Individualism is a worldwide trend that’s increasing in our society—this is the conclusion from a study published in Psychological Science by Santos, Varnum, and Grossmann, titled “Global Increases in Individualism.” Are we becoming more isolated in our own worlds? Does this trend affect our Digital Product Teams?
Frequent questions we hear daily:
- Who is the best Product Designer on your successful team?
- Should we move a member from that team to a less successful one to improve performance?
- Or should we “balance” the teams’ effectiveness?
- Is design expertise being shared properly—should we distribute senior and junior designers more evenly?
But are these the right questions to ask? What about team cooperation, context, culture, and interpersonal relationships? These factors play crucial roles in everyone’s success. Do you consider yourself highly competent, experienced, and professional? Remember: your team is as responsible for your success as you are.
As Miguel Lima says in his latest book, “The New Designer”: “No longer do we have the singular design hero figure we’ve become accustomed to study.” Digital products are no longer the product of individual ideas—multidisciplinary teams working on complex systems require tremendous cooperation and coordination.
The success of a team belongs to all its members, regardless of their experience, expertise, or individual performance. If you fail, the team fails. If the team wins, you win. Recognize the strengths of other team members, keep an open mind to learn, view everyone as a mentor, stay humble with a continuous desire to learn, and build and nurture trust between team members.
An article titled “The Risky Business of Hiring Stars,” written by a Harvard Business School professor, Boris Groysberg, shows that after a deep analysis of top-performing analysts that moved to new companies, their performance significantly declined, with effects lasting up to 5 years. The decline wasn’t due to loss of skills or intelligence, but rather because success depends on organizational support systems, resources, and team relationships. Star performers who changed companies left behind their support networks and struggled to adapt to new environments, cultures, and relationships.
Today’s designers face challenging days with unpredictable contexts, worldwide users, different time zones, multiple stakeholders, and various points of contact—sometimes across several partners, companies, and organizations. They must balance business needs against user needs while maintaining high quality in all design activities. Therefore, don’t hesitate to rely on others for help. Invite team members to workshops, usability sessions, creative processes, and ideation. Co-design with your colleagues and explore Participatory Design methods. Feel comfortable expressing your fears, doubts, and weaknesses. Humility is contagious, and you’ll appreciate the exchange with development team members.
In conclusion, while individualism may be on the rise globally, the success of digital product teams relies heavily on collective effort and collaboration. The myth of the lone design genius must give way to a new paradigm of shared knowledge, mutual support, and team synergy. By fostering an environment of trust, openness, and continuous learning, teams can tackle complex challenges more effectively than any individual could alone.
Remember: your greatest achievements will come not from standing alone, but from standing together with your team. In this increasingly interconnected digital world, the future belongs to those who understand that true innovation emerges from collaboration, not isolation.