Cross-department Communication is Key

Starting in my career, I always focused on my role and my field, aka design. As I got more experienced, I realized that learning about other aspects of business processes like sales, marketing and development can help me become better at my job in different ways: 

• Understanding the overall technology behind what's been built and going to be built helps me think of ideas that fit the technology I’m working with. Also, cultivating relationships with the tech department shows empathy and genuine interest in a product, making people more receptive to my ideas. 
• Learning about the sales and marketing side is also important because people from these departments work directly with customers and can provide a new perspective on the old solutions. Building these relationships helps in the long run because it makes user research more insightful and correlating with the overall business goals.

It’s crucial to build an effective communication system between departments. You can be the trailblazer. Take the initiative! It will be well worth your time.