A design team is a cross-disciplinary, close-knit team of technical creatives who solve problems, amplify product value, and inform strategic envisioning.
The main functional crafts typically include: UX Research, Content Design, Branding/Marketing Design, Product Design (Interaction), Visual, and Strategist. Depending on the org's maturity, I will typically optimize initial hires to be craft generalists, and then individually scale craft functions to anticipate organizational needs. A Matrix UX Team balances resourcing flexibility with team/craft cohesion. Designers cannot thrive in silo'd environments. It is imperative that there's a codified sense of community, support, and craft growth. |
When joining or building a new design team, my first step is to establish a plan for listening, building empathy, understanding challenges, and business goals.
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I don't build the design team culture: the team builds and lives the culture, together. We define what is truly important for every teammate, all laddering up to a north star of personal growth, continual fulfillment, and pride in the experiences we deliver.
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True leadership means that each individual designer feels ownership and genuine appreciation for their successes and outcomes.
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I champion a culture of continuous learning and growth for each designer, even amplifying the design expertise of non-designers in the company.
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A high-performing design team is only as effective as its cross-functional relationships. Design should be able to accelerate the delivery of best-in-class experiences, help define product vision, and continuously obsess over customer needs.
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We will hyper-focus on continual, clear, and purposeful alignment - including the prioritization of customer and business needs - and allow every designer the autonomy to take full ownership of particular experiences.
We will proactively provide support and resourcing to ensure success. Tactics
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Hiring, growing, and retaining the right team is my most important job. These designers will be the foundation for the org's customer experience and critical to establishing and maintaining a thriving culture.
Hiring Strategy
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