9 lessons I’ve learned from being a design lead
And things I hope design leaders are already doing with their teams
I’ve had my fair share of experiences when it comes to collaborating with people–for the most part, with design teams.
When I was given opportunities to lead teams back in my previous jobs, I knew I had to shift my mentality from being a hyper-focused individual contributor to an all around mediator.
Here are a couple of things I’ve done (and things I hope design leader would do or are doing) that I found to be helpful to make sure the team is effectively executing tasks while keeping their morale up.
1. Onboard team members properly
Whenever a new designer comes in, it’s always helpful that you walk them through with what the team has been doing so they could get up to speed and start collaborating effectively.
I do my best to tell them what happens in the end-to-end design process, what are the crucial tools they need to utilize, and how they can survive while working in the company.
A great tip is to document each step in the onboarding process so that you won’t miss anything that could potentially hinder your team members’ performance in the future. It’s also helpful to get feedback after onboarding them so you can improve on how you introduce newer members to the team moving forward. 👍
I’ve had moments where I had to fend for myself and learn things on the fly. All I can say is that your team members would appreciate you more if the onboarding is clear and informative so they could spend more time doing more valuable things vs. picking up things as they go.
2. Get to know them individually (if possible)
Every designer is unique in their own way but taking your time to know each individual designer’s goals, work ethic, preferences, and learning behavior will definitely help you in the long run.
I know that this might not be possible if you’re handling bigger teams but taking the effort to talk to them individually will give you an idea on how you will compose your team, set their growth paths, and determine what your team’s dynamics will look like.
It’s also a great if you can extend the chat to a more personal level because who knows, you might find someone on your team whom you can share hobbies, interests, or music with outside of work. 😆
3. Establish trust and assure responsibility
It comes to no surprise that building a good level of trust within the team is the most crucial step that you need to take on the onset–making sure that they know there’s always someone they can rely on.
I make it a point to tell them not to hesitate and loop me in if predicaments happen that are outside of their control.
If things go south, remind them that it’s not their fault and you can resolve this together. This way, they won’t hesitate in approaching you if there’s a challenge that’s needs immediate attention and intervention.
The panels I shared are from Imadoki No Wakai Mon Wa. It’s a nice short story about an unexpectedly helpful boss. Check it out if you can!
4. Create an environment for open conversation
One of the most important skill designers should have IMO is communication. I believe that you, as the lead, should create an open environment for speaking and encourage your team members to voice out their perspectives during discussions.
Throughout the years of working and talking to designers in the industry, I can say that there’s still a segment of designers (at least locally) who are shy and will only speak if they need to (I was guilty of this btw😂). I’m not saying that this is bad but we’ll miss the chance to know what new and crazy ideas they can potentially put on the table if they’re hesitant to speak.
If you do manage to create this environment, a good next step is to guide them with things that they can improve on so they can boost their confidence and become better communicators. This also helps them to gain the courage to give feedback about you or how you lead so this goes both ways really. 🤝
A helpful resource that you can check out regarding this topic comes from the book Radical Candor. One chapter discusses how you can foster a relationship with your team where each member can openly give their feedback objectively and critically.
5. Spare them time to document their work
I’m a firm believer of documentation; sparing time to write down any revision helps new designers understand the rationale of the change and also saves time having to rummage through older designs in case the team needs to revert back.
Coming from a background in development, I can attest that having good documentation is extremely helpful for new developers when they come in. Every git commit with a comment is a question less asked and more time to come up with solutions. I believe that this is also possible in design.
Encouraging designers to take time documenting the changes–whether it’s something simple as a color change or a revamp of a design element–can help you as a team when coming up with new interfaces and not having to go back to what’s already been dealt with.
In case you’re using Figma, it has a helpful feature that allows you to branch off from a single version of a design. Zeplin also has a helpful function version history and commit function that often goes unnoticed.
6. Give them time to get back to their flow state (especially when handling multiple projects)
If you’re in a company where there are a lot of projects being handled, chances are, each designer will be assigned to work on multiple projects all at once. This is especially true if you’re working in an agency setting where you need to accommodate different types of projects altogether.
While it probably won’t be that difficult for seasoned designers to switch mental contexts in between projects, some designers might struggle with changes in requirements on top of new tasks. Allow your team members to focus on the task at hand so their flow state won’t be interrupted.
Apps like ResourceGuru or Monday.com can help you in summarize the number of projects assigned to each designer and when they’re supposed to be working on it. This way, you can determine if a designer is already doing a lot; it also gives you an idea whether you need to hire another person or not.
7. Check up on your team every now and then
I won’t deny that the pandemic isn’t making it any easier for all of us. Something you wouldn’t want to happen is a member in your team suddenly leaving the company because they feel like they’re being emotionally neglected. This is especially true even for myself.
Back then, I would give constant 1-on-1’s with my team just to get a feel of how they’re doing emotionally. This is also an opportunity to gauge if they feel emotionally fulfilled to be part of the team or not; you can also come up with next steps after to see how you can alleviate their concerns.
A good friend, Francis Alturas, mentioned in one of our conversations that their team does a daily check in where each member of team “gives 2 words to describe their day.” I think this is a good practice to gauge whether the team can effectively and emotionally contribute to work for the day; it also eases them any type of pressure from whatever burden the team is thinking of.
I know we aren’t psychologists or psychiatrists (unless you really are) and the problems of each of your team members won’t go away in an instant but lending an ear to them every now and then will definitely make them feel that they’re being taken care of. We’re all in this together. 🙌
8. Be patient with your team
Not every designer will grow at the same pace as you are; some will excel faster while other might need some help on certain things. What you probably would want to avoid is to reprimand them in such a way that will lose their confidence and trust in you.
If you see a team member struggling with something that’s crucial, set a time where you can objectively talk about what they’re having a hard time with and guide them along the way.
9. Thank your team!
One thing that I do when I talk to my team is to constantly thank them for the work that they’re doing. There will be instances where you are only there to instruct them what to do but not do any of the work at all so–as cliché as this sounds–give them credit where credit is due.
I’ve experienced moments where I wasn’t credited with the work I’ve done at all even if I was the one who did bulk of the work; I can tell you folks that it’s not a great feeling. I make it a habit to credit my team whenever there’s a presentation especially if the idea and execution initially came from them.
Remember that the success of the team lies with the success of every member that’s part of the journey.
BONUS: Treat them if you can 🎉
Wherever there’s an accomplishment that the team did, it won’t hurt to give them a reward for their efforts after an arduous week or month of work!
Back then, I would take my teams out for dinner or drinks just to make the atmosphere lighter while getting to know them along the way. Given the current pandemic situation, it’s difficult to hang out but it’s always nice to take a breather and celebrate the small wins even virtually.
Here are a couple of interactive games that you can play and organize for your team’s game night:
These are just some of the things that I find helpful and that you can do in case you’re interested in (or if you’re being promoted to) becoming a lead or manager within your design team. This also serves as a reminder for myself whenever I’m lost with how I should engage if ever I become a lead again.
A helpful resource that I always go back to is the Design Ops Handbook by InVision. While not all processes may apply to your current situation, the notes inside are really helpful for you to consider whenever you’re building your process.
That is all. Hoping you’ll find this helpful as well! 🙌
