Sheila Karns-Gierek

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The best products are often sparked as ambitious ideas that are pushed up against guardrails while barreling along the product development highway.

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Customers will thank you kindly for putting their design needs first, leaving non-essential product bells and whistles at the door. It's an exciting time when a company is preparing to launch a new app or feature on one of its existing products. However, before introducing an updated design or functionality on the current model, it's important to gather as much feedback as possible from the end users and other stakeholders to give them what they want, so you can add meaningful value to their journey with the brand.  Creating an overcomplicated design will waste time and budget, so remember that less is more. Below, 10 leaders from Fast Company Executive Board weigh in on how to help creative UX teams develop visually appealing and functional designs. Implementing these best practices will ensure that aesthetic choices do not compromise product usability, and customers are satisfied with their experience.

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Here's how to introduce Innovation and team creativity alongside company standards. Oftentimes, in the business world, employees may be afraid to get creative or express themselves freely because they are certain their ideas will get shot down, especially if it's outside of traditional regulations. However, in the digital landscape that continues to evolve, company leaders must keep an open mind about potential ideas that may sound risky but could be exactly what is needed for the company to thrive in the long run at a rapid rate. Below, 11 members from Fast Company Executive Board each discuss one way employers can balance innovation with regulation to avoid stifling team creativity while ensuring safety and ethical standards.

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Listen to your people and learn how to foster employee engagement every day. Hiring the right people is the key to success at any company, but to keep them growing and willing to stay on board, the leadership team must learn to understand what gets their employees out of bed in the morning to show up and do the hard work. Creating a work environment that makes everyone feel welcomed and heard is essential to help staff members continue to develop as they support each other and the company's progress in business. Below, 16 experts from Fast Company Executive Board each describe one measure that company leaders can adopt to foster a diverse workforce culture that drives innovation and employee satisfaction.