Designmøder

Designmøder are structured gatherings centered on design work within product, service, or architectural development. The term, rooted in Danish, describes meetings where designers, product managers, engineers, and other stakeholders review concepts, align goals, and decide on design directions. While common in Nordic contexts, designmøder are used by international teams adopting Nordic design thinking, and the term is sometimes encountered in English-language discussions.

Typical formats include design reviews, where current concepts or artefacts are critiqued; design sprints or workshops for rapid ideation; and co-creation sessions that involve user representatives. Meetings usually have a clear agenda, a designated facilitator, and defined outputs such as decisions, prioritized actions, or updated design artefacts. Pre-work material is often circulated to participants to enable informed discussion.

Participants commonly include designers, product owners, developers, UX researchers, and other stakeholders. The process emphasizes visual communication through sketches, wireframes, and prototypes, with a focus on evidence-based critique. The overarching aim is to converge on a design direction, validate assumptions, and surface risks early in the development cycle.

Benefits of designmøder include faster feedback loops, improved alignment across teams, higher quality design outcomes, and greater stakeholder buy-in. Challenges can involve limited time, uneven participation, remote coordination, and managing constructive critique in diverse groups.

Best practices encompass timeboxing, explicit objectives, inclusive participation, structured critique methods, thorough documentation, and keeping decisions and rationale traceable for future reference. This combination helps maintain momentum and accountability throughout the design process.