# Design without measurable impact is just decoration (Glaringly Obvious)

**URL:** <https://forum.zurb.com/t/design-without-measurable-impact-is-just-decoration-glaringly-obvious/51>\
**Category:** Proving biz impact\
**Created:** [June 27, 2025, 2:45pm UTC](https://forum.zurb.com/t/design-without-measurable-impact-is-just-decoration-glaringly-obvious/51 "2025-06-27T14:45:07Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Bryan](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forum.zurb.com/bryan/32/448_2.png) [@Bryan](https://forum.zurb.com/u/Bryan)\
**Post date:** [June 27, 2025, 2:45pm UTC](https://forum.zurb.com/t/design-without-measurable-impact-is-just-decoration-glaringly-obvious/51/1 "2025-06-27T14:45:07Z")

</div>

In this conversation with [Dave Huber](https://www.linkedin.com/in/davehuberdesign/) based on his H[elio featured article on design impact](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/helio_uxresearch-productdiscovery-marketresearch-activity-7337495960471728129-Qkg2?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAAAALmwBU147HvXsQ2KaDlBrMFXo2f4BBGw), I dig into what it takes for design to truly matter. We all know design should help the business, but too often, it’s treated like a craft, not a contributor. That’s what Dave is pushing on.

[![dave-huber](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/uploads/helio/original/1X/116e8f10531486c0d070fa1da973fb7c5b514ed5.jpeg)](https://glare.helio.app/interviews/dave-huber#design-without-measurable-impact-is-just-decoration)

Check out the conversation:

> **[Glare Interview | Dave Huber](https://glare.helio.app/interviews/dave-huber#design-without-measurable-impact-is-just-decoration)**
>
> Dave Huber - Design without measurable impact is just decoration.

One line that stuck with me:  
**“Designers often know their work matters, but they struggle to prove it.”**

Dave’s point is simple but powerful: beautiful design doesn’t mean effective design. And if we can’t show the business impact, our work risks being ignored. He lays out a practical path forward: set clear goals, measure what matters, and connect the dots from team efforts to company growth.

- Are your design reviews tied to outcomes, or just opinions?
- Do you know if your designs lead to user action, not just user appreciation?
- What are you doing to connect design metrics to business goals?

This isn’t about more dashboards. It’s about making UX metrics a shared language between design and leadership.

💬 **Discussion**

- How are you showing design impact on your team?
- Are you using OKRs or KPIs to shape design direction, or is your team still reacting to opinions?
- How do you make sure design isn’t just measured, but _understood_?

Let us know how you’re aligning design work with business outcomes.