The role of design within organizations has never been more strategic. As customer expectations rise in the experience economy, companies are realizing that in-house design teams can deliver not only creative excellence but also long-term business advantage.

In this article, design leader Robert Berini, who brings over 25 years of experience in digital strategy and innovation, including senior roles at UBS shares his perspective on how organizations can cultivate high-performing internal design teams. His framework goes beyond general leadership advice to focus on design-specific practices that help teams align with business strategy, build credibility, and drive measurable impact.

The article covers the foundations of effective team composition, the six strategic pillars that sustain high performance, and the real-world challenges leaders must navigate to embed design deeply within their organizations. To make these ideas actionable, it also includes a practical job aid, an assessment and implementation framework you can use to evaluate your current team structure, identify capability gaps, and prioritize areas for growth.

The article and job aid together offer both insight and guidance for anyone working to build or strengthen in-house design capabilities in today’s complex business environment.