UX Has Always Been About Business Value – Now We Need Others to See It

The False Divide Between Design and Business

I honestly can’t think of a time where any of the work I was doing wasn’t framed for a business need. Most designers I know actively try to look at and frame their work this way—at least that’s true on the teams I’ve led. The supposed divide between “creative design work” and “business outcomes” has always been an artificial one, perpetuated by those who don’t understand how design actually functions in successful organizations.

Designers Have Been Singing This Song for a Decade

Designers are the last ones that need to hear the “align with business goals” message. This is exactly what we meant 10 years ago when we were fighting “for a seat at the table.” We’ve been advocating for this perspective for years, sometimes feeling like we’re shouting into the void. The real audience for this message isn’t designers—it’s everyone else in the organization.

The rest of the teams and people that work with design need to understand that UX can and does drive business results and value. Product managers, engineers, executives, and stakeholders all need to see design not as a “make it pretty” service but as a strategic business function.

The Frustrating Reality for Many UX Professionals

I don’t know any UX designer who just wants to move pixels and not affect the business in a positive way. We didn’t get into this field to make meaningless aesthetic changes—we got into it to solve real problems that impact users and businesses simultaneously.

But how many times have we been relegated by others to do exactly that—just push pixels without any meaningful input into the strategy? How often have designers been brought in at the end of a project to “make it look good” rather than at the beginning to help shape the solution?

A Shifting Tide in Design Perception

This is why I love that more and more business and product leaders are pushing this message now. When design thinking and UX strategy are repeatedly highlighted on platforms like LinkedIn, Medium, and in business publications, it creates a new normal.

The next CEO of whatever-unicorn-startup will have been exposed to enough of this messaging that the business value of UX will be expected, not something we have to fight to prove. This changes the conversation about design to what designers always wanted it to be—a discussion about how thoughtful design directly contributes to business success.

Moving Forward: Design as a Business Partner

As this understanding becomes more widespread, I’m optimistic about:

• Design being involved earlier in strategic decisions
• UX metrics being considered alongside traditional business KPIs
• More designers moving into executive and leadership positions
• Better cross-functional collaboration between design, product, and engineering
• Organizations investing more meaningfully in research and design systems

The integration of design thinking into business strategy isn’t just good for designers—it results in better products, more satisfied customers, and ultimately, stronger business outcomes.

When companies truly understand that design isn’t just about aesthetics but about solving the right problems in the right ways, everyone wins: the business, the users, and yes, the designers who have been championing this approach all along.