--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Designers need to be more than…" description: "\"Designers need to be more than ambassadors, they need to be fully functioning and fully aware members of strategic decision-making teams in a company.\"..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/457/nathan-shedroff-37098_ambassadors_designers-need-to-be-more-than-ambassado_2360108.jpg" --- # Designers need to be more than ambassadors, they need to… ![“Designers need to be more than ambassadors, they need to be fully functioning and fully aware members of strategic decision-making teams in a company.” quote by Nathan Shedroff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/457/nathan-shedroff-37098_ambassadors_designers-need-to-be-more-than-ambassado_2360108.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/457/nathan-shedroff-37098_ambassadors_designers-need-to-be-more-than-ambassado_2360108.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/457/nathan-shedroff-37098_ambassadors_designers-need-to-be-more-than-ambassado_2360108.jpg) > “Designers need to be more than ambassadors, they need to be fully functioning and fully aware members of strategic decision-making teams in a company.” [Nathan Shedroff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-shedroff/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Designers should actively participate in strategic decisions, not just represent ideas. **In simple terms:** Designers need strategic influence, not just advocacy. Key Takeaway Integrate designers into decision teams. Themes design strategy leadership Mood forwardlooking professional Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - product development - branding - marketing strategy - company planning Key Concepts organizational behavior innovation management Questions to Reflect On - How can designers demonstrate strategic value? - What structures support their involvement? A Different Perspective Resistance may arise from traditional hierarchies. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ambassadors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambassadors/) [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Company](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/company/) [Decision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decision/) [Decision making](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decision-making/) [Design](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/design/) [Designers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/designers/) [Team](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/team/) [Teamwork](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teamwork/) ## Related quotes > [Fledgling designers need investment - but how much easier it is to put them in a dead man or woman's shoes, perhaps also backing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzy-menkes/fledgling-designers-need-investment-but-how-much-easier-it-is-to-put/) [Suzy Menkes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzy-menkes/) > [Designers need to be mavericks, because the best way to design a successful object is to pretend that either it never existed or that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paola-antonelli/designers-need-to-be-mavericks-because-the-best-way-to-design-a/) [Paola Antonelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paola-antonelli/) > [Ultimately, auto designers need to overcome market challenges with innovative design solutions. The automotive industry is at a turning point with environmental and economic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-pelly/ultimately-auto-designers-need-to-overcome-market-challenges-with/) [Charles Pelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-pelly/) > [No matter how bleak the situation into which we have been thrown by the global economy, it does offer opportunities. Designers need only invent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debbie-millman/no-matter-how-bleak-the-situation-into-which-we-have-been-thrown-by/) [Debbie Millman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debbie-millman/) > [“Tim Brown, the CEO of the international design and innovation firm IDEO, clearly acknowledges this affinity when he writes that designers need to go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendy-gunn/tim-brown-the-ceo-of-the-international-design-and-innovation-firm/) Wendy Gunn > [I thought, If people are going to write about what I'm wearing, then I would wear young British designers who need the publicity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-watson/i-thought-if-people-are-going-to-write-about-what-i-m-wearing-then-i/) [Emma Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-watson/) > [Fashion is about affordable luxury ... To succeed, designers need to be affordable, wearable, accessible, and aspirational.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-hilfiger/fashion-is-about-affordable-luxury-to-succeed-designers-need-to-be/) [Tommy Hilfiger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-hilfiger/) > [I don't think that design needs theory, but I think designers need theory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johanna-drucker/i-don-t-think-that-design-needs-theory-but-i-think-designers-need/) Johanna Drucker > [Designers are optimistic people who are trained to be courageous about the future—and making the future happen. They aren’t always aware of the intricacies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-shedroff/designers-are-optimistic-people-who-are-trained-to-be-courageous/) [Nathan Shedroff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-shedroff/) > [What would you do if you were President, and, on the first day of May, the Russian Ambassador presented you with a beautiful