In reality, it doesn’t matter what type of product your team is trying to design, whether it is a circuit board or some other product completely unrelated to technology. Leading your team design to success is really about following the proper steps, as we will discover.
Majoring Team Design Success
1. Change Up How You Speak to the Team
One of the first steps you can take in helping to make sure the team design is a success is to change how you speak to your employees. Rather than harping on at them about building a successful design, change it up and talk about how important their contributions are to the success of the company. Empower them and let them know that their problem-solving skills and experience are what make the company as great as it is. By changing the way you speak to employees, they will be going into the project with a positive mindset. They will be determined to succeed.
2. Encourage Employees to Come to You with Questions and Problems
Your team should never be afraid to come to you and talk about issues they may be facing. By being honest and keeping you in the loop, you can then work on the problems and pitfalls together and come up with solutions that solve the problem. The days of fearing the boss are long gone, as that kind of dictatorship environment really wasn’t beneficial to anyone.
3. Provide the Team with the Tools They Need
This one seems like a simple step but often is overlooked. Your design team needs access to the latest tools that ensure they can bring their designs to life. The PCB Document Viewer from Altium is an excellent example of the kind of design tool that helps set everyone up for success, as it provides a way for designers to cross-probe between schematic and PCB documents.
4. Encourage Innovation and Out-of-the-Box Thinking
Some of the best designs out there are the ones that stem from an innovative out-of-the-box type of idea. This is why encouraging brainstorming sessions is a good idea to let the team know their ideas are welcomed and valued. These innovative ideas will be the ones that stand out and help your company to pull ahead of the competition.
5. Toss Out the Rules of Seniority
If your company is the type that feels seniority trumps skills and merit, then it’s time to change up the thinking. Just because a person has been in the company longer than another doesn’t mean their ideas are better. Everyone deserves equal attention, as you never know where that next great design will come from. There’s also the fact that the new person is usually the one that is working the hardest to get the attention of the boss and make their mark on the company’s success record.
