Design aficionados and curious minds alike! Today, we’re exploring the intriguing world of design and the diverse paths that lead to it. Consider a former librarian, a mechanic, a life insurance agent, a therapist, and a modern dancer. What unites them? They are all part of the dynamic team at Airbnb, known for its design-focused culture. Their journeys to design were far from direct. They represent a wider industry trend, where numerous potential design talents go unnoticed due to their paths not crossing with the profession. This is a familiar challenge for design leaders at tech giants like Apple, Google, and Facebook, who are well aware of the scarcity of designers to meet the increasing demand. Startups and mid-sized companies, with their limited resources, feel this shortage even more.
How do we bridge this gap?
How do we ensure that the kid who’s a whiz at hacking video games, the science major who accidentally designs a killer promotional poster, or the talented illustrator who dabbles in Photoshop, find their way into the design world? It’s a conundrum that hits close to home for many, including Alex Schleifer, the VP of Design at Airbnb. He acknowledges that without his mother’s artistic influence, his own path to design might have been very different. The issue at hand is the lack of a clear route to funnel these potential talents into the design profession.
For starters, design roles aren’t marketed or educated about as well as they should be. Outside the design bubble, there’s a vague understanding of UI and UX, but the nuances of product design, particularly interaction design, remain obscure. This lack of understanding is a disservice to a field responsible for shaping the interactive digital products that are increasingly integral to our daily lives.
The organizational structure for design teams is anything but standard.
Unlike engineering and product management, which typically have clear hierarchies and reporting paths, design teams are organized in a myriad of ways. Some companies treat their design teams like agencies, with designers floating from project to project. Others embed design leaders within the product development process, reporting alongside engineering and product into the same executive. And then there are those where design reports into Product, Engineering, or Marketing. The sooner the design community can standardize its structure, the easier it will be to foster design cultures and career paths within and across companies.
When it comes to role models, designers are at a disadvantage. While engineers and product managers can look up to the likes of Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, and Marissa Mayer, design lacks mainstream figures of this stature. Jony Ive and Yves Béhar might be recognized within design circles, but outside, the recognition is sparse. Having visible leaders at the top is not just about fame; it’s about establishing the maturity and visibility of the profession.
What’s the currency of design? Who are the faces on the bills? Need more design leaders. Let’s discuss a design-friendly organization. It’s not just about compensation; it’s about design’s position. Airbnb has closely knit EPD teams from start to finish, ensuring alignment and formalizing pathways for product creation.
The ideal team structure is like a three-legged stool, with each leg representing engineering, product, and design. If this balance is established from the start, each function can grow in parallel as the organization scales. Companies that get this right from the beginning either hire a design lead early on or grow the design headcount in step with engineering and product hires. This prevents the creation of an unstable stool—or shaky product—later on.
For Airbnb, the EPD leads are peers who report directly into one of the founders. This structure prevents design from becoming a reactive entity during product development. It also ensures that each project has co-equal, designated engineering, product, and design leads working together. This cross-disciplinary coordination was evident in the development of Airbnb’s Smart Pricing feature, where design played a crucial role in making the feature more understandable and user-friendly.
In essence, three elements define a product: the business, the code, and the pixels. It’s vital that each has a voice in all product decisions. At Airbnb, they’ve taken steps to ensure designers can navigate the company and represent the evolution of design careers at large. They’ve leveled titles across teams, allowing individual contributors (ICs) to advance without becoming managers. This approach improves retention, concurrent cohort growth, and mobility within the company.
The design industry is at a crossroads. We can either move towards industry standards or stagnancy. It’s time to rethink how we approach design, from the way we attract and nurture talent to the tools we use and the language we speak. The future of design is bright, but only if we’re willing to redesign the way we think about it.
Diving into the heart of our discussion, let’s explore how to build a design-friendly organization that not only attracts top talent but also fosters a culture where design thrives. The strategies for success are not just about attracting the right people; it’s about creating an environment where design is integral to the company’s DNA.
Fusing engineering, product, and design from the start is a game-changer.
At companies like Airbnb, this triad is known as EPD, and it’s a powerful alliance. From the inception of a product to its launch, each function is involved and aligned, ensuring that the key builders are in sync. This not only formalizes the professional pathways for those interested in product creation but also guarantees that the product is well-rounded and user-centric.
The analogy of the three-legged stool is particularly apt here.
If one leg is shorter or missing, the stool—and by extension, the product—will be unstable. By establishing a balance from the start, each function can grow in parallel as the organization scales. Companies that understand this either hire a design lead early on or grow the design headcount in step with engineering and product hires. This prevents the creation of an unstable stool—or shaky product—later on.
Airbnb’s approach to EPD leadership is also noteworthy. The leads in engineering, product, and design are peers who report directly into one of the founders. This structure prevents design from becoming a mere afterthought during product development and ensures that each project has co-equal, designated engineering, product, and design leads working together. This was evident in the development of Airbnb’s Smart Pricing feature, where design played a crucial role in making the feature more understandable and user-friendly.
Another strategy is to involve business, code, and pixels in product decisions.
At Airbnb, steps have been taken to ensure designers can navigate the company and represent the evolution of design careers at large. They’ve leveled titles across teams, allowing individual contributors (ICs) to advance without becoming managers. This approach improves retention, concurrent cohort growth, and mobility within the company.
But what about the individual contributors, the ICs? They often hit a ceiling as they grow more senior. Airbnb’s solution is to level titles across teams and promote ICs to the highest level without making them managers. Management is not a promotion but a separate track. This allows ICs to continue to advance in their careers and contribute significantly to the company’s success.
Retention is improved when ICs can continue to hone their core competency rather than manage the development of others. Concurrent cohort growth is facilitated, allowing ICs to work on high-priority projects and make bigger decisions. This enables them to advance with their engineering and product counterparts. Mobility is enhanced as level titles and on-the-job exposure facilitate the diffusion of knowledge across functions. As designers become more senior, they pick up expertise from their engineering and product counterparts, which can lead to opportunities to move to other areas of the company based on past projects, interest level, and skill set.
It’s essential to surface new tools and establish a vernacular for design.
Just as architects once saw their drafting tables as an extension of their hands, designers build muscle memory around the software they use. While some tools have been in use for decades and have been hacked to stay relevant, it’s important to stay open to new tools that can streamline the design process and enhance collaboration.
Building a design-friendly organization requires a proactive approach that starts from the very beginning. It’s about creating a balance between engineering, product, and design, giving each a voice in product decisions, and fostering an environment where ICs can grow and thrive. By doing so, companies can not only attract top design talent but also create products that are truly exceptional. The future of design is bright, and with the right strategies, we can ensure that design remains at the forefront of innovation and creativity.
Related posts:
How to Recruit Top Design Talent. Insights from InVision’s 2019 Product… | by Aarron Walter | Design Better | Medium
Unlock the Potential of Design Talent | UXHires
Effective Strategies for Attracting Top Design Talent (linkedin.com)
