Erika Ibarra is a dynamic Senior Technical Architect based in our Monterrey, Mexico office, whose passion and versatility make her an invaluable asset to Perficient and our clients.
Her commitment to promoting teamwork and open communication shines through in every team she leads or supports, making her a pivotal force in driving both project success and a positive, inclusive work environment.

What Does Erika Do?

Erika wears many hats. She serves as Delivery Lead, Project Manager, Scrum Master, Business Analyst/Product Owner, and Line Manager. As a Subject Matter Expert, she provides strategic insights that ensure best practices across projects and teams. Her day-to-day is a blend of managing multiple projects across diverse industries, aligning project delivery with business goals, and adapting her role to meet project needs—from Business Analyst to Product Owner to Project Manager.

Leading Through Collaboration

Erika plays a pivotal role in the Agile Community in LATAM as part of its core team. Leading weekly core team meetings, organizing community sessions, and coaching Scrum and SAFe study groups, she fosters an environment of continuous learning and agile excellence. She contributes as part of the Line Manager Support Team, supporting leadership growth and improvement in Mexico.

Making a Difference

Whether mentoring colleagues, delivering projects, supporting social initiatives, or proposing architectural approaches to enable organizational change and drive clients’ digital transformation initiatives, Erika brings her full enthusiasm, empathy, and expertise to every interaction, ensuring clients and teams consistently receive value and support.

Proud Achievements

Erika’s proudest accomplishments include supporting and expanding the Agile Community from a local to a LATAM-wide initiative, and more recently supporting Leadership community integration “1+1 =3 “, and launching the Product Academy in Mexico to standardize and elevate team expertise.  She also played a pivotal role in developing the Line Manager Resource Center (LMRC), a centralized hub for leadership tools and knowledge, originated in Mexico and was later replicated across LATAM.

On a personal level, Erika treasures the family she has built and the support network that empowers her growth.

Living Perficient Values

If Erika had to pick one Perficient value that defines her, it’s People. She believes true success comes from individuals working together in safe, inclusive environments that foster innovation and collaboration, especially in an age where human experience remains paramount. As Erika puts it, “Even in the age of AI, our human experience remains our greatest value.” This belief underscores her commitment to creating spaces where everyone feels they belong and can contribute meaningfully.

Why She’s #ProudlyPerficient

Erika feels privileged to be part of a team where collaboration multiplies impact. “1 + 1 = 3” is her mantra, reflecting the power of working together to achieve more.

Advice to Women in Tech

Erika encourages everyone to define themselves and their impact, rather than letting others do it for them. For working moms, she highlights the power of time management, prioritization, and being experts at applying Parkinson’s Law, as well as being incredibly resourceful when supported by a strong network — all key factors to their success.

Outside of work, Erika enjoys quality time with her family—whether at the park, watching sports or Formula 1, going to the movies, or chauffeuring her busy teenagers. She also cherishes moments with friends over coffee or concerts and nurtures her creativity through reading, documentaries, and watercolor painting.

Erika’s journey at Perficient has been marked by growth and innovation. She values the company’s welcoming environment for new ideas and passionate collaboration among colleagues. Erika embodies Perficient’s spirit: versatile, collaborative, and people-centered. We’re proud to have her on our amazing team.

As Perficient continues to lead the world’s most admired brands through their unique AI-first digital transformation journeys, our focus on global collaboration remains at the heart of our success. For us, transformation isn’t just about adopting new technology. It’s about bringing together the right people with the right expertise, no matter where they are in the world, to solve real business challenges and create lasting impact. 

With locations across the U.S., Latin America, India, China, and Europe, our teams span continents but operate as one global team. By working across borders, time zones, and areas of expertise, we’re able to offer clients diverse perspectives, deeper industry knowledge, and faster paths to AI-driven innovation. This global mindset is woven into our culture and embedded in the way we approach every engagement. It’s how we ensure that our solutions are not only technically sound but also scalable and aligned with our clients’ long-term goals. 

“Global operations thrive on diversity—not just in skills but in perspectives. An inclusive, globally integrated team brings fresh ideas and insights that can be pivotal. We actively create environments where the diverse perspectives of each team member are valued, resulting in solutions that are culturally relevant and forward-thinking,” said Kevin Sheen, senior vice president, in a recent presentation to our Latin America (LatAm) team. 

READ MORE: Empowering Transformation Through Global Expertise 

At Perficient, global collaboration isn’t a strategy we aspire to—it’s how we work every day. Fueled by intention, transparency, and a shared commitment to excellence, our collaborative culture empowers us to drive AI innovation and boldly advance business in a constantly evolving world. 

In this first blog post of our series focused on Perficient’s collaborative culture, we are showcasing how our colleagues around the world are combining their expertise to fuel global growth and build the strong connections that drive our success. 

Our LatAm Team’s Global Impact 

One of the strongest examples of our global collaboration in action is the growth and evolution of our presence in Latin America. Perficient LatAm began as a small collection of regional offices but, over the years, has grown into a unified, strategically aligned operation that plays an integral role in our global delivery model. With offices across Colombia, Mexico, Uruguay, Argentina, and Chile, the LatAm team has built a shared foundation of delivery and recruitment processes. This strategic alignment didn’t happen overnight. It was driven by intentional leadership, cross-regional transparency, and a commitment to working as a unified team. 

In the past two years, our leaders across LatAm have served as key points of contact to more closely align their operations with our U.S. business units. “We began investing in more leadership to act as single points of contact,” said David Arango Gaviria, director, Colombia Sales. “Assigning leaders to our practices helped put us on the map. We are now more exposed to customer and sales processes through these granular interactions.” 

One example of this collaboration in action is our LatAm team’s work to support a global leader in the manufacturing industry. While the work originally focused on custom development, our LatAm teams quickly evolved to establish a dedicated commerce practice from the ground up, recruiting, training, and cross-skilling talent to meet the dynamic needs of the client. 

“The willingness and openness that everyone showed to building bootcamps, facilitating education, and cross-training was a true example of collaboration,” said David. Our LatAm team has also played a pivotal role in expanding global delivery capacity for clients in industries such as food production and healthcare, supporting complex transitions, integrating seamlessly with our U.S. and India teams, and fostering new ways of working. 

Our LatAm team’s impact goes beyond client work. They’ve been key to internal innovation, especially in building accelerators that improve how we deliver. A great example is the Quality Assurance (QA) AI Assistant, which started as a local idea and quickly became a global effort. As the use of AI in Quality Assurance (QA) became integral, our LatAm team proposed a tool to automate tasks like generating user stories and test cases. Their concept brought in collaborators from the U.S. and India, turning it into a cross-regional project. In just two months, the team launched a working, enterprise-ready solution. This is a clear example of how global collaboration speeds up delivery and creates real value for clients. 

LEARN MORE: Perficient’s Quality Assurance and Test Automation Services 

Perficient India: Building Global Connections Through Local Innovation 

Perficient India continues to play a key role in strengthening global collaboration by creating spaces for knowledge sharing, innovation, and alignment with global teams. Events across our Bangalore, Nagpur, Hyderabad, Pune, and Chennai offices are helping connect colleagues across practices and geographies. 

At Perfathon 2025 in Bangalore, six teams worked through real-world challenges in a two-day hackathon designed to encourage cross-functional thinking. “Perfathon was more than just a hackathon—it was a vibrant space for collaboration, creativity, and learning,” said Gomathy Raveena Nair, lead technical consultant, Bangalore.  

READ MORE: Perfathon 2025 – Hackathon at Perficient 

Recent visits from our U.S.-based Financial Services leaders have served as powerful practice-specific moments that continue to shape and strengthen global collaboration. Mangayarkarasi Rengasamy, senior business consultant, Chennai, shared how valuable these interactions have been for creating greater alignment: “We received encouraging feedback on our ongoing engagements, further solidifying our momentum. We engaged in thought-provoking brainstorming and exceptional teamwork. Looking ahead, we have an exciting roadmap of action items.” 

