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After more than eight years in the design and management industry, I’ve asked the same question repeatedly: what do we really want from work? Is it just about money and growth? Or is there something deeper, like respect, meaning, and a system that supports us to do our best?

Throughout my career, I’ve worked with brilliant people and learned from respected mentors. Their insights helped shape my path, and over time, I stepped into mentoring roles myself, guiding designers who later became well-known names in the industry. I’ve also led panel discussions and managed creative teams through complex projects. These experiences taught me not just how to build successful products, but also how to build strong, healthy systems around the people who create them.

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Where Inspiration Comes From

I won’t pretend I’ve always had the answers. Many times, I’ve struggled to explain simple truths about how teams should work. We live in an age of endless tools and trending methods, but many of them still miss the point. The truth is, I found some of the best lessons not from the latest app, but from a decades-old manufacturing philosophy: the Toyota Production System.

A colleague recently reminded me of its core ideas — continuous improvement (Kaizen), respect for people, and reducing waste. These aren’t just buzzwords; they’re practical, people-first principles that apply far beyond the factory floor. They made me reflect on my leadership style and what I’ve learned in both startup and corporate environments.

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Why It Matters Now

When teams grow fast, chaos follows. Processes that once worked start breaking down. People burn out — not because the work is too hard, but because the way we work doesn’t support them. I’ve seen this happen in small agencies, tech companies, and even in larger organizations. That’s where a real business system matters.

Not a complicated one. A simple, effective system that helps teams work better, not harder. One that saves time, avoids repeated mistakes, and makes onboarding feel less like guesswork and more like building on a solid base.

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A Framework Worth Adapting

Toyota’s strength wasn’t just in any single method. It was in how everything worked together — respect, clarity, and small improvements every day. This is something I try to bring to every project I lead now. Not copying their system exactly, but understanding the principles and shaping them to fit our own needs.

In one of my recent workshops, I introduced a version of this system to help teams build their workflows. We didn’t need flashy tools or endless meetings. We just needed to ask the right questions: What’s slowing us down? What’s working well? What do we wish we could change?

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Leading with Purpose

This approach has shaped how I lead and how I support teams. It’s not just about making things more efficient. It’s about building systems that respect people’s time, talent, and well-being. Whether mentoring young designers or speaking on a panel, my goal has always been the same: to help others do their best work by creating environments that allow it.

I’ve been lucky to have a meaningful impact on companies and individuals alike, not by reinventing everything but by focusing on what really matters: a good system, a strong team, and a little inspiration from where we least expect it.

Thanks for reading.

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Aram Andreasyan
Industry Leader, Design Expert

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