People are always arguing for data driven design, user centered design, emotional design, etc. but there's one kind of design that gets neglected far too often - stakeholder-based design. It has a bad name because employees generally don't like being told what to do (sigh) but it turns out that bosses got to be bosses for a reason. They're often right! Adopting stakeholder-based design has several benefits for your business and life, which I'll outline below.

First, let's be clear - stakeholder-based design means that the stakeholders in a project (generally, the people with the money or the power) have a say in the direction of the project. This doesn't mean that they get to dictate everything, but it does mean that their input should be weighed heavily when making decisions. Now, let's get to the reasons:

1. Stakeholders are often right about what users want

Even the most astute designers can overlook important design considerations. Giving stakeholders the freedom to use their own judgment to guide designers, rather than petitioning the design team to make all decisions, can help mitigate this issue. This may seem counterintuitive, but it's actually quite common. Stakeholders are usually closer to the users than designers are, and they often have a better understanding of what users need and want.

For example, if you have stakeholders who are doctors, then it’s likely that they will have a better idea of ​what​ a sick patient needs than you do. It’s important that your stakeholder interview team represent diverse backgrounds in terms of age, race, gender, severity of illness, socioeconomic status, language fluency, education level, work environment (home care vs. hospital), and so on​.

2. Stakeholders are usually more invested in the project

Because stakeholders have a say in the direction of the project, they're usually more invested in its success. This means that they're more likely to be supportive of the project and to provide resources that are necessary for its success.

For example, one stakeholder could volunteer to act as a community manager for the project, who is familiar with the culture of the community that the project is building a system for. They could also write blog posts, organize events or moderate forums. This adds much more value than the marginal cost of following the stakeholders every whim.

3. Stakeholders can provide valuable insights

Stakeholders can provide valuable insights into the users, the market, and the competition that designers might not be able to get on their own. This information can be invaluable in making sure that the project is successful.

For example, Stakeholders at Yahoo provide market insights when they present their company’s annual financial performance to design teams. This allows designers to see where the company’s strengths and weaknesses are in relation to competitors and to keep this analysis in mind when designing features for future products

4. Stakeholders have more resources ensure that the project is successful

Stakeholders often have more resources than designers. They can use these resources to help ensure that the project is successful. For example, they can provide funding for the project or they can provide resources that the designers need.

5. Stakeholders can provide valuable feedback

Since stakeholders are not on the design team, it frees them from the cognitive bias of sunk cost fallacy. It could be painful and demoralizing for a stakeholder to say "Actually, this project is not important, let cut our losses and move on to something else" after a quarter or two of swirl. Giving the stakeholder the power to over

6. Stakeholders decide if you get a promotion.

Creating a good product for your users is good, but getting promoted is great. Houses are expensive these days, and your users aren't likely to pitch in to a gofundme for your downpayment. Prioritize stakeholder feedback to keep your life on track.

7. Users often lack vision. Stakeholders do not.

Good stakeholders dare to be a maverick, challenging the status quo. If you ask your users what they want, they will just tell you they want faster horses! Stakeholders on average have a high IQ score. Steve Jobs was a stakeholder.

Overall, stakeholder-based design is a good idea because it can help to ensure that the project is successful. It's important to remember, though, that stakeholders should not be allowed to dictate everything. Designers should still have a say in the direction of the project and should be allowed to make decisions that they believe are in the best interest of the project.

This article is a parody, mostly written by AI using Sudowrite.

n.b. I found myself actually being persuaded a bit by the AI in this essay. It raises some good points!