Product Design

Asks questions to understand squad's surface area. References documentation when discussing features. Seeks clarification on how squad work connects to broader platform. Observes how teammates navigate product decisions.

Explains squad features and their platform integration without prompting. References specific feature interactions in design discussions. Identifies when work affects other squad areas. Articulates user flows within owned surface area confidently.

Describes entire product area architecture and dependencies. Compares competitor approaches when evaluating solutions. Maps how platform components interact across squads. References technical constraints when proposing designs. Identifies gaps in competitive offerings.

Explains platform-wide technical architecture and system constraints to stakeholders. Anticipates cross-platform impacts before implementation. Evaluates designs against technical limitations proactively. Connects disparate platform components in solution proposals. Traces data flows across entire system.

Presents market landscape analysis to leadership. Proposes strategic initiatives based on competitive positioning. Identifies emerging market opportunities before competitors. Articulates differentiated value propositions. Influences company strategy through market intelligence sharing.

References basic customer personas in discussions. Identifies primary user jobs and tasks when describing design decisions. Asks clarifying questions about customer goals and use cases during squad meetings.

Articulates detailed customer and buyer persona characteristics in design reviews. Explains customer challenges and pain points when presenting work. Connects design decisions to specific persona needs and contexts.

Initiates customer research activities and user interviews. Synthesizes research findings into actionable insights. Shares new customer learnings with squad and updates understanding based on feedback and data patterns.

Identifies unmet customer needs and market gaps through analysis. Proposes new opportunities based on customer insight patterns. Connects customer problems to measurable business outcomes and presents strategic recommendations.

Shapes company strategy by presenting customer insights to leadership. Identifies industry-wide customer needs that drive competitive positioning. Influences product vision and roadmap decisions with evidence-based customer opportunity analysis.

References existing squad and platform strategy when discussing their work. Asks questions to understand how their projects connect to broader goals and OKRs. Reviews and demonstrates familiarity with documented vision materials.

Frames design proposals by explicitly connecting them to squad OKRs and product strategy. Participates in roadmap discussions with rationale tied to strategic objectives. Documents how completed work advances stated goals.

Proposes new directions for their product area based on customer insights and market analysis. Presents vision concepts that influence squad priorities. Facilitates discussions that evolve product area strategy with cross-functional partners.

Co-writes strategy documents and vision artifacts for their squad. Leads multi-quarter planning sessions that define product direction. Aligns stakeholders across squads on strategic priorities through presentations and workshops.

Co-authors company-level strategy documents and long-term product visions. Presents competitive positioning frameworks that inform executive decisions. Publishes thought leadership on industry trends that shapes external perception and internal direction.

Identifies and references key metrics and business outcomes for their product area. Asks questions about how work connects to goals. Reviews dashboards and reports to understand current performance.

Frames design work in terms of intended outcomes rather than deliverables. Discusses impact metrics in critiques and planning. Evaluates shipped work against business results, not just completion.

Tracks squad metrics proactively and adjusts approach when outcomes lag. Proposes design changes based on performance data. Holds self and squad accountable for reaching business targets.

Participates in OKR planning sessions for squad(s), proposing objectives grounded in customer and business needs. Monitors progress and recommends pivots. Reports on design's contribution to goal achievement.

Co-authors company-level OKRs with executive leadership. Champions strategic initiatives that span multiple teams. Presents business impact results to stakeholders and board. Identifies new growth opportunities from market analysis.

Begins every design task by asking questions about customer and business problems. Documents problem statements before exploring solutions. Seeks clarification from team members when problem context is unclear.

Conducts research to uncover underlying customer needs beyond surface requests. Shares insights that shift squad discussions from solutions back to problems. Challenges assumptions about what customers actually need.

Proactively surfaces unaddressed problems by analyzing user behavior, feedback patterns, and workflow gaps. Proposes new problem spaces for the squad to explore. Connects disparate customer pain points into coherent opportunity areas.

Identifies systemic problems that affect multiple squads by examining cross-product workflows and shared customer journeys. Facilitates discussions that reveal dependencies and opportunities spanning team boundaries. Maps problems to broader organizational goals.

Recognizes fundamental gaps in how the industry addresses core customer needs by analyzing competitive landscapes and market trends. Articulates emerging problem spaces before they become widely acknowledged. Positions the company to lead in solving previously unaddressed challenges.

Applies basic system design patterns when creating interfaces. Identifies and communicates with team members outside their squad who will be affected by their design decisions. Documents connections between their work and existing components.

