The truth is that most designers don’t know (or care) enough about the underlying business to have the kind of impact they aspire to.

I think it varies so much depending on the business and the designer, which is really the point. Alignment is critical, without it friction is inevitable.

Yeah, I think its all about the right fit, which is very variable. When I was a naïve designer working at Facebook I wanted a seat at the table so I would have more autonomy to do good work, when in reality what constituted good work to me was antithetical to the company.

Working at a b2b SaaS company came much easier. But yeah, just depends on the situation I guess.

100% This is the real point. Different businesses, products, cultures, all need different things from design. The better you understand them the more empowered you are to deliver impact that aligns with your skills + values.

I’d add that I think it’s one of the core failures of design education and mentorship by-in-large