How might we streamline design request management to improve clarity, efficiency, and accountability in a fast-paced development environment?

Streamlining Design Requests

While working with the Scrum team and the Product Owner (PO), I identified a critical gap in the communication and tracking of design requests. The primary mode of communication was through Google Chat, where I would send screenshots of my updated designs and Zeplin links along with explanations. I also tagged the PO on Zeplin to notify them of updates. However, I noticed that these messages often got lost in the shuffle, leading to situations where the PO was either waiting for an update that had already been made or struggling to locate the most recent design.

Additionally, design requests were mostly communicated verbally during meetings, leading to forgotten requests or duplicate asks. In some cases, the PO would forget to ask for a design change altogether, or would request the same change multiple times because they weren’t always able to recall what had already been discussed or requested.

Realizing that this lack of clear documentation was slowing down the workflow, I decided to implement a more structured approach. I believed that all requests should be clearly documented so that the entire team would be aware of the request status, including when the request was made, its level of priority, expected completion time, and where to find the updated designs. This would eliminate confusion about whether a request had already been made or where to locate the latest design iteration.

creating a design request tracker

To ensure consistency and alignment with existing documentation, I first reviewed other team documents to maintain a common structure and style. From there, I modified the format to best fit the needs of tracking design requests efficiently.

The design request tracker I created was structured to provide clarity, accountability, and transparency across the team. It included the following key components:
• No. – A unique number for each request to make it easy to reference within the team.
• Request Details – A brief description of the request to ensure clarity on what needs to be addressed.
• Priority – Categorized as high, medium, or low to help prioritize tasks effectively.
• Queue – Lists ongoing requests in order, allowing the team to see which tasks will be handled next.
• Effort – Labeled as big, medium, or small to set expectations on the estimated workload.
• Proposed Date – Documents when the request was made, ensuring a clear timeline.
• Proposed By – Identifies the person who made the request, serving as a point of contact if further clarification is needed.
• Assigned To – Specifies who is responsible for working on the request.
• Status – Tracks the progress of the request (e.g., In Progress, Done, On Hold).
• Link – Provides direct access to the latest design in Zeplin, a Jira ticket, or any other relevant resources.
• Notes/Comments – A space for additional details, discussions, or clarifications related to the request.

By implementing this tracker, I introduced a structured approach that reduced miscommunication, duplicate requests, and delays, ensuring smoother collaboration between design and product teams.

Below is a sample of the design request tracker. This document was created to illustrate the concept and does not contain actual project data. View the full design request tracker here.

Creating Lasting Impact

The design request tracker was well received by the team, helping streamline communication and reduce confusion around design requests.

When the senior designer returned from leave, I provided a brief walkthrough of the design decision log I had maintained, ensuring he was up to date on the key choices made during his absence. I also handed off the design request tracker, explaining its purpose and how it addressed the communication challenges we had faced.

He was pleased to see the tracker, noting that he had encountered the same issues before. By proactively identifying and solving this problem, I was able to enhance team alignment and improve our workflow for both current and future design processes.

Before the design request tracker:

After the design request tracker:

Reflection

As a UX designer, collaborating with cross-functional teams and communicating effectively is just as important as the design work itself. Great design doesn’t happen in isolation—it requires strong teamwork and alignment.

‍Beyond designing interfaces, we also have a responsibility to foster team collaboration to ensure everything runs smoothly and as expected, without issues. When challenges arise—whether it's a communication gap, lack of documentation, or resource constraints—it’s crucial to approach them with a problem-solving mindset. By applying our creativity beyond just design, we can drive meaningful improvements that make the entire team more efficient and successful.