Product Design

Produces simple UI and interaction designs with basic tool knowledge. Communicates ideas using available design tools. Solves well-defined problems with guidance. Delivers work that requires revision and refinement from others.

Executes assigned tasks and delivers high-quality design work with senior guidance. Creates simple solutions balancing user, business, and technical needs. Applies design principles consistently across their work.

Produces polished, detailed design work ready for production through collaboration, pairing, and building on feedback. Balances user needs with business goals and technical constraints without requiring constant oversight.

Delivers compelling and engaging design work that is polished and production-ready. Makes individual systems cohesive as part of a larger whole. Resolves complex tradeoffs between user needs, business goals, and technical constraints independently.

Produces innovative, high-quality design work that pushes boundaries and sets new standards. Solves highly ambiguous design challenges that are surprising and unusual. Creates new methods and approaches that advance the practice of design.

Produces simple UI and interaction design work with basic tool knowledge. Learns from existing design patterns and solves well-defined problems. Communicates ideas using available design tools. Seeks feedback and guidance regularly.

Executes assigned design tasks with guidance from senior designers. Creates simple solutions that balance user, business, and technical needs. Produces work that requires review and iteration before implementation.

Delivers high-quality interaction design independently through close collaboration, pairing, and building relationships with cross-functional teams. Balances competing constraints while solving complex design problems without constant oversight.

Produces polished, detailed, production-ready designs that are compelling and engaging. Requires minimal iteration or rework. Balances user needs with business goals and technical constraints. Maintains consistency across multiple features and touchpoints.

Creates exemplary interaction designs that set standards and inspire teams. Tackles highly ambiguous problems requiring novel approaches. Documents and shares reusable design patterns. Elevates craft across the organization through example and mentorship.

Waits to be told what to do and how to do it. Requires step-by-step instructions and frequent check-ins. Asks for help prioritizing tasks and needs reminders about deadlines. Pairs closely with others on all work.

Completes small, well-defined tasks with occasional guidance. Shadows senior designers and asks clarifying questions before starting work. Needs manager support to organize workload and stay on track with priorities.

Takes ownership of defined work streams with periodic check-ins. Seeks coaching on approach for unfamiliar problems. Manages own task list but requests help prioritizing competing demands or navigating blockers.

Drives own work forward with minimal oversight. Proactively identifies when guidance is needed and seeks it out. Organizes and prioritizes workload independently, surfacing conflicts or resource needs to manager as appropriate.

Operates independently across complex, ambiguous projects. Defines own approach and priorities without direction. Anticipates dependencies and proactively coordinates across teams. Unblocks self and adjusts course as needed without manager intervention.

Asks questions about existing design systems. Reviews design system documentation and examples. Observes how other designers reference and apply system components in their work.

Uses established design system components in daily work. References documentation to implement patterns correctly. Asks for clarification when system guidelines are unclear or incomplete.

Applies design system principles consistently across projects. Identifies gaps or inconsistencies in the system. Proposes specific additions or improvements based on project needs encountered.

Drives additions and refinements to the design system. Documents new components and patterns. Collaborates with other designers to align on system updates and ensure adoption across teams.

Establishes design system strategy and governance. Guides teams in adopting and extending the system. Mentors designers on system thinking and application. Drives cross-functional alignment on system evolution.

Follows established design patterns and best practices. Relies on existing templates and examples when solving design problems. Asks for guidance when facing constraints or unfamiliar challenges.

Adapts existing design solutions to new contexts. Explores multiple approaches when facing constraints. Evaluates reasonable alternatives using established criteria before selecting a direction.

Generates novel solutions when constraints demand creative approaches. Proposes unconventional ideas that balance innovation with feasibility. Experiments with emerging patterns and validates new approaches through testing.

Identifies opportunities where innovative design approaches would add significant value. Advocates for breakthrough solutions at project inflection points. Guides teams toward creative solutions while managing risk and feasibility concerns.

Establishes new design patterns and approaches that influence multiple teams. Creates frameworks that enable others to innovate systematically. Balances pushing boundaries with practical constraints across the organization.

Shadows other designers to observe problem-solving approaches. Applies feedback from senior designers to specific tactical assignments. Supports senior designers on defined tasks with clear direction.

Defines key flows, behaviors, and edge cases for assigned features. Applies user research and customer feedback to improve or polish designs for their team. Develops solutions within established patterns.

Identifies opportunities and solves simple product problems independently. Develops new concepts and pitches product solutions for team consideration. Thinks through and addresses edge cases proactively.

Thinks holistically about how features connect across the product. Develops and pitches concepts for team-level and some product-level problems. Begins connecting individual features to broader product strategy.

Designs solutions for complex and ambiguous product-level problems. Helps product teams define and deliver features or products. Leads major innovations in critical areas and helps leadership imagine and pitch strategic directions.

Shadows other designers during research activities. Takes notes and processes insights under guidance. Helps with user-defined research tasks like scheduling participants and organizing findings.

Conducts traditional user research independently with oversight from PM or senior designer. Plans and executes user-centered research approaches. Runs moderated sessions and synthesizes findings.