From technical meetups to leadership engagement, the India team is helping drive a more connected global culture.  

A Culture Built on Connection 

At Perficient, global collaboration isn’t just how we deliver. It’s how we grow, solve problems, and innovate together. Across every region and practice, we’re building a culture that empowers our people to actively seek out partnerships, align around shared goals, and bring their full expertise to the table.  

As John Vylasek, senior solutions strategist, Data & Analytics, said, “I’ve been leading global teams for many years, and the approach is consistent. Find the people who make the extra effort to communicate, align, and get things done. Whether they’re in Latin America, India, or anywhere else, those relationships are what make the work meaningful.” This level of connection and seamless global collaboration transforms good work into lasting impact. Global collaboration not only brings out results for our clients but truly defines the Perficient experience for our people. 

Whether through cross-regional delivery, AI-enabled innovation, or in-person engagement, our teams are united by a common mindset: we work better when we work together. Stay tuned for the next blog in this series, where we will explore how we fulfill our mission through collaboration. 

At Perficient, our Sales team is at the forefront of shaping the future of AI-first transformation for some of the world’s most innovative enterprises and admired brands. Our sales professionals serve as trusted advisors, strategic partners, and essential contributors to creating bold solutions that define who we are as a global digital consultancy. 

We offer a platform for sellers to directly impact major industries around the world, and the opportunities we offer here are boundless. Professional and personal growth starts at Perficient.  

What Sets Our Sales Team Apart?  

Perficient’s Sales team builds trusted partnerships with Fortune 500 and Global 2000 clients, helping them rethink, reimagine, and redefine their digital futures. We deliver solutions that move business forward by combining the entrepreneurial spirit and agility of a startup with the stability and reputation of an award-winning, AI-first global consultancy.  

READ MORE: Perficient Accelerates Growth for the Biggest Brands 

Another major advantage of being part of Perficient’s Sales team is the opportunity to sell alongside the biggest names in tech. We are elite partners of Adobe, Salesforce, Microsoft, AWS, and Google, among other industry-leading technology innovators. These partnerships bring great value to the conversations our sales teams have with clients, offering credibility, co-selling opportunities, and access to cutting-edge solutions. 

Our sellers receive the enablement and partner support they need to build strategic pipelines and close high-impact deals. At the same time, they gain the advantage of working on innovative solutions that go beyond the basics—integrating AI, data, and design in ways that truly differentiate our offerings in the market. 

“Perficient is a place where you can grow, it’s a very demanding environment but with hard work and success there is lots of opportunity,” said Jake Corn, account developer. “We have a real entrepreneurial culture; you are expected to own your own business but you have all of the resources to help you. Leadership will step in to help you out wherever needed.” 

LEARN MORE: Perficient’s Strategic Partnerships 

Culture Driven by Collaboration 

Our teams of skilled strategists and technologists around the world bring an unmatched level of dedication, drive, and passion in everything we do to boldly advance business. We are committed to building the future of AI and making a difference. These universal traits not only make Perficient a formidable force in the market, but they also contribute to a unique people experience. In fact, we’ve been named a USA Today Top Workplace for two years in a row, serving as a reflection of our commitment to building a people-first culture and positive employee experience. 

t for two years in a row, serving as a reflection of our commitment to building a people-first culture and positive employee experience. 

Perficient understands that it’s our people who make a difference, which is why we’ve made a promise to challenge, champion and celebrate our people through the Perficient People Promise. 

READ MORE: Unveiling the New Perficient People Promise 

As part of our people-first approach, our Growth for Everyone initiative drives continuous professional development with real pathways for advancement.  From leadership training and mentorship programs to enablement resources built specifically for sellers, we’re committed to helping you move forward—whether that’s into new markets, new roles, or new levels of impact. And because our Sales teams are embedded across industries and technologies, you’ll always be learning something new, surrounded by peers who are just as invested in your success as you are. Our sales professionals work side-by-side with delivery experts, technical consultants, and partner managers to shatter boundaries for our clients, ensuring they receive end-to-end support at every stage of the project. 

LEARN MORE: Shattering Boundaries with Perficient’s Digital Expertise and Global Strategy 

When you join Perficient, you’re joining a global team that’s forging the future, together. 

What We Look for in Sales Talent 

We’re always looking for curious, driven professionals who know how to open doors and build real relationships. If you’ve sold consulting or professional services before, and you enjoy connecting the dots between business needs and digital solutions, you’ll feel right at home here. 

Many of our sales roles involve working closely with clients in local markets, so having a strong network and staying informed about regional opportunities can be a significant advantage, especially for those focused on growing existing accounts. We’re also focusing on roles tied to specific technologies and would welcome those with a background in navigating the world of platforms like Adobe, Salesforce, Microsoft, or Oracle.  

Whether you’re stepping into your first consulting sales role or bringing years of experience to the table, you’ll find the support, mentorship, and growth opportunities to chart your own career path. 

Ready to be part of an AI-First, collaborative, and purpose-driven culture? 

Explore our open sales roles and take the next step in your career. 

Let’s be honest, code reviews can be tedious. You open a pull request, scroll through hundreds of lines, spot a couple of obvious issues, and approve. Then, two weeks later, a bug shows up in production… and it’s traced back to a line you skimmed over.

Sound familiar?

That’s exactly why I decided to try Qodo AI, an AI-powered code review assistant that promises to help you review smarter, not harder. And after two months of using, I can confidently say: Qodo AI is a game-changer.

This blog walks you through:

•  What Qodo AI is
•  How to use it effectively

What is Qodo AI?

Qodo AI is an intelligent assistant that plugs into your Git workflows and automatically reviews pull requests. But it’s not just a smarter linter. It goes beyond style rules and dives deep into:

• Bug-prone patterns
•  Missed test coverage
•  Security vulnerabilities
•  Code cleanup and refactoring suggestions
•  Best practice recommendations

It’s like having a seasoned engineer on your team who never gets tired, misses nothing, always explains why something needs fixing.

How to Use Qodo AI (Step-by-Step)

1. Connect Your Repo

Qodo integrates seamlessly with GitHub, GitLab, and Bitbucket. I connected it to my GitHub repo in under 5 minutes.

You can configure it to scan all branches or just specific PRs.

2. Open a PR and Watch It Work

Once a pull request is opened, Qodo jumps into action. It adds inline comments and a summary report—highlighting issues, test gaps, and suggestions.

3. Act on Insights, Collaboratively

What sets Qodo apart is how clear and contextual its suggestions are. You don’t get vague warnings—you get:

• A plain-language explanation
• The rationale behind the issue
• Suggested fixes or safer alternatives

Our developers started using Qodo’s comments as mini code lessons. Juniors appreciated the clarity; seniors appreciated the time saved.

Final Thoughts: Qodo AI is the Real Deal

We often talk about tools that “shift left” or “boost developer productivity.” Qodo AI delivers on both fronts. It’s a powerful, practical, and collaborative solution for any dev or QA team that wants to ship better code, faster.

Would I recommend it?

Absolutely—especially if:

• You want faster, smarter code reviews
• You care about test coverage and edge cases
• You’re working in a security-conscious industry
• You mentor junior developers or maintain high-stakes codebases

Qodo AI didn’t replace our code review process. It enhanced it.

Ready to give it a shot?
Visit https://qodo.ai to explore more. Let me know in comments if you try it—or already have.

The recent Tricentis India Partner Event was more than just a gathering of quality engineering professionals — it was a showcase of how intelligent testing, fueled by AI and automation, is redefining the way we think about software quality, speed, and resilience. We at Perficient take great pride in being part of this esteemed event.