Designs multi-screen flows that maintain consistency across touchpoints. Creates solutions that connect multiple interface elements into unified experiences. Demonstrates how individual components work together as part of a larger system.

Tackles system design problems involving multiple user types, edge cases, and technical constraints. Proposes solutions that balance competing requirements across different parts of the product. Identifies and resolves conflicts between system components.

Designs modular systems that other teams can build upon. Evaluates technical dependencies and proposes solutions that reduce future maintenance burden. Creates frameworks that enable faster development while maintaining platform coherence across multiple squads.

Reimagines foundational product structures that affect the entire platform. Proposes architectural changes that shift how teams approach problems company-wide. Drives multi-quarter initiatives that transform core product concepts and technical infrastructure.

Generates a few alternative solutions to problems. Documents pros, cons, and questions for each option. Shares comparisons with team members to gather input before selecting an approach.

Produces a wide range of solution options through exploration activities. Applies structured criteria and rationale to evaluate alternatives. Narrows options systematically and articulates reasoning for final selection to stakeholders.

Breaks down complex problems into fundamental components. Questions existing assumptions and explores solutions from first principles. Applies this rigorous thinking approach when tackling large projects or when innovation is explicitly required.

Facilitates divergent and convergent thinking processes across multiple squads. Guides teams through structured exploration and decision-making for complex, cross-functional initiatives. Ensures alignment on approach and rationale across diverse stakeholders.

Establishes frameworks and methodologies that enable effective exploration and convergence at scale. Models advanced problem-solving approaches that influence how the organization tackles ambiguous challenges. Coaches leaders across the company on strategic thinking practices.

Consistently applies the design system components and established patterns. Creates designs that follow interaction and visual design fundamentals. Seeks guidance on component usage and design decisions. Produces work that aligns with existing standards.

Designs complete user flows across multiple screens rather than isolated interfaces. Connects interactions into cohesive experiences. Applies visual design craft that reflects product principles. Reviews own work against established guidelines before sharing.

Delivers interfaces for complex systems with high refinement and polish. Simplifies complicated interactions into elegant solutions. Iterates designs multiple times to achieve simplicity. Demonstrates attention to detail in spacing, typography, and visual hierarchy.

Identifies gaps in squad design processes and proposes improvements. Contributes enhancements to the design system and tooling. Reviews others' work and provides craft-focused feedback. Facilitates design critiques that raise quality standards within the squad.

Establishes and communicates craft standards that others reference company-wide. Advocates for design quality in leadership discussions and resource allocation. Influences product decisions by demonstrating design's business value. Mentors designers across teams on executional excellence.

Attends QA sessions and logs bugs found in own work. Asks engineers about technical constraints before finalizing designs. Participates in bug triage meetings and implements feedback from engineering reviews.

Tests features across devices and documents edge cases proactively. Adjusts designs based on technical feasibility discussions. Tracks what ships versus what was designed and reflects on differences in retrospectives.

Proposes scope adjustments to ship faster while maintaining quality. Makes real-time design decisions during implementation to unblock engineers. Measures shipped work against success metrics rather than design specifications.

Redesigns squad processes to reduce time from design to production. Establishes quality gates that balance speed with user experience. Coaches team on when to ship iteratively versus waiting for polish.

Architects shipping frameworks adopted across multiple squads. Influences company-wide deployment strategies balancing innovation with reliability. Mentors leaders on building cultures that value shipped impact over design perfection.

Asks questions to understand product principles, leadership principles, and company values. References documented principles when making decisions. Seeks guidance on how to apply values in daily work situations.

Consistently references values and principles when explaining decisions. Adjusts behavior based on feedback about alignment with company values. Demonstrates values through interactions with squad members and stakeholders.

Calls out connections between squad decisions and company principles. Provides examples of values-driven behavior during squad discussions. Receives recognition from squad members for embodying principles in challenging situations.

Coaches other designers on applying principles to their work. Shares stories and case studies demonstrating values in action. Facilitates design team discussions that reinforce and interpret company principles.

Represents design values in company-wide forums and strategy discussions. Proposes refinements to principles based on organizational evolution. Influences how principles are understood and practiced across all functions through visible leadership.

Regularly seeks guidance before starting tasks. Asks clarifying questions frequently throughout work. Waits for direction when encountering blockers. Reviews work with manager before sharing with squad. Requires hands-on support to complete most assignments.

Completes assigned tasks with periodic check-ins. Asks for help when stuck but attempts solutions first. Makes decisions on routine matters independently. Proactively updates manager on progress and blockers. Requires guidance primarily on new or complex challenges.

