Design As Clarity

Design is often misread as the nice-to-have, the final layer, the finishing touch. But in a world shaped by acceleration, disruption, and complexity, the need for clarity in business has never been greater, and the role design must play has never been clearer. What if design was not simply a process to follow, but the method through which we make sense of the unknown? This session explores design not as a way to recover, but as a way to reconfigure. When decisions need to be made fast and the stakes are high, design offers something deeper: the ability to create clarity in ambiguity, direction through complexity, and confidence where none exists. Designing as clarity is how we move from uncontrolled outcomes to intentional, adaptive growth. Drawing on two decades of experience shaping product, service, and strategic design across technology, government, and professional services, Grant Show unpacks what it takes to build clarity into the very way we work. He explores the moments where things did not go to plan, the structures that helped teams hold steady, and the ways design creates not just better outputs, but stronger cultures.