboration Guidelines → Introduced governance for how and when designers engage with product and business teams

The Outcome: A Fully Integrated Product Design Team

As a result of this transformation:

  • Designers became part of strategic planning, not just delivery
  • Design was present earlier in the process—improving alignment and reducing rework
  • Collaboration with engineering became more fluid and effective
  • The team evolved into a strategic Product Design organization with clear ownership and cross-functional visibility

Why It Matters

This shift helped France.tv move from a reactive delivery model to a mature, integrated product organization, where design now plays a central role in shaping user and business outcomes.

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