Becoming a Design Manager

My motivations and my transition to design management

There comes a point in every designer's life when they ask themselves, "should I become a design manager?" I remember the meeting when our VP scheduled a call with me and asked me if I wanted to become a manager. I had been operating on my team as Principal Designer, blissfully, coming up with new processes, concepts and working with my team of designers to research, experiment and execute them. I thought to myself, "Why would I want to disrupt this? I am having fun creating." Being my skip level, they had some exposure to my work, but I thought, why me? why now? Will I lose my ability to create??" Will the designers who were once my peers accept me as a leader?

She explained that the team had reached out to her, and that they enjoyed my leadership, organization and methods. Knowing that I like specific examples, she shared some specific quotes. "Courtney has patience, passion and she listens...." "Courtney wanted to see less opinions and more data to back up the decisions we were making as a team. It felt like a big win for us..." I hesitated before I answered. I explained that for years, I had considered this role. I had years of mentorship experience and was an instructor at the School of Visual Concepts in Seattle. I knew I really enjoyed coaching and helping other, but was I ready to relinquish my craft? I asked her if I could think about it.

Immediately I called my mentor, Shelley, a Principal Design Director at Microsoft. She encouraged me to reach out to others that had made the transition, had stuck with manager, or even transitioned back to Principal Designer. She also suggested that if I opted to make the transition that I could always go back. I spent the next few days speaking with others, writing out my strengths as well as my growth opportunities. I got there. I made the decision.

I went back to my VP and accepted the position. After the call, I immediately got nervous. What do I do now?? I started to write out all the things I thought a manager did, and then I realized I was already doing some of them. I was working closely with my team, listening and understanding their challenges and helping unblock them. I had already been having 1:1's to just listen and offer my expertise or previous experiences. But now I had a chance to really help with their careers and growth. I reached out to them 1 on 1 to hear how they felt about this change. To my surprise everyone was excited about this!

I had my team develop journals, which is a technic I had learned from a previous manager. This helped them set long and short term goals, identify wins and learning experiences. The journals helped me revisit their experiences when we had 1:1's and help me as I guided them towards the next step in their career. I also found new techniques to help them work in a more confident way, using research and data, as well as the Voice of the Customer, to help them move faster through decisions in their designs. I found a more organized way for the team to more accurately design against the product roadmap.

As a Design Manager, I believe that a strong philosophy based on four key principles can help to guide my work and foster a positive and productive working environment. These principles are commitment, empathy, honesty, and growth.

Commitment is at the forefront of my philosophy as a Design Manager. I am fully committed to every project I work on, and I strive to lead by example. This means that I am willing to put in the time and effort required to ensure that projects are completed to the best of my teams ability, and that I am dedicated to finding solutions to any challenges that may arise. I believe that a strong commitment to my team and each project is essential for delivering high-quality results and ensuring the success of the design team.

Empathy - I understand that every team member is unique, and that each has their own strengths, weaknesses, and working style. By taking the time to understand each team member and their individual needs, I can help to create a positive and supportive work environment where everyone feels valued and respected. This, in turn, fosters a sense of collaboration and teamwork, which is essential for delivering high-quality results.

Honesty - I believe that open and transparent communication is key to the success of any project. This means that I am always honest and straightforward with my team members and stakeholders, and that I am willing to admit when I don't know the answer to a question. By promoting a culture of honesty, I aim to create an a place where everyone feels comfortable expressing their opinions and ideas, and where trust is built between team members.

Growth- is a key part of my philosophy as a Design Manager. I believe that we should never stop learning and growing, both as individuals and as a team. This means that I am always open to new ideas, technologies, and approaches, and that I encourage my team members to do the same. By promoting a culture of growth, I aim to foster a dynamic environment everyone feels challenged and inspired to achieve their best work.

I know that it has only been about a month since this transition, and I have so much to learn as a manager, and I know not every design team will be the same. This has been such a rewarding experience already, seeing the growth in my team, and in myself. I am so glad I took the risk, and said yes. I believe that the common thing that I find so enjoyable about designing and being a manager is its all about human impact.