Design often gets sidelined in organizations despite clear evidence of its business value. The piece highlights how design is treated as an afterthought, easily discarded during budget cuts or disagreements. A study by McKinsey shows that top design performers see 32% higher revenue growth and 56% better returns for shareholders. Meanwhile, the Design Management Institute found that design-led companies outperformed the S&P 500 by 211%. Yet, these statistics often fail to resonate with decision-makers who prioritize immediate needs over long-term benefits. The article contrasts the rise of marketing and product management, which have successfully integrated into strategic discussions. Marketing evolved from merely coordinating advertising to taking on profit-and-loss responsibilities, earning its place at the table. Product management grew from a focus on sales tracking to becoming the “voice of the customer.” In contrast, design remains trapped at a pragmatic level, constantly needing to prove its immediate utility. Recent layoffs in the tech sector reveal the disproportionate impact on design roles. Research indicates that designers were laid off at a rate 1.7 times higher than expected, while researchers faced an even steeper decline. This trend is alarming, especially as job postings for UX research positions plummeted by 89% since their peak in 2022. The article sheds light on a communication gap between designers and executives, where jargon like "user pain points" doesn't translate into the financial terms that decision-makers understand. This disconnect hinders design's ability to defend its worth in a corporate environment increasingly focused on immediate financial results.