How I lead a team
The team used to be built in verticals — organised by skill set, experience, and platform. With AI now doing a lot of the production work, that's shifted: designers direct, AI tools produce, and leading a team today is less about who has which capability and more about governance — knowing which tool to reach for and how well they hand off to each other.
Operating model
Rituals
| Ritual | Cadence | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Design Critique | Weekly | Weekly session for all designers to share what's on their plate and how they're solving it. |
| 1:1s | As and when, if not monthly | Catch up on career growth, personal growth, unblockers, or anything that shouldn't wait. |
| Quarterly planning | Quarterly | Roadmap, headcount, and where to invest in systems vs. features. |
| Skill-share / guild | Monthly | Something we do monthly to make sure we all upskill and upgrade as a team together. Courses for upskilling, especially on AI, are welcome too. |
Principles
Hire for mindset, not experience
Even someone with no prior design experience can be a great fit if the mindset and attitude are right. With the correct tools and coaching, anyone can grow into a great designer.
Feedback is about the work, not the person
Feedback is always work-based, never personal. We can hold different opinions and views — the goal is to embrace that difference and respect each other through it.
Play the long game
Every decision runs through a business and customer-outcome lens. We're running a business, not a charity — that's the only way we earn the budget to build things that matter. Plan your moves. Don't win the battle and lose the war.
Four projects, in full
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