Design Strategy
September 19, 2025
So, you’re at a crossroads—designing for a nimble startup or a massive enterprise. What’s the difference, and how can you maximize your impact in either setting? Let’s break it down.
Designers at startups often wear many hats. You’re not just tweaking pixels. You’re shaping the entire product vision. If you’re at a startup, get ready to dive into business strategy. You might help decide what gets built and why, playing a major role in product strategy. It’s like being a part of the startup’s heartbeat—listening and reacting swiftly as needs arise.
On the other hand, enterprise designers may focus more on refining existing features. You have a specific area to nurture, and while you care about the bigger strategy, you’re laser-focused on the finesse of that feature. The influence might not feel as broad, but your work is part of a well-oiled machine.
Startups are often about going from 0 to 1. That means you’re building new features from scratch. You’re agile, constantly assessing what’s MVP-worthy (that’s minimum viable product, for the uninitiated). The goal is speed without sacrificing quality. It’s like crafting a masterpiece with limited resources but boundless creativity.
Large enterprises, meanwhile, are about iterative design. You’ve often got a stable product, and your job is refining the details—those tiny tweaks that make the user experience shine. Think of it as being a painter who adds the final flourishes to a canvas that’s almost complete.
Startups might not have a comprehensive design system. You’re setting the style, crafting the rules as you go. It’s a chance to let creativity lead the way. You’re the artist and the architect—defining the aesthetic building blocks that give the product its identity.
Contrastingly, large companies usually have established design systems. Your task is adhering to and advocating for these systems. It’s about using them accurately and providing feedback for improvement. You’re part of a larger narrative, ensuring consistency across the board.
At startups, research often comes with constraints—time, budget, and resources. It demands ingenuity. Instead of formal studies, think about recruiting from networks or using tools like Google Meets for quick feedback. You become a detective in the field, piecing together insights independently.
With larger companies, there’s typically more infrastructure for research. You might have specialized tools or even a dedicated UX research team. Your focus can be more in-depth, with access to a broader group of participants. It’s less about doing it all yourself and more about leveraging existing resources for deeper insights.
• Flexibility for startups: Embrace wearing multiple hats. Get involved with strategy and be ready to move fast.
• Finesse for enterprises: Focus on perfecting a narrow scope with detailed attention.
• System creation: In startups, define your systems. In companies, master and improve existing ones.
• Scrappy or structured research: Adapt your methods to fit the resource landscape.
In the end, whether you choose the scrappy, fast-paced world of startups or the detailed precision of large enterprises, the key is adaptability. Recognize the strengths each setting brings and how you can contribute uniquely.
At Koi Studios, we thrive on making these distinctions clear, helping you thrive no matter where you choose to design. We’re here to navigate these waters alongside you. Want to explore how we can collaborate? Chat with our team today. Let’s make your design journey exceptional.
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