As someone passionate about testing transformation, this event offered deep insights and future-forward perspectives that I believe every QA and engineering leader should be thinking about.

Embracing AI Across the Testing Lifecycle

The most exciting theme across sessions and demos was how AI is no longer an emerging trend in testing — it’s the new foundation.

Across the Tricentis product suite, AI is:

• Accelerating test creation and self-healing with tools like Tosca and Testim
• Enhancing test coverage analysis and enabling risk-based test optimization through Tricentis Test Intelligence (TTI)
• Powering smart impact analysis for SAP via LiveCompare
• Driving real-time performance diagnostics and dynamic test design in NeoLoad

The value? Faster test cycles, reduced maintenance, smarter prioritization, and improved release quality.

The Power of a Unified, AI-Enabled Suite

Each product in the Tricentis ecosystem serves a unique purpose, but together they create a unified, intelligent platform for end-to-end continuous testing:

• Tosca: Model-based, AI-powered automation for robust regression coverage
• Testim: Agile-friendly, low-code UI test automation
• NeoLoad: Scalable performance testing with real-time feedback
• qTest: Centralized test management with rich traceability
• LiveCompare: AI-based change impact analysis for SAP
• TTI: Machine learning that surfaces high-risk test cases dynamically

This AI-first approach is not only improving the effectiveness of testing, but also enabling teams to shift-left, test early, and release confidently.

Fireside Chat: Perspectives That Resonate

One of my favorite moments from the event was the Fireside Chat with testing experts. The conversation went beyond tools and tackled real challenges:

• How do we move from automation to true intelligence in testing?
• What’s the future role of QA in a world where AI generates, executes, and evaluates tests?
• How can we upskill our teams and bring them along on this transformation journey?

The insights shared by the panel were practical, strategic, and inspiring — a clear call to action for all of us to embrace change and lead innovation in our organizations.

From QA to Quality Engineering Leadership

This event validated a key belief I hold: Quality is no longer a checkpoint — it’s a capability.

As leaders, our role is shifting from testers to quality enablers, embedding intelligence, speed, and resilience across the software development lifecycle.

My Top 5 Takeaways:

1. AI is now essential — not optional — in modern testing
2. Comprehensive End-to-End Testing with Tricentis Tools
3. Unified platforms drive better visibility, traceability, and scalability
4. Performance and functional testing must move together, continuously
5. Risk-based testing using ML is the future of test prioritization

I’m incredibly thankful to the Tricentis team for curating such a powerful learning experience and for driving innovation across the testing landscape.

As we step into this AI-driven era of quality, I’m excited to apply these learnings and continue championing AI-led test transformation in every organization I touch.

Meet Erin Zapata, a Practice Director based in Chicago, Illinois, whose empowering leadership and commitment to professional development have made a difference for Perficient’s Microsoft Business Unit (BU). As a member of Perficient’s Women in Technology (WiT) Employee Resource Group (ERG), Erin is dedicated to creating a supportive and inclusive workplace that fosters meaningful connections. With her exceptional skills in team management and project delivery, she champions client success and encourages a collaborative spirit that inspires those around her.  

In this People of Perficient profile, we’ll explore Erin’s expertise, passion for continuous learning, and remarkable career journey over the past 13 years at Perficient. 

What is your role? Describe a typical day in the life.

I began my career with Perficient as a Senior Technical Consultant after a decade at a large consulting firm. Over the years, I progressed through various levels. About four years ago, I was promoted to Delivery Director. Most recently, I have taken on the role of Practice Director of Modern Work and Security. At each stage, I felt prepared and empowered to embrace new responsibilities, thanks to the invaluable lessons learned along the way. Every engagement, pursuit, and customer interaction has imparted knowledge that I carry forward into each new initiative. 

As a Practice Director, I have a handful of responsibilities in various areas. I work with my team to develop, modify, and execute the strategic vision for our Microsoft Modern Work and Security practices. I support with aligning the vision with business goals and market trends, while monitoring revenue and utilization. I oversee the project delivery of solutions, acting as a point of escalation for both internal and customer issues. From a team management perspective, I provide guidance to a team of skilled directors, consultants, architects, and developers. Lastly, I support pre-sales activities, collaborate with sales and marketing teams, and help pursuit teams through the sales cycle.  

How do you explain your job to family, friends, or children?

When asked, “What do you do?” I typically say, “I help our sales organization sell Microsoft solutions, and our team helps our customers roll out Microsoft capabilities like Teams and SharePoint to their organizations.”  

Whether big or small, how do you make a difference for our clients, colleagues, communities, or teams?

One of the most rewarding aspects of my role is fostering an environment where my team members can thrive. I am committed to ensuring that they are engaged in meaningful and enjoyable work, feel valued for their contributions, and receive the support they need to succeed. Their well-being and professional satisfaction are paramount, and I am dedicated to being their advocate. 

What are your proudest accomplishments, personally and professionally? Any milestone moments at Perficient?

Personally, my greatest achievement is undoubtedly my children, of whom I am immensely proud. Family is always my top priority, and their well-being and happiness are essential.  

Professionally, my most significant achievement was the successful delivery of an application for an exceptionally challenging project with 86 consultants in 11 different BUs. I am incredibly proud of our consultants for going live with this application. It was a remarkable demonstration of Perficient’s collaboration and dedication, which showcased our commitment to excellence even in the face of daunting circumstances. 

With Perficient’s mission statement in mind, why do we obsess over outcomes? 

Our mission to obsess over client outcomes is rooted in our commitment to excellence and our belief that our clients’ success is our success. 

READ MORE: Perficient Obsesses Over Client Outcomes to Drive Client Success 

What motivates you in your daily work?

I am inspired by the talent of our team and the collaborative environment we foster. The challenge of solving our customers’ complex problems keeps me engaged and passionate about what we’re accomplishing together. Knowing that our efforts make a meaningful difference for our clients drives my commitment each day. 

READ MORE: Perficient Colleagues Make a Difference 

What has your experience at Perficient taught you?

My experience at Perficient has taught me many valuable lessons, but two stand out. First, the importance of fostering a collaborative work environment where every team member feels valued and empowered, creating a positive workplace experience. Second, navigating complex challenges has taught me the significance of adaptability and maintaining a positive mindset.  

What advice would you give to colleagues who are starting their career with Perficient? 

My advice for new colleagues is to embrace continuous learning, stay curious, and ask questions. No one knows everything, and there are so many wonderful, bright people to learn from at Perficient who will help you grow in your career.  

Why are you #ProudlyPerficient?

I am #ProudlyPerficient because of our commitment to excellence and innovation, as well as the amazing people I work with who keep me motivated and positive. I stay here because I feel supported by my leadership, and my colleagues are invested in my growth.  

LEARN MORE: Perficient Fosters Growth for Everyone 

What’s something surprising people might not know about you or your background?

Many years ago, I was a nationally ranked figure skater. 

What are you passionate about outside of work? 

Outside of work, I am passionate about family and community. Right now, our family focus revolves around academics and sports. My sons play multiple sports, and my husband dedicates his time to serving on the board of a community youth sports organization and coaching our boys’ football teams. I love watching them play, be part of a team, thrive in school, and actively participate in our community. I make it a priority to never miss my kids’ sporting or school events. Being there for them is critical to achieving and feeling that work-life balance. 

SEE MORE PEOPLE OF PERFICIENT 

It’s no secret our success is because of our people. No matter the technology or time zone, our colleagues are committed to delivering innovative, end-to-end digital solutions for the world’s biggest brands, and we bring a collaborative spirit to every interaction. We’re always seeking the best and brightest to work with us. Join our team and experience a culture that challenges, champions, and celebrates our people. 