cake…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-c-fields/what-would-you-do-if-you-were-president-and-on-the-first-day-of-may/) [W. C. Fields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-c-fields/) > [Kate Otto, like so many in her generation, is committed to being a good global citizen and doing her part to make the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-veneman/kate-otto-like-so-many-in-her-generation-is-committed-to-being-a-good/) [Ann Veneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-veneman/) > [I'm the lead singer of the Beach Boys and an ambassador of this amazing music that touched a generation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-love/i-m-the-lead-singer-of-the-beach-boys-and-an-ambassador-of-this/) [Mike Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-love/) > [I know at first hand how the impact of being bullied as a teenager can quite literally last a lifetime and I thought that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-feehily/i-know-at-first-hand-how-the-impact-of-being-bullied-as-a-teenager/) Mark Feehily > [Dan Coats, retiring senator from Indiana, a mild-mannered man, a former United States ambassador to Germany, former congressman, said of Ted Cruz he's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-shields/dan-coats-retiring-senator-from-indiana-a-mild-mannered-man-a-former/) [Mark Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-shields/) > [I am formally accountable to the steering board of the PIC, and I meet with nine ambassadors from the PIC every week. I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paddy-ashdown/i-am-formally-accountable-to-the-steering-board-of-the-pic-and-i-meet/) [Paddy Ashdown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paddy-ashdown/) ## More by Nathan Shedroff > [There is no one, right way to design or develop anything. To a large degree, it needs to reflect the culture — especially the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-shedroff/there-is-no-one-right-way-to-design-or-develop-anything-to-a-large/) [Nathan Shedroff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-shedroff/) > [All design is the process of making experiences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-shedroff/all-design-is-the-process-of-making-experiences/) [Nathan Shedroff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-shedroff/) > [The future is created at the intersection of business, technology, design, and culture. \*In the Bubble\* is an insightful and delightful explanation of this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-shedroff/the-future-is-created-at-the-intersection-of-business-technology/) [Nathan Shedroff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-shedroff/) > [“new interfaces are most understandable when they build on what users (and audiences) already know.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-shedroff/new-interfaces-are-most-understandable-when-they-build-on-what-users/) [Nathan Shedroff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-shedroff/) > [Designers are optimistic people who are trained to be courageous about the future—and making the future happen. They aren’t always aware of the intricacies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-shedroff/designers-are-optimistic-people-who-are-trained-to-be-courageous/) [Nathan Shedroff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-shedroff/) > [Relationships happen in experiences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-shedroff/relationships-happen-in-experiences/) [Nathan Shedroff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-shedroff/) > [Strategy is worthless unless you can act on it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-shedroff/strategy-is-worthless-unless-you-can-act-on-it/) [Nathan Shedroff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-shedroff/) > [Information design addresses the organization and presentation of data: its transformation into valuable, meaningful information.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-shedroff/information-design-addresses-the-organization-and-presentation-of/) [Nathan Shedroff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-shedroff/) > [Rules of Play is an exhaustive, clear, cogent, and complete resource for understanding games and game design. Salen and Zimmerman describe an encyclopedia of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-shedroff/rules-of-play-is-an-exhaustive-clear-cogent-and-complete-resource-for/) [Nathan Shedroff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-shedroff/) > [You need to marry the qualitative with the quantitative. It better informs us so we can decide what to do. We can't be afraid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-shedroff/you-need-to-marry-the-qualitative-with-the-quantitative-it-better/) [Nathan Shedroff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-shedroff/) > [User experience is important to strategy,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-shedroff/user-experience-is-important-to-strategy/) [Nathan Shedroff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-shedroff/) [Explore all 12 Nathan Shedroff quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-shedroff/) ## More Ambassadors quotes > [I am formally accountable to the steering board of the PIC, and I meet with nine ambassadors from the PIC every week. I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paddy-ashdown/i-am-formally-accountable-to-the-steering-board-of-the-pic-and-i-meet/) [Paddy Ashdown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paddy-ashdown/) > [Dan Coats, retiring senator from Indiana, a mild-mannered man, a former United States ambassador to Germany, former congressman, said of Ted Cruz he's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-shields/dan-coats-retiring-senator-from-indiana-a-mild-mannered-man-a-former/) [Mark Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-shields/) > [I know