InsideOut: Design Leadership Insights
In today’s business landscape, design leadership is not optional—it’s essential.
That’s why Aquent created InsideOut, a design leadership community for in-house design, experience, and creative operations leaders at high-profile brands to connect, collaborate, and generate new ideas.
Join Susie Hall, Aquent’s President of Community & Customer Engagement, as she shares audio blogs packed with ideas, insights, and aha moments from hundreds of InsideOut roundtables with in-house design leaders. Get the latest real-world challenges, solutions, and actionable advice on design leadership and innovation from members of our community. Learn more at aquent.com/communities/inside-out.
All Episodes
How Design Leaders Are Reclaiming Their Strategic Value
In this episode, we dive into the evolving priorities of design leaders as they navigate the challenges of 2026. After years of disruption, including sweeping layoffs, AI experimentation, and shifting business priorities, design leaders are stepping up to reclaim their strategic value and redefine the role of design within organizations. We explore how leaders are safeguarding human-led design principles in an AI-driven world, combating team burnout, and turning AI experimentation into measurable business outcomes. This episode highlights the strategies design leaders are using to cut through the noise, deliver impactful work, and align design with broader business goals. Key takeaways include: Preserving design integrity: Learn how leaders are protecting human-centered design principles while leveraging AI to accelerate workflows without compromising quality or ethics. Combating burnout: Discover how leaders are carving out space for meaningful, high-impact work to keep teams motivated and productive amidst constant change. Turning AI into outcomes: Understand how design leaders are applying rigor, OKRs, and commercial focus to move AI from experimentation to real-world applications that drive business value. The evolving role of design leaders: Explore how leaders are aligning design with business strategy to solidify its place as a key driver of success. Join us as we share insights from our InsideOut community, where design and creative leaders are actively implementing these strategies to thrive in a period of disruption. If you're a leader looking to balance AI, reclaim strategic value, and combat burnout, this episode offers the practical advice you need. Learn more about Aquent's InsideOut Design Leadership Community: aquent.com/communities/inside-out
Efficiency out, efficacy in: The evolution of creative ops 2026.
In this episode, we explore the major shift happening in creative operations for 2026. After a volatile year of rapid change and disruption, creative and marketing leaders are moving their focus away from pure efficiency and toward efficacy. How can teams pivot from just doing things faster to doing the right things that drive real business value? We discuss how the chaotic rush to adopt AI has left many creative teams fragmented and struggling to prove their worth. Now, Creative Ops leaders are stepping up to bring order to the chaos. This episode delves into the two core themes shaping the future: strategic alignment and operational excellence. We break down what these concepts mean in a post-AI boom landscape and how they are essential for navigating the challenges ahead. Key takeaways include: Strategic alignment: Learn why synchronizing people and technology is the first critical step. This involves getting leadership on the same page about business objectives, bridging the AI expectation gap, and optimizing your existing tech stack instead of chasing new, shiny tools. Operational excellence: Discover how to redefine best practices to drive tangible business value. We’ll cover strategies for repositioning creative teams as tech-forward business partners and exploring new operational models, like Centers of Excellence, to deliver greater impact. The new creative ops leader: Understand the evolving role of the Creative Operations leader, who is increasingly tasked with overseeing marketing operations to create frictionless, outcome-focused workflows that bridge the gap between teams. Join us as we share insights from our InsideOut community, where creative and marketing operations leaders are actively implementing these strategies to build more effective and impactful teams. If you're a leader aiming to move beyond the "wild west" of AI adoption and into a more intentional future, this episode offers the practical advice you need. Learn more about Aquent's InsideOut Design Leadership Community: aquent.com/communities/inside-out
How To Make a Risk-Tolerant and Innovative Creative Team
Episode 42: How to make a risk-tolerant and innovative creative team. In this episode, we tackle a challenge that many creative and marketing leaders face: building a team that isn't afraid to take risks. Progress and innovation depend on a willingness to step into the unknown, yet many organizations find their teams default to playing it safe. Why are teams so risk-averse, and how can leaders cultivate a culture that embraces bold ideas and learns from failure? We explore why risk aversion is often a systemic issue, not a personal one, and how outdated processes and a fear of mistakes can stifle creativity. From the "Ruby Slipper" problem, where teams don't recognize their own power, to an overemphasis on perfection, we break down the barriers holding your team back. This episode is filled with concrete strategies to help you build a more resilient and innovative team. Key takeaways include: Systemic Change: How to move beyond simply giving permission and implement systemic changes like clear approval matrices and work-tiering systems to empower your team. Performance Metrics: Why making innovation a formal performance metric—rewarding initiative and calculated risks in reviews—can transform creative problem-solving into a measurable goal. Visible Recognition: The power of formal recognition programs and peer nominations to celebrate those who challenge the status quo, making bold action a desirable cultural norm. Join us as we share insights from our InsideOut community of creative and marketing operations leaders, who are actively working to build risk-tolerant cultures in their own organizations. If you're a leader looking to foster innovation and drive real change, this episode provides the practical advice you need to get started. Learn more about Aquent's InsideOut Design Leadership Community: aquent.com/communities/inside-out
Reimagining Org Design in the Age of AI
In this episode, we dive into the rapidly evolving world of organizational design and explore how leaders can adapt to the fast-paced changes brought by artificial intelligence. As traditional org charts struggle to keep up with the demands of an AI-driven world, how can businesses shift from rigid roles to flexible, skills-based teams that drive real value? We uncover the challenges of outdated structures, discuss the importance of aligning teams with business outcomes, and share actionable strategies for building agile, dynamic organizations. From embracing "Swiss Army knife" employees to mapping teams around customer journeys, this episode is packed with insights to help leaders reimagine their approach to org design. Key takeaways include: Flexibility: How to move away from rigid roles and embrace skills-based, adaptable teams. Alignment: Why mapping employees to business value fosters clarity and impact. Balance: The importance of combining AI expertise with the experience and insight of seasoned professionals. Join us as we share insights from our InsideOut community of creative operations leaders, who are navigating these challenges and pioneering innovative solutions. Whether you're a leader looking to future-proof your organization or a professional seeking to thrive in the AI era, this episode offers practical advice to help you succeed. Resources: Charting a Human-First Future in the New Age of AI Design The Resilient Team: Thrive in Our Radically Changing World What Every Creative Team Needs to Be Successful Learn more about Aquent's InsideOut Design Leadership Community: aquent.com/communities/inside-out