Plans and runs both moderated and unmoderated user research independently. Selects appropriate research methods for different problems. Delivers actionable insights to product and design teams.

Develops comprehensive research plans and processes. Scopes knowledge needs with design and product teams. Formulates insightful research questions that drive product decisions.

Establishes research strategy and standards across teams. Conducts complex studies addressing ambiguous problems. Mentors others on research methodology and advocates for user-centered approaches organization-wide.

Seeks ways to contribute to projects. Uses design tools with guidance. Asks questions about assigned domain. Requires direction on what to work on and how to approach tasks.

Takes ownership of assigned work within project scope. Completes tasks with clear direction. Relies on manager guidance to stay on track and prioritize. Begins contributing to project discussions.

Drives small projects from start to finish without constant oversight. Takes full ownership of design deliverables. Proactively manages own workload and timelines. Trusted to execute project responsibilities independently.

Controls entire product design process for their area. Recommends design solutions beyond immediate project scope. Identifies and addresses design opportunities proactively. Influences design decisions across related projects.

Drives strategic design decisions affecting multiple projects or large initiatives. Establishes design direction and consistency across project teams. Makes high-impact decisions that shape product and organizational design approaches.

Focuses on individual contributions and assigned tasks. Does not yet take on leadership responsibilities. Participates in team discussions and follows established design processes and standards set by others.

Begins to voice opinions in team discussions. Shares work in progress with immediate team members. Follows established processes and occasionally suggests improvements to workflows within their project area.

Helps define new processes when gaps exist. Guides team direction for specific features or projects. Shares knowledge with teammates. Represents design perspective in cross-functional project discussions.

Leads design for significant projects. Sets and maintains design standards for the team. Regularly represents design in cross-functional discussions. Helps establish team direction and clarifies processes for others to follow.

Leads design for long-term product vision across the company. Defines organization-wide design standards and best practices. Represents design at executive level. Challenges existing approaches and drives strategic design direction.

Actively asks questions about business context, tools, and domain fundamentals. Seeks out resources and documentation to build foundational knowledge. Connects daily tasks to immediate team objectives when prompted.

Explains how their work connects to broader business goals without prompting. References domain knowledge when making design decisions. Identifies when they need additional context and seeks it independently.

Anticipates how design decisions impact multiple parts of the product. Articulates project goals and success metrics to stakeholders. Draws connections between user needs and business objectives in their work.

Identifies implications of design decisions across adjacent domains and systems. Defines project identity and goals for their team. Explains long-term strategic direction and how current work advances it.

Maps design decisions to cascading effects across product ecosystem and technical infrastructure. Shapes strategic direction by articulating domain relationships and long-term implications. Guides others in understanding system-level thinking.

Reaches out when needing help with tasks. Balances multiple assignments with guidance. Responds to feedback and adjusts approach. Communicates progress when prompted by manager or teammates.

Proactively updates manager and team on progress without prompting. Provides clear, timely information teammates can use. Accepts and incorporates feedback flexibly. Delivers work with consistent quality.

Adjusts communication detail level based on audience needs. Delivers value-focused updates to team and stakeholders. Maintains flexible processes that respond to changing priorities. Shares context effectively across team boundaries.

Gives actionable feedback to teammates regularly. Keeps manager informed of risks and opportunities proactively. Builds healthy relationships across project teams. Creates positive team dynamics through collaboration. Participates actively in design critiques.

Leads project and design teams on new initiatives. Participates in hiring decisions. Mentors other designers through challenges. Influences decision-making and prioritization across teams. Promotes healthy collaboration practices organization-wide.

Collaborates with other designers on shared projects. Asks questions to understand constraints from PMs and engineers. Participates in design critiques as a listener. Practices presenting work in team settings.

Asks meaningful questions in meetings and standups. Shares design ideas proactively with team members. Participates actively in design critiques. Presents work verbally to small groups with increasing confidence.

Runs design critiques for project work. Communicates proactively in meetings, standups, and collaborative sessions. Articulates design decisions clearly across disciplines. Participates effectively in cross-functional discussions.

Drives communication across complex product flows including onboarding and activation. Facilitates design critiques effectively. Communicates design rationale in varied settings. Presents work confidently to broader audiences including stakeholders.

Guides project team communication patterns. Leads design critiques across multiple teams. Provides system-oriented feedback to designers company-wide. Communicates effectively in all organizational settings from standups to executive presentations.

Asks questions in critiques and team meetings. Seeks feedback from manager and other designers. Observes how experienced designers share and document their work.

Participates in critiques by asking clarifying questions and sharing observations. Writes basic documentation for own work. Learns from engineers and cross-functional team members during collaboration.

Regularly shares knowledge and insights with the design team. Creates documentation that others reference. Actively participates in critiques, providing constructive feedback to peers.

Guides experienced designers through their work. Facilitates critiques and design reviews. Contributes to team documentation standards. Shares expertise through presentations and workshops.

Provides feedback and evaluates designers across the company. Communicates effectively in varied settings and with stakeholders. Delivers system-oriented critique. Manages stakeholder expectations through teaching and knowledge sharing.