Why cleaner design slides aren't the answer to getting your team to buy in

""If my boss pulls out a phone, I'll know I've lost him." A Director of UX told me, highlighting the realities of design presentations. You can have solid research, great insights, and practical recommendations. But if you can't hold your team's attention? You won't get approval. Another designer confided: "I know my work would help thousands of users, but I can't get my team to care. Do I need to do something flashy like an animation?""

"Here's what I've learned after talking with 21 design leaders: getting stakeholder buy-in hinges on keeping their attention on what matters. But here's the good news: You already have the exact skills you need. You just need to complete the loop. The three types of attention, and why stakeholders tune out Many designers believe the solution to presentation problems is to make it cleaner, with fewer words and stronger visuals. That could work, but it's the much harder approach."

Stakeholder approval depends on sustained attention during design presentations. Solid research, clear insights, and practical recommendations will not secure approval if the team disengages. Designers often consider cleaner slides or stronger visuals as the fix, but that approach is harder and may not address why stakeholders tune out. Capturing attention requires understanding three types of attention and aligning communication to what matters to stakeholders. Designers already possess the skills to do this but must complete the loop by structuring presentations to direct attention, prioritize core messages, and adapt delivery to stakeholder expectations to win buy-in.

Read at Medium