How to Showcase a Designer’s Value: From Decorator to Driver

John Heskett, a professor at Hong Kong Polytechnic University, proposed that a designer’s value can be divided into three layers:

Decorator (basic value) – ensures project progress and efficiency while making the product look good.

Distinguisher (core value) – drives the implementation of solutions and focuses on translating experience into tangible outcomes.

Driver (competitive value) – uses experience‑driven design to empower business, influencing overall product success.

In practice, the value of designers can be both evident and elusive. When designers understand business needs, industry trends, and product inputs, they can bridge commerce and users through information architecture, usability, streamlined interaction flows, and appealing visual design. By actively collaborating, influencing decisions, and conducting user research, they produce high‑quality design outcomes that clearly demonstrate their worth.

Conversely, quantifying design value is challenging. Large companies often demand measurable standards and processes—such as scoring user experience—to ensure consistent quality. However, design blends rational analysis with emotional insight and intersects many disciplines, making it difficult to isolate and evaluate with simple metrics. Treating design like a factory line would erase the very nuances that differentiate good from great user experiences.

This difficulty is especially pronounced in traditional enterprises. For example, an automotive firm may evaluate sales, production, and product teams with concrete KPIs, while a design team is judged only by the number of designs delivered, making its impact appear marginal despite its support across research, development, and sales.

Ultimately, designers must move beyond the “decorator” role and use design to drive products, empower business, and influence results—though achieving this visibility remains a significant challenge.