Salvatore Mezzatesta
Design Leadership & Strategic Innovation
Design Leadership, Design Management, Team Management
Design as a Checklist: The Danger of Reducing Creativity to Tasks
I’ve seen it countless times: teams scrambling to meet deadlines, rushing through projects with a checklist in hand, eager to tick off tasks and move on to the next item. In the thick of our day-to-day, it’s tempting to treat design like a series of tasks—a mechanical process where we…
How to Manage Difficult Stakeholders as a Design Leader
If there’s one thing I’ve learned as a Design Leader, it’s this: no matter how strong your vision or how talented your team, you’ll inevitably manage difficult stakeholders. It’s part of the job. They might question your decisions, challenge your timelines, or simply seem uninterested in…
Insights from a Product Design Leader: My Interview with the WeRoad Product Team
I am excited to share the video and some of the insights from a recent engaging interview I had as a guest with the WeRoad Product Team. This discussion was a fantastic opportunity to reflect on my tenure as a Product Design Leader at Lebara and to impart lessons that I believe are…
Digital Transformation, Innovation, AI
Rabbit R1, AI, LAMs, and Conversational UIs: A New Generation of Devices
Typically, I reserve my writing for specific topics, such as Product Design Leadership, Product Strategy, and Design Management, however, today marks an exception as I want to delve into a particular product that – as a Product Design Expert and Tech Enthusiast – I believe has…
The Long-Term Impact of AI on the Job Market: A Wake-Up Call
In recent weeks, I’ve engaged in numerous discussions with tech industry professionals, focusing on the long-term impact of integrating AI into various business processes. This article aims to shed light on these impacts, offering a structured analysis and urging professionals to…
Harnessing Data and AI to Drive Design Decisions: Enhancing User-Centric Design
In my professional journey within Product Design and Innovation, I’ve embraced data-driven design as more than a methodology – it’s a guiding philosophy. However, I can’t help by seeing many professionals working in the digital industry still prefer to keep following the old-fashioned gut…
The Future of Digital Product Design: A 5-Year Outlook
As we are about to enter 2024, the landscape of Digital Product Design is evolving at an unprecedented pace. As we look ahead, the next five years promise to be a transformative period, where innovative technologies will not only reshape the way we interact with digital products but also…
Digital Trends 2024: Navigating the Future of Digital Innovation
Today, I’m excited to deep dive into the digital world of 2024. Understanding digital trends is crucial, not just for staying ahead but for grasping where society’s interests are shifting. This insight is pivotal in uncovering new business opportunities and mitigating risks. So, let’s…
Can Product Design and AI Co-Exist? Rethinking Digital Product Creation
In the rapidly evolving landscape of technology and innovation, the intersection of digital product design and artificial intelligence (AI) has sparked intriguing conversations. Can these two seemingly distinct realms coexist harmoniously, contributing to the creation of cutting-edge…
The Role of Design Leadership in Achieving Digital Transformation Success
Change is the cornerstone of progress, and in the realm of design leadership, it takes on a transformative role during digital evolution. Having witnessed this firsthand, I am thrilled to share insights into the profound impact of design leadership in steering a successful digital…
Designing for an AI-Powered Future: Preparing Today’s Designers for Tomorrow’s Challenges
In the ever-evolving landscape of digital product design, one constant remains: change. And at the forefront of this change stands Artificial Intelligence (AI) and as a design leader, I’ve had the privilege of witnessing firsthand the transformative power of AI in shaping the future of…
Empathy, Harmony, and Simplicity: The Japanese Art of Crafting User-Friendly Products
As a passionate traveler and product design enthusiast, I have had the privilege of exploring numerous countries and experiencing the diversity of cultures and lifestyles. Among the many places I’ve visited, Japan stands out as a nation that excels in creating user-friendly products…
Design Thinking 101: An Introduction to Creative Problem Solving
Introduction As a Product Design Manager, one of our primary objectives is to foster a culture of innovation and creative problem-solving within our teams and the business. Design thinking is a powerful methodology that empowers us to tackle complex challenges and create user-centric…