There can be a tendency for teams to operate in silos or shy away from working across disciplines, perspectives and program strategy teams because of the challenges and time commitment such efforts can take.
With its emphasis on integrating many different perspectives, design offers tangible ways of dealing with questions of inclusivity and strategic collaboration. To strengthen collaboration among diverse teams, your design partner can take on the explicit role of creating an environment for people to come together, critique each others' work constructively, diffuse tensions and align around a common goal. Strong collaboration enables teams to expand their horizons and go further together in tackling complex problems. But it is not always simple to do as it necessitates being open to working with disciplinary perspectives that are different from one's own. This is where an effective process and deep experience in leading collaborative efforts comes in handy.