Learn more about what it’s like to work at Perficient at our Careers page. See open jobs or join our talent community for career tips, job openings, company updates, and more! 

Go inside Life at Perficient and connect with us on LinkedIn, YouTube, X, Facebook, and Instagram. 

Meet María Cortázar Ortigoza, Senior Marketing Coordinator, Colombia

María Cortázar Ortigoza is a dedicated leader on Perficient’s Corporate Marketing team, focused on promoting continuous growth for herself and her colleagues. Based in Cali, Colombia, María manages sales initiatives, creates marketing campaigns, and contributes to recruitment strategies.  

A self-motivated learner, María stays updated on marketing trends through social media research, informative YouTube videos, and Udemy courses. Over her four years at Perficient, she has embraced new responsibilities as opportunities for development. Continue reading to learn more about María’s career path, her collaborative growth, and her passion for dance.  

María’s Career Journey

As a Senior Marketing Coordinator, María excels at engaging diverse audiences and building connections. She enjoys collaborating with general managers in Latin America, sales teams, technical experts, and global colleagues.

“The people I work with are one of the reasons I wake up excited about my job every day. They are the most amazing people. Over the past four years at Perficient, I have made so many friends, not only from my city and country, but from different countries as well.”  

READ MORE: Fostering Meaningful Connections in a Global Workplace

Although María’s marketing career began just four years ago, her commitment to excellence has fueled her rapid growth. She holds a bachelor’s degree in international affairs and political science, which provided a strong foundation for pursuing a career in global communications. 

In 2021, she joined Perficient as a Marketing Specialist, focusing on rebranding initiatives and managing Perficient’s Latin America social media channels on LinkedIn and Instagram. Initially nervous, María soon recognized her potential within Perficient’s supportive culture.  

“I saw the opportunities that Perficient leadership gives us to grow. They provide all the tools we need to keep developing. The leaders I’ve had here at Perficient are awesome and some of the best people. I really value when others want to share their knowledge, and those are the kind of leaders I have.”

From the start, María felt empowered by her manager, Juliana Rua Burgos, who provided essential resources to enhance her marketing skills and encouraged collaboration by actively listening to her ideas. As she advanced in her role, María developed internal communications and organized events, all while benefiting from the expanding marketing team.  

“At the very beginning, it was really hard for me to work in a team. I used to work alone, so that’s one skill that I’ve been improving since working here. I’ve found that teamwork is one of the more valuable skills that I have.”

By embracing collaboration, María has built meaningful connections through recruitment marketing. She led initiatives to strengthen Perficient’s relationships with IT communities in Latin America, including visiting universities across Colombia to engage engineering students about internship opportunities. 

“I saw how we changed lives by sharing Perficient’s internship opportunities. I’ve seen people who started working here on the first day of their internships, and they’ve stayed at Perficient for the last three or four years. They’ve built a career here at Perficient just like I have. I’ve heard them say that they are really grateful that I went to their city, told them about Perficient, and gave them the opportunity to come here. It is amazing.”

Since the internship program, María has actively participated in various stages of the recruitment plan, making a significant impact. In 2022, she was promoted to Associate Marketing Coordinator and quickly advanced to Marketing Coordinator the following year, supporting Perficient’s sales initiatives and organizing speakers for forums showcasing our technical expertise.

By 2024, María became a Senior Marketing Coordinator. In this role, she embodies Perficient’s values every day through campaigns and projects that align with our vision, mission, culture, and community initiatives. Her commitment to continuous learning and collaboration empowers her to consistently exceed expectations.  

“I make a difference by giving my best every day and challenging myself to be a better person and a better professional. I always try to learn new things, apply this knowledge to the work that I do, and work collaboratively in a team. I always listen to our clients’ needs and use my knowledge to provide solutions.”  

READ MORE: Explore María’s Recent Perficient Blogs 

Dancing Her Way to Success: A Balanced Journey  

Throughout her career, Perficient has supported María in achieving her professional and personal goals. A significant milestone for her has been achieving a healthy work-life balance, which allows her to advance in her career while enjoying quality time with loved ones and pursuing her passion for dance. “I work in a company that gives me everything I need to have a good life,” said María.

With Perficient’s work-life balance, María has also thrived as a professional dancer. For the past 15 years, she has specialized in traditional Colombian dance styles, including salsa and folklore. Two years ago, she seized an exciting opportunity to embark on a month-long international dance tour, fulfilling a lifelong dream. When María shared her aspirations with Perficient, she received overwhelming support to pursue her passion, traveling to countries like Bulgaria and North Macedonia to showcase Colombia’s vibrant dance heritage. “I really appreciate that Perficient has always given me the opportunity to do something that I really love, which is dancing,” said María.  

READ MORE: How to Prioritize and Maintain Work-Life Balance   

María’s Career Advice 

María shared her top three pieces of career advice.

1. Learn English because it is really important when you want to apply at a company like Perficient and grow your career in Latin America. I feel like this was the thing that opened the door for me at Perficient.   
2. Be open to feedback, to fail, and to learn, because without that, you will never be able to grow.  
3. Do not be afraid to speak up and share your ideas. When I first started working at Perficient, I thought that people might not listen to me because of my experience level, but they valued my ideas and always took them into account.  

Cultivating Success Through Community and Collaboration 

From creating impactful marketing campaigns to dancing 12 hours a week, María is a shining example of the discipline and dedication needed to shatter boundaries and make a difference.  

“Working at a company where we do so many great things and where I feel like my work is valuable is what motivates me every single day.” 

Her commitment to excellence, combined with a growth mindset and passion for learning, has helped her forge meaningful connections across Perficient, driving her success.   

“I think that, as human beings, we always have to do things in community and cannot do things alone. Without my teammates and the people that work here, I wouldn’t be able to grow. I wouldn’t notice things that I’m missing or have people to teach me what I don’t know. The collaboration that I’ve seen with my colleagues every single day is what helps me grow not only as a professional, but also as a person. They are always there, teaching me and giving me feedback to continuously improve.” 

MORE ON GROWTH FOR EVERYONE  

Perficient continually looks for ways to champion and challenge our workforce, encourage personal and professional growth, and celebrate the unique culture created by the ambitious, brilliant, people-oriented team we have cultivated. These are their stories.   

Learn more about what it’s like to work at Perficient on our Careers page. Connect with us on  LinkedIn here. 

There´s no doubt that certifications can speed up and accelerate business growth in many ways. Of course, it´s not the only factor but certainly they play a big part in being a partner-certified consultancy like Perficient is. Certifications provide a reliable technical validation that demonstrates expertise. So, in a competitive market, when a client is looking for a high degree of skill or competence, certifications can contribute as a differentiator in the “big tech ecosystem” showing not only commitment to quality standards but also concern for keeping skills up to date.    

Surviving in the “big tech ecosystem”

In nature, the key to success in ecosystems is the interaction between the parts, linking them to balanced cycles where energy flows and nature flourishes.[1] Technology ecosystems are like natural ones, representing interconnected networks of platforms, applications, developers, partners, and users that collaborate to create greater value than any single part could achieve independently. As in nature, in today’s hyperconnected world, the most successful organizations cannot afford to be isolated. Interaction also is the key to success, leveraged by collaboration, integration and continuous evolution. At Perficient, we know exactly that real impact is always driven through connections among the parts, carefully cultivated to make the difference in the “big tech ecosystem”. Like living ecosystems, we maximize interaction knowing that technology ecosystems outstand whenever they work together so they can thrive on diversity, interdependence, and continuous adaptation.

Creating value through a virtuous cycle

A fundamental part of tech ecosystems is how expertise is being demonstrated. Certifications whenever they are aligned with business projections excel proficiency, elevating business across multiple dimensions to rocket fuel growth. At Perficient, we champion progress through our commitment to certification investments aligned with our market positioning and target client needs, not only because it represents growth for everyone, but also because it vouches our expertise. So, in this virtuous cycle, every time that a colleague takes a certification, value is added for all the parts in favor of the ecosystem.

