Post by Saurabh Singh

Designers often tell me this: “PMs don’t listen to me.” “Engineers push back too much.” “Leaders think I’m just pushing pixels.” Fair complaints. Also… incomplete ones. Because here’s the part we rarely say out loud 👇 Most designers expect empathy from everyone, but practice it only with users. We empathize deeply with customers. We map their journeys. We feel their pain. And then we walk into a meeting with PMs, engineers, or leaders assuming they should just “get it”. PMs care about delivery. Engineers care about building things that don’t break. Leaders care about outcomes and impact. None of that is shocking. Yet we’re surprised when our work doesn’t land. One small shift I’ve seen work repeatedly: Before explaining your design, explain that you understand their constraints. Not to manipulate. Not to overcompensate. Just to start from a shared reality. I wrote a longer, more uncomfortable version of this thought in a Medium article. It’s not about blaming PMs, engineers, or leaders. And it’s definitely not about design process. It’s about the part designers don’t like examining. 👉 Here's the link: https://lnkd.in/dwrEfvG5 If this made you slightly defensive, slightly reflective, or slightly annoyed, good. That’s usually where the learning starts. If you’d like to join our next webinar, follow the link given at the end of the article. And if you have thoughts, questions, or disagreements, those are welcome too. Drop a comment and I’ll be happy to respond. #userexperience #workplace #career #education