How Designers Learn to Lead the Work
Early in our careers, many of us wait for the perfect process to appear. Clear steps. Defined rituals. Someone else setting the structure. But over time, you realize that senior...
Fostering Creativity and Excellence
When people ask me how to build a creative, high-performing product team, my answer always begins with trust. Without it, ideas stay hidden and risks are avoided. With it, the w...
It Didn’t Work - Or Did We Just Do It Wrong?
I’ve often heard product teams say things like, “We tried that before,” or “The data shows users didn’t click on it,” or “That idea just doesn’t work.” It’s a familiar pattern - ...
Design Processes That Respect Creative Flow
Creative flow isn’t something that can be forced. It’s a rhythm - a state where designers think, connect ideas, and bring clarity through exploration. Yet, most design processes...
Why Pods Often Fall Short for Designers
Lately, I’ve been reflecting on how pod-based team structures actually feel from a designer’s seat. On paper, pods make a lot of sense. Small, focused groups. Fewer dependencies...
Design Direction That Builds Confidence
Giving design direction is one of the hardest and most important parts of leading creative teams. It’s not just about what needs to change - it’s about helping designers underst...
Great Design Comes from Space to Create
Design craft doesn’t happen by accident. It’s a combination of time, focus, scope, and the environment a designer works in. When any one of these is missing, the quality suffers...
What I Learned While Mentoring Designers
Mentoring designers has taught me as much as it’s taught them. Every conversation, critique, and review becomes a mirror - showing how people think, where they struggle, and wha...
The Core Habits of Effective Design Leaders
Design leadership is more than managing a team or delivering on deadlines. It’s about building the right culture, enabling creativity within structure, and shaping how design co...
The Way Onboarding Shapes Culture
I once joined a design team where my first week felt like detective work. There were scattered files, half-documented processes, and no real introduction to how decisions were m...
Mentoring Isn’t About Giving Answers
When I first started mentoring younger designers, I thought the role was about giving answers. Share the tools, show the shortcuts, pass down the knowledge - that’s what I assumed...
Empathy Is Your Most Underrated Leadership Skill
When you first step into a leadership role, it’s easy to assume success comes from sharper strategy, faster decisions, or stronger design opinions. I thought the same. But over ...