Where true impact relies

As mentioned, certifications have a direct impact in multiple dimensions. They serve as market differentiators for better positioning when clients are evaluating options, highlighting unique advantages that contribute to standing out from competitors. They can also expand service offerings, as the knowledge gained by a certification leverage for new service lines or enhancing ones. Therefore, they open doors to new co-selling opportunities and accelerate sales cycles as capabilities are easy to verify. And if we´re talking about sales, they can definitely improve profit margins. They are also a powerful tool to help colleagues with upskilling and reskilling with a direct impact on their professional development and adaptability to the market, encouraging their willingness to accredit skills, continue learning and evolving with the industry. They boost professional growth, promoting the adherence of best industry practices through standardized methodologies, contributing to career advancement. Consequently, this conducts to operational excellence that has a direct effect on project outcomes creating consistent quality frameworks, reducing implementation variations, streamline solution development processes and rework costs.

Final Thoughts

Conclusively there´s no doubt that certifications rocket fuel growth for everyone. They play a significant role in tech ecosystems, whenever they are aligned with business projections, demonstrating expertise and acting as differentiators in the “big tech ecosystem”. Certifications not only speed up and accelerate business growth delivering substantial measurable value to clients creating exceptional business results but also have a direct impact on career development for colleagues. So, in the end they´re a win-win for everyone.

[1] Ecosystem – Wikipedia

The global business landscape is complex, and responsible design has emerged as a critical imperative for organizations across sectors. It represents a fundamental shift from viewing design merely as a creative output to recognizing it as an ethical responsibility embedded within institutional structures and processes

True transformation toward responsible design practices cannot be achieved through superficial initiatives or isolated projects. Rather, it requires deep institutional commitment—reshaping governance frameworks, decision-making processes, and organizational cultures to prioritize human dignity, social equity, and environmental stewardship.

This framework explores how institutions can move beyond performative gestures toward authentic integration of responsible design principles throughout their operations, creating systems that consistently produce outcomes aligned with broader societal values and planetary boundaries.

The Institutional Imperative

What is Responsible Design?

Responsible design is the deliberate creation of products, services, and systems that prioritize human wellbeing, social equity, and environmental sustainability. While individual designers often champion ethical approaches, meaningful and lasting change requires institutional transformation. This framework explores how organizations can systematically embed responsible design principles into their core structures, cultures, and everyday practices.

Why Institutions Matter

The imperative for responsible design within institutions stems from their unique position of influence. Institutions have extensive reach, making their design choices impactful at scale. They establish standards and expectations for design professionals, effectively shaping the future direction of the field. Moreover, integrating responsible design practices yields tangible benefits: enhanced reputation, stronger stakeholder relationships, and significantly reduced ethical and operational risks.

Purpose of This Framework

This article examines the essential components of responsible design, showcases institutions that have successfully implemented ethical design practices, and provides practical strategies for navigating the challenges of organizational transformation. By addressing these dimensions systematically, organizations can transcend isolated ethical initiatives to build environments where responsible design becomes the institutional default—creating cultures where ethical considerations are woven into every decision rather than treated as exceptional concerns.

Defining Responsible Design

Responsible design encompasses four interconnected dimensions: ethical consideration, inclusivity, sustainability, and accountability. These dimensions form a comprehensive framework for evaluating the ethical, social, and environmental implications of design decisions, ultimately ensuring that design practices contribute to a more just and sustainable world.

Interconnected Dimensions

These four dimensions function not as isolated concepts but as integrated facets of a holistic approach to responsible design. Ethical consideration must guide inclusive practices to ensure diverse stakeholder perspectives are genuinely valued and incorporated. Sustainability principles should drive robust accountability measures that minimize environmental harm while maximizing social benefit. By weaving these dimensions together throughout the design process, institutions can cultivate a design culture that authentically champions human wellbeing, social equity, and environmental stewardship in every project.

A Framework for the Future

This framework serves as both compass and blueprint, guiding institutions toward design practices that meaningfully contribute to a more equitable and sustainable future. When organizations fully embrace these dimensions of responsible design, they align their creative outputs with their deepest values, enhance their societal impact, and participate in addressing our most pressing collective challenges. The result is design that not only serves immediate business goals but also advances the greater good across communities and generations.

Ethical Consideration

Understanding Ethical Design

Ethical consideration: A thoughtful evaluation of implications across diverse stakeholders. This process demands a comprehensive assessment of how design decisions might impact various communities, particularly those who are vulnerable or historically overlooked. Responsible designers must look beyond intended outcomes to anticipate potential unintended consequences that could emerge from their work.

Creating Positive Social Impact

Beyond harm prevention, ethical consideration actively pursues opportunities for positive social impact. This might involve designing solutions that address pressing social challenges or leveraging design to foster inclusion and community empowerment. When institutions weave ethical considerations throughout their design process, they position themselves to contribute meaningfully to social equity and justice through their creations.

Implementation Strategies

Organizations can embed ethical consideration into their practices through several concrete approaches: establishing dedicated ethical review panels, conducting thorough stakeholder engagement sessions, and developing robust ethical design frameworks. By placing ethics at the center of design decision-making, institutions ensure their work not only reflects their core values but also advances collective wellbeing across society.

Inclusive Practices

Understanding Inclusive Design

Inclusive practices: Creating designs that meaningfully serve and represent all populations, particularly those historically marginalized. This approach demands that designers actively seek diverse perspectives, challenge their inherent biases, and develop solutions that transcend physical, cognitive, cultural, and socioeconomic barriers. By centering previously excluded voices, inclusive design creates more robust and universally beneficial outcomes.

Empowering Marginalized Communities

True inclusive design transcends mere accommodation—it fundamentally shifts power dynamics by elevating marginalized communities from subjects to co-creators. This transformation might involve establishing paid consulting opportunities for community experts, creating accessible design workshops in underserved neighborhoods, or forming equitable partnerships where decision-making authority is genuinely shared. When institutions embrace these collaborative approaches, they produce designs that authentically address community needs while building lasting relationships based on mutual respect and shared purpose.

Implementation Strategies

Organizations can systematically embed inclusive practices by recruiting design teams that reflect diverse lived experiences, conducting immersive community-based research with appropriate compensation for participants, and establishing measurable inclusive design standards with accountability mechanisms. By integrating these approaches throughout their processes, institutions not only create more accessible and equitable designs but also contribute to dismantling systemic barriers that have historically limited full participation in society.

Sustainability

Definition and Core Principles

Sustainability: Minimizing environmental impact and resource consumption across the entire design lifecycle. This comprehensive approach spans from raw material sourcing through to end-of-life disposal, challenging designers to eliminate waste, preserve natural resources, and significantly reduce pollution. Sustainable design necessitates careful consideration of long-term environmental consequences, including addressing critical challenges like climate change, habitat destruction, and biodiversity loss.

Beyond Harm Reduction

True sustainability transcends mere harm reduction to actively generate positive environmental outcomes. This transformative approach creates products and services that harness renewable energy, conserve vital water resources, or restore damaged ecosystems. When institutions fully embrace sustainability principles, they contribute meaningfully to environmental resilience and help foster regenerative systems that benefit both present and future generations.

Implementation Strategies

Organizations can embed sustainability through strategic, measurable approaches including rigorous lifecycle assessments, integrated eco-design methodologies, and significant investments in renewable energy infrastructure and waste reduction technologies. By elevating sustainability to a core organizational value, institutions can dramatically reduce their ecological footprint while simultaneously driving innovation and contributing to planetary health and wellbeing.

