Design Currency: Understand, define, and promote the value of your design work

Chapter 4. Defining Metrics

Metrics, metrics, metrics! Setting business metrics, measuring return on investment, quantifying value—when did design go all Wall Street?

If your professional training was steeped in creative development, and the metric system was the closest you ever got to “metrics” (but heck, you’re much more comfortable with points, picas, and pixels), then the thought of measuring your creative impact probably ranks somewhere between word problems and tax preparation on your fun list.

All snark aside, the focus on numbers has been a significant obstacle for designers to overcome. Whether it stems from an inability to place measurable parameters on creative work, or from fine art roots that culturally emphasize aesthetics, we ...