at first hand how the impact of being bullied as a teenager can quite literally last a lifetime and I thought that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-feehily/i-know-at-first-hand-how-the-impact-of-being-bullied-as-a-teenager/) Mark Feehily > [I'm the lead singer of the Beach Boys and an ambassador of this amazing music that touched a generation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-love/i-m-the-lead-singer-of-the-beach-boys-and-an-ambassador-of-this/) [Mike Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-love/) > [Kate Otto, like so many in her generation, is committed to being a good global citizen and doing her part to make the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-veneman/kate-otto-like-so-many-in-her-generation-is-committed-to-being-a-good/) [Ann Veneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-veneman/) > [What would you do if you were President, and, on the first day of May, the Russian Ambassador presented you with a beautiful cake…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-c-fields/what-would-you-do-if-you-were-president-and-on-the-first-day-of-may/) [W. C. Fields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-c-fields/) > [Become an ambassador of peace in your own life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/become-an-ambassador-of-peace-in-your-own-life/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [One cannot toss ambassadors back like bad fish," said Eugenides. "You treat them with care, or you'll find you've committed an act of war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-whalen-turner/one-cannot-toss-ambassadors-back-like-bad-fish-said-eugenides-you/) [Megan Whalen Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-whalen-turner/) > [Our first phase was inviting all the women Ambassadors who were here from other countries and trying to get in touch with all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-bernice-johnson/our-first-phase-was-inviting-all-the-women-ambassadors-who-were-here/) [Eddie Bernice Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-bernice-johnson/) > [The religion of England is part of good-breeding. When you see on the continent the well-dressed Englishman come into his ambassador's chapel and put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-religion-of-england-is-part-of-good-breeding-when-you-see-on-the/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [You become an anti-Semite. And as powerful as the Israeli lobby is, the Saudi lobby is just as powerful. In fact, the Saudis probably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-scheuer/you-become-an-anti-semite-and-as-powerful-as-the-israeli-lobby-is-the/) [Michael Scheuer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-scheuer/) > [When I'm through with the Lee Greenwood Theatre, I won't do anything else in entertainment. Maybe I'll become an ambassador for the United States…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-greenwood/when-i-m-through-with-the-lee-greenwood-theatre-i-won-t-do-anything/) [Lee Greenwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-greenwood/) > [Red Bull are backing a spinal-injury research charity called Wings For Life, which I am an ambassador for, with a programme called Faces for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-webber/red-bull-are-backing-a-spinal-injury-research-charity-called-wings/) [Mark Webber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-webber/) > [I have been working with Women's Aid since 2003 when I became the charity's first Ambassador, and am so pleased to be able to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-young/i-have-been-working-with-women-s-aid-since-2003-when-i-became-the/) Will Young > [I'm a Prince of Wales Trust ambassador, so I'm all about giving youth an education, a voice and a chance to not take the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benedict-cumberbatch/i-m-a-prince-of-wales-trust-ambassador-so-i-m-all-about-giving-youth/) [Benedict Cumberbatch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benedict-cumberbatch/) [Browse all 250 Ambassadors quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambassadors/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Designers need to be more than ambassadors, they need to be fully functioning and fully aware members of strategic decision-making teams in a company.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Nathan Shedroff" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-shedroff/designers-need-to-be-more-than-ambassadors-they-need-to-be-fully/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ambassadors" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-shedroff/designers-need-to-be-more-than-ambassadors-they-need-to-be-fully/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/457/nathan-shedroff-37098_ambassadors_designers-need-to-be-more-than-ambassado_2360108.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/457/nathan-shedroff-37098_ambassadors_designers-need-to-be-more-than-ambassado_2360108.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/457/nathan-shedroff-37098_ambassadors_designers-need-to-be-more-than-ambassado_2360108.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Designers need to be more than ambassadors, they need to be fully functioning and fully aware members of…” — Nathan Shedroff", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Nathan Shedroff", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-shedroff/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Designers need to be more than...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-shedroff/designers-need-to-be-more-than-ambassadors-they-need-to-be-fully/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-shedroff/designers-need-to-be-more-than-ambassadors-they-need-to-be-fully/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```