Accountability

Definition and Core Principles

Accountability: Taking ownership of both intended and unintended outcomes of design decisions. This principle demands establishing robust systems for monitoring and evaluating design impacts, along with mechanisms for corrective action when necessary. Accountable designers maintain transparency throughout their process, actively seek stakeholder feedback, and acknowledge responsibility for any negative consequences, even those that were unforeseen. This foundation of responsibility ensures designs serve their intended purpose while minimizing potential harm.

Learning and Growth

True accountability transcends mere acknowledgment of errors—it transforms mistakes into catalysts for improvement. This transformative process involves critically examining design failures, implementing process refinements, enhancing designer training, and establishing more comprehensive ethical frameworks. When institutions embrace accountability as a pathway to excellence rather than just a response to failure, they cultivate stakeholder trust while continuously elevating the quality and integrity of their design practices.

Implementation Strategies

Organizations can foster a culture of accountability by establishing well-defined responsibility chains, implementing comprehensive monitoring systems, and creating accessible channels for feedback and remediation. Effective implementation includes regular ethical audits, transparent reporting practices, and systematic incorporation of lessons learned. By prioritizing accountability at every organizational level, institutions ensure their designs consistently uphold ethical standards, promote inclusivity, and advance sustainability goals.

Case Study: Patagonia’s Environmental Responsibility

• Environmental Integration in Design: Patagonia has revolutionized responsible design by weaving environmental considerations into the fabric of its product development process. The company’s groundbreaking “Worn Wear” program—which actively encourages repair and reuse over replacement—emerged organically from the organization’s core values rather than as a response to market trends. Patagonia’s governance structure reinforces this commitment through rigorous environmental impact assessments at every design stage, ensuring sustainability remains central rather than peripheral to innovation.
• Sustainability Initiatives: Patagonia demonstrates unwavering environmental responsibility through comprehensive initiatives that permeate all aspects of their operations. The company has pioneered the use of recycled and organic materials in outdoor apparel, dramatically reduced water consumption through innovative manufacturing processes, and committed to donating 1% of sales to grassroots environmental organizations, a pledge that has generated over $140 million in grants to date. These initiatives represent the concrete manifestation of Patagonia’s mission rather than superficial corporate social responsibility efforts.
• Environmental Leadership as a Competitive Advantage: 
  Patagonia’s remarkable business success powerfully illustrates how environmental responsibility can create lasting competitive advantage in the marketplace. By elevating environmental considerations from afterthought to guiding principle, the company has cultivated a fiercely loyal customer base willing to pay premium prices for products aligned with their values. Patagonia’s approach has redefined industry standards for sustainable business practices, serving as a compelling case study for organizations seeking to integrate responsible design into their operational DNA while achieving exceptional business results.

Case Study: IDEO’s Human-Centered Evolution

• Organizational Restructuring: IDEO transformed from a traditional product design firm into a responsible design leader through deliberate organizational change. The company revolutionized its project teams by integrating ethicists and community representatives alongside designers, ensuring diverse perspectives influence every creation. Their acclaimed “Little Book of Design Ethics” now serves as the foundational document guiding all projects, while their established ethics review board rigorously evaluates proposals against comprehensive responsible design criteria before approval.
• Ethical Integration in Design Process: IDEO’s evolution exemplifies the critical importance of embedding ethical considerations throughout the design process. By incorporating ethicists and community advocates directly into project teams, the company ensures that marginalized voices are heard, and ethical principles shape all design decisions from conception to implementation. The “Little Book of Design Ethics” functions not simply as a reference manual but as a living framework that empowers designers to navigate complex ethical challenges with confidence and integrity.
• Cultural Transformation: IDEO’s remarkable journey demonstrates that responsible design demands a fundamental cultural shift within organizations. The company has cultivated an environment where ethical awareness and accountability are celebrated as core values rather than compliance requirements. By prioritizing human impact alongside business outcomes, IDEO has established itself as the preeminent leader in genuinely human-centered design. Their case offers actionable insights for institutions seeking to implement responsible design practices while maintaining innovation and market leadership.

Addressing Resistance to Change

Institutional transformation inevitably encounters resistance. Change disrupts established routines and challenges comfort zones, often triggering reactions ranging from subtle hesitation to outright opposition. Overcoming this resistance requires thoughtful planning, transparent communication, and meaningful stakeholder engagement throughout the process.

Why People Resist Change.

Resistance typically stems from several key factors:

• Fear of the unknown and potential failure
• Perceived threats to job security, status, or expertise
• Skepticism about the benefits compared to required effort
• Attachment to established processes and organizational identity
• Past negative experiences with change initiatives

Effective Strategies for Change Management

• Phased implementation with clearly defined pilot projects that demonstrate value
• Identifying and empowering internal champions across departments to model and advocate for new approaches
• Creating safe spaces for constructive critique of existing practices without blame
• Developing narratives that connect responsible design to institutional identity and core values

Keys to Successful Transformation

By implementing these strategies, institutions can cultivate an environment that embraces rather than resists change. Transparent communication creates trust, active stakeholder engagement fosters ownership, and focusing on shared values helps align diverse perspectives. When people understand both the rationale for change and their role in the transformation process, resistance diminishes and the foundation for responsible design practices strengthens.

Balancing Competing Priorities

The complex tension between profit motives and ethical considerations demands sophisticated strategic approaches. Modern institutions navigate a challenging landscape of competing demands: maximizing shareholder value, meeting evolving customer needs, and fulfilling expanding social and environmental responsibilities. Successfully balancing these interconnected priorities requires thoughtful deliberation and strategic decision-making that acknowledges their interdependence.

Tensions in Modern Organizations

These inherent tensions can be effectively managed through:

• Developing comprehensive metrics that capture long-term value creation beyond quarterly financial results, including social impact assessments and sustainability indicators
• Identifying and prioritizing “win-win” opportunities where responsible design enhances market position, builds brand loyalty, and creates competitive advantages

Strategic Decision Frameworks

Creating robust decision frameworks that explicitly weigh ethical considerations alongside financial metrics, allowing for transparent evaluation of tradeoffs. Building compelling business cases that demonstrate how responsible design significantly reduces long-term risks related to regulation, reputation, and resource scarcity.

Long-term Value Integration

By thoughtfully integrating ethical considerations into core decision-making processes and developing nuanced metrics that capture multidimensional long-term value creation, institutions can successfully reconcile profit motives with responsible design principles. This strategic approach enables organizations to achieve sustainable financial success while meaningfully contributing to a more just, equitable, and environmentally sustainable world.

Beyond Token Inclusion

Meaningful participation requires addressing deep-rooted power imbalances in institutional structures. Too often, inclusion is reduced to superficial gestures—inviting representatives from marginalized communities to consultations while denying them genuine influence over outcomes and decisions that affect their lives.

The Challenge of Meaningful Participation

To achieve authentic participation, institutions must confront and transform these entrenched power dynamics. This means moving beyond symbolic representation to creating spaces where traditionally excluded voices carry substantial weight in shaping both processes and outcomes.

Key Requirements for True Inclusion:

• Redistributing decision-making authority through participatory governance structures that give community members voting rights on critical decisions
• Providing fair financial compensation for community members’ time, expertise, and design contributions—recognizing their input as valuable professional consultation
• Implementing responsive feedback mechanisms with sufficient authority to pause, redirect, or fundamentally reshape projects when community concerns arise
• Establishing community oversight boards with substantive veto power and resources to monitor implementation

Building Equity Through Empowerment

By fundamentally redistributing decision-making authority and genuinely empowering marginalized communities, institutions can transform design processes from extractive exercises to collaborative partnerships. This shift ensures that design benefits flow equitably to all community members, not just those with pre-existing privilege. Such transformation demands more than good intentions—it requires concrete commitments to equity, justice, and collective accountability.