Manages own projects from start to finish with minimal oversight. Identifies and surfaces problems early with proposed solutions. Makes trade-off decisions within project scope independently. Seeks input on complex technical or strategic decisions. Delivers work without prompting or status requests.

Takes on ambiguous projects and defines approach independently. Expands scope when identifying valuable opportunities beyond initial brief. Navigates organizational complexity to drive outcomes without escalation. Makes strategic decisions that impact multiple squads. Proactively unblocks others and removes obstacles.

Operates with full autonomy across all work. Initiates high-impact projects without waiting for direction. Makes and executes decisions rapidly with strong bias toward action. Defines new areas of opportunity and pursues them independently. Requires virtually no oversight while delivering company-level impact.

Attends squad meetings and responds to direct requests. Shares work updates when prompted. Asks clarifying questions about assigned tasks. Introduces self to squad members and participates in team discussions.

Initiates conversations with PM and engineering partners about project needs. Shares feedback on others' work when asked. Proactively updates squad on design progress and blockers. Adapts communication style based on partner preferences.

Facilitates triad discussions to surface disagreements early. Paraphrases others' viewpoints before responding. Offers specific, actionable feedback that connects to squad goals. Acknowledges tensions directly and guides conversations toward shared understanding.

Convenes cross-squad sessions to resolve dependencies and conflicts. Maps stakeholder perspectives to identify common ground. Reframes problems to help diverse groups reach consensus. Follows up individually with key partners to maintain alignment momentum.

Establishes collaboration rituals adopted across multiple squads. Models vulnerability and psychological safety in high-stakes conversations. Coaches other designers on navigating complex stakeholder dynamics. Creates forums where cross-functional leaders co-create solutions to organizational challenges.

Asks questions when facing unfamiliar situations. Acknowledges mistakes openly. Seeks guidance from teammates when stuck. Responds constructively to feedback. Shows willingness to try new approaches after setbacks.

Identifies specific skills to develop and creates learning plans. Regularly requests feedback on their work. Experiments with new design methods or tools. Documents lessons learned from projects. Adjusts approach based on what worked or didn't work previously.

Recognizes situations that trigger defensive reactions and pauses before responding. Articulates their development areas to managers and peers. Reframes challenges as learning opportunities in team discussions. Shares stories of their own failures and what they learned.

Facilitates retrospectives that normalize learning from failure. Provides developmental feedback that focuses on growth opportunities. Shares their learning goals publicly and invites others to do the same. Celebrates team members who take risks and learn from experiments.

Shapes company culture by establishing rituals that celebrate learning. Challenges fixed mindset language in leadership discussions. Coaches leaders on creating psychologically safe environments. Influences hiring and promotion criteria to value learning agility and resilience over perfection.

Shares work updates and project status in team meetings and written channels. Responds to feedback by acknowledging input and asking clarifying questions. Documents decisions and next steps after discussions.

Writes concise briefs and updates that highlight key decisions and trade-offs. Offers design critiques that identify specific issues and suggest alternatives. Adjusts communication approach based on audience response and questions.

Frames design proposals as narratives that connect user needs to business outcomes. Facilitates alignment conversations where stakeholders surface concerns and reach decisions. Delivers feedback that motivates partners to refine their work.

Presents design strategies to executive audiences, adapting technical details to business context. Navigates disagreements by synthesizing opposing views into shared frameworks. Represents design perspective in company-wide planning discussions.

Communicates vision that inspires cross-functional teams to pursue ambitious outcomes. Tailors messages across formats—presentations, writing, conversations—to build momentum. Models feedback practices that elevate discourse quality organization-wide.

Takes ownership of assigned work and completes tasks independently. Communicates progress clearly to immediate team members. Participates actively in squad discussions and shares work updates regularly.

Represents design perspective in squad meetings and planning sessions. Advocates for design decisions with engineers and product managers. Presents design work to stakeholders and incorporates feedback into iterations.

Partners with product and engineering leads to shape squad direction and priorities. Facilitates alignment across triad through active listening and proactive feedback. Drives squad health by trending above the line in collaborative discussions.

Coordinates design efforts across multiple squads to ensure coherence and alignment. Influences roadmaps and strategic decisions spanning multiple teams. Mentors designers on other squads and drives adoption of design practices organization-wide.

Sets executional standards and direction for the entire design function. Inspires company-wide adoption of design thinking and principles. Motivates cross-functional teams through storytelling and vision-setting that connects design to business impact.