Why design leadership is non-negotiable with Martha Cotton

Martha Cotton, Managing Director at JPMorgan Chase, joins Jochem van der Veer to share how she bridges cultural anthropology, design research, and enterprise transformation across a 25-year career. With experience spanning boutique studios like Gravity Tank, global consultancies like Accenture, and now one of the world's largest banks, Martha reveals what it really takes to move design from an order-taking function to a strategic business partner—and why "trust the process" actually undermines adoption.

Here's why you don't want to miss this episode

Design thinking is a mindset, not a process

Martha has strong feelings about the phrase "trust the process"—and why it fails. Design thinking isn't a rigid methodology with steps to follow, but rather a collaborative mindset built on iteration, testing and learning, and psychological safety. The real work is helping people feel trust through the journey, not demanding it upfront.

The journey from taking orders to partnership

Many design teams hit a ceiling: they're customer-centric, they ship great work, but they can't influence strategy. Martha breaks down the trajectory from execution to partnership, which requires three things: speaking the language of business outcomes, partnering with data teams to demonstrate impact, and developing the "swagger" to claim your contribution.

Design for adoption, not just delivery

"You're not just designing, you are designing for adoption," Martha explains. It's not enough to ship features—you need sustained usage that delivers business value. This mindset applies to products, services, and organizational change initiatives. Martha shares how she brought hotel executives into the field to observe users booking travel, helping them arrive at insights themselves rather than imposing recommendations.

Change happens everywhere at once

Successful transformation can't be purely top-down or bottom-up. It requires senior leaders who model customer-centric behaviors, teams who experience the value of working differently, and middle managers who evangelize new approaches on their next projects. Martha is candid about how frustrating this is in the moment—but looking back annually, the progress becomes clear.

Journey management needs organizational structure to succeed

Martha is optimistic about journey management as a framework for getting organizations out of their own heads, but realistic about the obstacle: most companies aren't structured to deliver cross-functional customer experiences. "It's a wonderful tool, but it will only succeed if it's accompanied by the organizational structure that will allow you to deliver that journey."

AI as creative partner, not just efficiency tool

Looking ahead, Martha is focused on embracing artificial intelligence as a creative collaborator—similar to how partnering with data teams a decade ago expanded her practice. At the recent Ethnographic Praxis and Industry Conference, the theme "intelligences" helped her think about AI as a creative force that will help her grow, not just work faster.

Showing up as yourself in enterprise

This episode offers essential guidance for design leaders navigating complex, regulated organizations. Martha's emphasis on authenticity, collaboration, and demonstrable impact provides a practical blueprint for elevating design's role without sacrificing who you are. Her honest reflections on what makes transformation stick—from recognizing small wins to building partnerships with data teams—make this essential listening for anyone trying to move design beyond craft execution toward strategic partnership.

For teams struggling with organizational immune responses to new ways of working, Martha's approach of meeting people where they are, showing rather than telling, and helping stakeholders arrive at insights themselves demonstrates that successful transformation requires equal parts empathy and business acumen.

Want to hear the entire conversation? Watch or listen to the podcast with Martha and Jochem on The Experience Edge:

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