Case Study: The Microsoft Inclusive Design Transformation

• Restructuring Design Hierarchy: Microsoft fundamentally transformed its design process by establishing direct reporting channels between accessibility teams and executive leadership. This strategic restructuring ensured inclusive design considerations could not be sidelined or overridden by product managers focused solely on deadlines or feature development. Additionally, they created a protected budget specifically for community engagement that was safeguarded from reallocation to other priorities—even during tight financial cycles.
• Elevating Accessibility Teams: This structural change demonstrates a commitment to inclusive design that transcends corporate rhetoric. By elevating accessibility specialists to positions with genuine organizational influence and providing them with unfiltered access to executive leadership, Microsoft ensures that inclusive design principles are embedded in strategic decisions at the highest levels of the organization. This repositioning signals to the entire company that accessibility is a core business value, not an optional consideration.
• Dedicated Community Engagement: The protected budget for community engagement reinforces this commitment through tangible resource allocation. By dedicating specific funding for meaningful partnerships with marginalized communities, Microsoft ensures diverse voices directly influence product development from conception through launch. This approach has yielded measurable improvements in product accessibility and market reach, demonstrating how institutional transformation of design processes can simultaneously advance inclusion, equity, and business outcomes.

Regulatory Alignment

Anticipating Regulatory Changes

Visionary institutions position themselves ahead of regulatory evolution rather than merely reacting to it. As global regulations on environmental sustainability, accessibility, and data privacy grow increasingly stringent, organizations that proactively integrate these considerations into their design processes create significant competitive advantages while minimizing disruption.

Case Study: Proactive Compliance

• European medical device leader Ottobock established a specialized regulatory forecasting team that maps emerging accessibility requirements across global market. Their “compliance plus” philosophy ensures designs exceed current standards by 20-30%, virtually eliminating costly redesigns when regulations tighten
• Benefits of Forward-Thinking Regulation Strategy: Proactive regulatory alignment transforms compliance from a burden into a strategic asset. Organizations that embrace this approach not only mitigate financial and reputational risks but also establish themselves as industry leaders in responsible design. This strategic positioning requires continuous environmental scanning and a genuine commitment to ethical design principles that transcend minimum requirements.

Market Differentiation

Rising Consumer Expectations

The evolving landscape of consumer expectations presents strategic opportunities to harmonize responsible design with market advantage. Today’s consumers are not merely preferring but actively demanding products and services that demonstrate ethical production standards, environmental sustainability practices, and social responsibility commitments. Organizations that authentically meet these heightened expectations can secure significant competitive advantages and cultivate deeply loyal customer relationships.

Real-World Success Stories

Consider these compelling examples:

• Herman Miller revolutionized the furniture industry through circular design principles, exemplified by their groundbreaking Aeron chair remanufacturing program
• This innovative initiative established a premium market position while substantially reducing material consumption and environmental impact

Creating Win-Win Outcomes

When organizations strategically align responsible design principles with market opportunities, they forge powerful win-win scenarios that simultaneously benefit business objectives and societal wellbeing. Success in this approach demands both nuanced understanding of evolving consumer expectations and unwavering commitment to developing innovative solutions that address these expectations while advancing sustainability goals.

Beyond Good Intentions

Concrete measurement systems are essential for true accountability. While noble intentions set the direction, only robust metrics can verify real progress in responsible design. Organizations must implement comprehensive measurement frameworks to track outcomes, identify improvement opportunities, and demonstrate genuine commitment.

Effective Measurement Systems

Leading examples include:

• IBM’s Responsible Design Dashboard, which provides quantifiable metrics across diverse product lines
• Google’s HEART framework (Happiness, Engagement, Adoption, Retention, Task success) that seamlessly integrates ethical dimensions into standard performance indicators
• Transparent annual responsible design audits with publicly accessible results that foster organizational accountability

Benefits of Implementation

By embracing data-driven measurement systems, organizations transform aspirational goals into verifiable outcomes. This approach demonstrates an authentic commitment to responsible design principles while creating a foundation for continuous improvement. The willingness to measure and transparently share both successes and challenges distinguishes truly responsible organizations from those with merely good intentions.

Incentive Restructuring

The Power of Aligned Incentives

Human behavior is fundamentally shaped by incentives. To foster responsible design practices, institutions must strategically align rewards systems with desired ethical outcomes. When designers and stakeholders are recognized and compensated for responsible design initiatives, they naturally prioritize these values in their work.

Implementation Strategies

Organizations are achieving this alignment through concrete approaches:

• Salesforce has integrated diversity and inclusion metrics directly into executive compensation packages, ensuring leadership accountability
• Leading firms like Frog Design have embedded responsible design outcomes as key criteria in employee performance reviews
• Structured recognition programs celebrate and amplify exemplary responsible design practices, increasing visibility and adoption

Creating a Culture of Responsible Design

Thoughtfully restructured incentives transform organizational culture by signaling what truly matters. When ethical, inclusive, and sustainable practices are rewarded, they become embedded in institutional values rather than treated as optional considerations. This transformation requires rigorous assessment of current incentive frameworks and bold leadership willing to realign reward systems with responsible design principles.

Institutional Culture and Learning Systems

Responsible design flourishes within robust learning ecosystems. Rather than a one-time achievement, responsible design represents an ongoing journey of discovery, adaptation, and refinement. Organizations must establish comprehensive learning infrastructures that nurture this evolutionary process and ensure design practices remain ethically sound, inclusive, and forward-thinking.

Key Components of Learning Infrastructure

An effective learning infrastructure incorporates:

• Rigorous post-implementation reviews that critically assess ethical outcomes and user impact
• Vibrant communities of practice that facilitate knowledge exchange and cross-pollination across departments
• Strategic partnerships with academic institutions to integrate cutting-edge ethical frameworks and research
• Diverse external advisory boards that provide constructive critique and alternative perspectives

Benefits of Learning Systems

By investing in robust learning infrastructure, organizations cultivate a culture of continuous improvement and adaptive excellence. These systems ensure responsible design practices evolve in response to emerging challenges, technological shifts, and evolving societal expectations. Success requires unwavering institutional commitment to evidence-based learning, collaborative problem-solving, and transparent communication across all levels of the organization.

Case Study: The Philips Healthcare Example

• The Responsibility Lab Initiative: Philips Healthcare established a groundbreaking “Responsibility Lab” where designers regularly rotate through immersive experiences with diverse users from various backgrounds and abilities. This innovative rotation system ensures that responsible design knowledge becomes deeply embedded across the organization rather than remaining isolated within a specialized team.
• Benefits of Experiential Learning: This approach powerfully demonstrates how experiential learning catalyzes responsible design practices. By immersing designers directly in the lived experiences of diverse users, Philips enables them to develop profound insights into the ethical, social, and environmental implications of their design decisions—insights that could not be gained through traditional research methods alone.
• Organizational Knowledge Distribution: The strategic rotation system ensures that valuable ethical design principles flow throughout the organization, transforming responsible design from a specialized function into a shared organizational capability. This case study exemplifies how institutions can build effective learning systems that not only foster a culture of responsible design but also make it an integral part of their operational DNA.

The Institutional Journey

A Continuous Transformation

Institutionalizing responsible design is not a destination but a dynamic journey of continuous evolution. It demands skillful navigation through competing priorities, entrenched power dynamics, and ever-shifting external pressures. Forward-thinking institutions recognize that responsible design is not merely adjacent to their core mission—it is fundamental to their long-term viability, relevance, and social license to operate in an increasingly conscientious marketplace.

Beyond Sporadic Initiatives

By addressing these dimensions systematically and holistically, organizations transcend fragmentary ethical initiatives to achieve truly institutionalized responsible design. This transformation creates environments where ethical considerations and responsible practices become the natural default—woven into the organizational DNA—rather than exceptional efforts requiring special attention or resources.

