John Howrey
Design Leader
ContactCURRENTLY DigitalOcean
PREVIOUSLY SCAD
IBM
Skeptic
Philographica
Selbert Perkins Design
CASE STUDIES
Set Users Up for Success
Empowerment by Design
Driving Growth Through Design
All the World’s a Map
Luxury Reimagined

CASE STUDIES Who I Am, What I BuildPhilosophy of Leadership

Driving Growth Through Design Embedding Experimentation at DigitalOcean

DigitalOcean’s growth team had traditionally been engineering-driven, with limited integration of design in strategic decision-making. The challenge was to embed a modern, user-centered design approach that could accelerate user acquisition, improve customer retention, and drive innovation.


APPROACHAs a design leader, I introduced a bold, experimental methodology that redefined the role of design within the growth team. My strategy included:

  • Tripartite Collaboration: Positioning design as an equal partner with product management and engineering.
  • Process Innovation: Establishing a structured yet flexible framework for idea intake, alignment, and rapid iteration.
  • Cultural Shift: Fostering a culture of experimentation where failures were stepping stones to innovation.

This approach emphasized transparency, alignment, and the power of strategic design thinking to solve complex problems and improve business outcomes. SOLUTION
  1. Growth Phase 1: The Initializer: A replicable intake and alignment process that ensured all ideas—whether from junior developers or senior executives—were considered and refined collaboratively.
  2. Iterative Prototyping: A rapid prototyping and testing cycle that reduced the time from ideation to implementation.
  3. Documentation & Transparency: Clear records of every step ensured team alignment and empowered contributors at all levels.
IMPACT
  • Improved user acquisition and retention metrics, validating the integration of design into the growth team’s workflow.
  • Enhanced team agility and innovation, allowing faster responses to market demands.
  • A cultural shift that recognized design as a critical driver of growth and innovation.

TAKEAWAYSThis initiative demonstrated the power of embedding design deeply into organizational strategy. By fostering a collaborative culture and implementing a scalable process, we proved that design is not just about visuals but a cornerstone of growth, capable of delivering meaningful business outcomes.

CLIENT IBM
SECTOR Technology
Talent Management
AI
SaaS
MY ROLE Creative Direction
Design Production
Content Strategy
Project Management
Process Consultation
DISCIPLINE UX/UI Design
Product Strategy
Facilitation
Vision
KEYWORDS Information Architecture
User Research
Project Management
Digital Asset Production
Design Renovation
Business Turn Around
Ecom
COLLABORATORS Offering Management
Development Teams
Designers
User Researchers