Embrace the Journey of Continuous Growth

Immerse yourself in a transformative journey that thrives on continuous learning, adaptive thinking, and cross-disciplinary collaboration. This mindset unlocks the potential for design practices that fuel a more just, equitable, and sustainable world. By embracing this profound shift, institutions can drive real change.

Achieving this radical transformation requires visionary leadership, ethical conduct, and an innovative culture. It demands the united courage to challenge outdated norms and champion a brighter future. When institutions embody this ethos, they become beacons of progress, inspiring others to follow suit.

The path forward is not without obstacles, but the rewards are immense. Institutions that lead with this mindset will not only transform their own practices but also catalyze systemic change across industries. They will set new standards, reshape markets, and pave the way for a more responsible, inclusive, and sustain.

It’s typical to aim for 15-minute Standups, but how many times have your standups gotten side-tracked and suddenly more than a half-hour has gone by? These occurrences are not exactly my cup of tea…

Of course, sometimes topics need to be discussed, and planning a follow-up meeting will only slow down or delay resolution.

It’s important to keep Standups on-topic, and if run effectively, consider taking time after the Standup (I like to call it a Stay-After) with a smaller audience to cover “Tea-time” topics:

• T: Tabled discussions.
• E: Expectation setting.
• A: Addressing blockers.

Why have a Stay-After

Likely, Standup meetings have all members of a team in attendance. To make the best use of everyone’s time, staying after Standup is a great opportunity to have a smaller, focused discussion with only the relevant team members. Typically, a Stay-After meeting is used to cover time-sensitive topics – “TEA”:

• Tabled discussions: These are conversations that perhaps went too long during Standup and need to be continued once everyone else completes their updates.
• Expectations: Often, the project manager or another team member may have process changes or other announcements to make to the team or specific team members, making a Stay-After an ideal time to communicate those quick updates.
• Addressing blockers: Part of Standup is that team members escalate any blockers they are facing on an assignment. A Stay-After is also a good opportunity to troubleshoot or help provide clarifications to help unblock the team member.

Determining the agenda for a Stay-After

Stay-After meetings can be planned or unplanned.

Planned topics typically come up during the prior workday. These are usually if a team member requires some clarification of a work assignment, or, to share information. The project manager can send an invite immediately following the next standup that contains the necessary attendees and agenda.

Unplanned topics typically arise during the Standup itself because of one of these scenarios:

• A team member requests other specific team members to stay-back after the Standup for a specific topic.
• A team member requires help to troubleshoot a technical blocker.
• The project manager requests specific team members stay-back after the Standup if they recognize that a conversation is going too long.

It’s not uncommon that there may be both planned and unplanned topics for a Stay-After. The PM or team needs to determine which topics to give priority to for that specific day and time. De-prioritized topics may need to be addressed as part of a different meeting or as part of the next day’s Stay-After.

Running an effective Stay-After

Like actual Standups, there is likely only limited time available to hold a Stay-After. Consider these tips to make sure the time is used most efficiently:

• Keep the conversation on-topic. Keep the focus on what decisions or help is needed.
• If you find that a conversation requires more time or team members who are not in attendance, pause and plan a dedicated meeting for that topic.
• Record any quick decisions or action items and move on to the next topic, if applicable.
• Allow team members to drop off the call if the remaining topics are no longer relevant to them.

In Summary

Taking advantage of Standup Stay-After “Tea-time” is a great way to make sure that all team members get a chance to participate in the daily Standups, but, also allow time-sensitive topics to be addressed without delay. Consider these tips at your next Standup, and it will help get your team started off to a tea-rrific day.

Sometimes purely looking at an Azure DevOps backlog or Board may not tell the right story in terms of progress made towards a specific goal. At first glance, it may seem like a horror story, but in reality, it is not the case. The data needs to be read or conveyed in the right way.

Though Azure DevOps provides multiple ways to view work items, it also provides a powerful reporting capability in terms of writing queries and configuring dashboards.

Work Items in Azure DevOps contain various fields which can enable data reports. However, to make that data meaningful, the right queries and the use of dashboards can help to present the precise state of the work.

Author purposeful Queries

Every Azure DevOps query should have a motive. Fields on work items are attributes which can help to provide an answer. Let us look at a few use cases and how those queries are configured.

Example 1: I want to find all Bugs in my project that are not in a State of ‘Closed’ or ‘Removed’ and which contain a tag ‘CMS’. I can use the work item fields ‘Work Item Type,’ ‘State,’ and ‘Tags’ to find any matches.

Example 2: I want to find all Bugs that are Severity 1 or Severity 2 that are not Closed or Resolved (I want to see only Severity 1 or 2 Bugs that are in New or Active State.) In this example, I have grouped the 2 rows for Severity to be an ‘Or’ condition. This allows me to get results that include both Severity 1 and Severity 2 results.

Example 3: I want to find all Bugs that contain the Tag “missing requirement” which were created on or after November 5, 2024. Another helpful attribute to report on is by Date – in this example, I am querying for results created after a specific date, but you can change the operator or set a date range for further control of results.

Tips:

• • In these examples, I am using out-of-box field types, however, there are ways to create custom fields for an Azure DevOps project, to further enrich or customize your reports.
  • Review the columns you have showing once you run a query. You may need to use the ‘Column Options’ to enable additional columns for additional data points.
  • Save your query as a Shared Query, so that its results can be viewed by other members of the team.

Having these queries is great if you need a list of work items or if you want to make bulk updates for items which match your criteria. However, we can take these results a step further by visualizing the data onto a Dashboard.

Publish your results with Dashboards

Sometimes visuals can help to better portray a story; the same can be true when reporting on a project’s progress.

Out-of-the-box, Azure DevOps provides a variety of widget types which can be used to configure a Dashboard. Some widgets require the use of a Query, while others are purely based on settings you define.

Here are a few examples of widgets I use most often:

• Burndown: This widget does NOT require a query. When you place the widget, you’ll be able to control how data is pulled:
  • Work Item Type
  • Dates span
  • Team (if applicable)
  • Field Criteria
  • Interval of time (days/weeks/months)
• Chart for Work Items: This widget is based on a Query. I find this widget to be very versatile, as you can choose the type of chart and which data points you want to display.
• Query Results: This widget is based on a Query and will simply display the results in a list, however, you can select which columns of data to show/hide in the widget.
• Query Tiles: This widget is based on a Query and will display the number of results matching a query. You can further customize this widget to dynamically show in unique colors, based on specific count criteria.

Tips:

• • There is no limit to the number of Dashboards you can have. Consider creating Dashboards for unique purposes or for unique audiences, which contain only the relevant data needed.
  • Queries and Dashboards are only as good as your data. Make sure you are regularly maintaining your work items to ensure they are tagged, parented, and prioritized appropriately.
  • There is also an option to export query results into excel files, if you find that dashboard widgets are not filling all your reporting needs.

Convey the Story

Identify what is most important for your team or client to know, monitor, or be aware of. Once you have the data you need, you will be better equipped to explain progress and status to your team and the client.

In my personal experience, some types of unique dashboards I found to be effective for my clients or team members:

• Dashboard related to UAT activities
• Dashboard for Backlog Maintenance monitoring
• Dashboard for Executives
• Dashboard for QA Sprint-Based Activities
• Dashboard for Dependency monitoring

Example of an Executive Dashboard, using Burndown, Chart for Work Items, and Query Tile widgets:

With each of these dashboards, I wrote unique queries to find data that my team or client most often needed to reference. This enabled them to know if we were on track or if some action is needed.

By having a precise way to explain the story of your project, you will find that your team is able to make better decisions when the right data is available to them, in order to lead to a happy project ending.