Building an in-house design team
A software services company building products for external clients. It had established development teams, but no dedicated design function or consistent way to involve designers in project delivery.
Key contributions
As the first in-house designer, I worked across multiple client projects and shaped how teams collaborated with design through shared workflows and regular reviews. I worked directly with clients and project teams to align priorities and design decisions. I also introduced an existing design system that we adopted on selected projects, providing reusable components and consistent UI patterns.
I built a competency framework around the company’s projects and ways of working, defining the skills designers needed to succeed and grow within the team. I hired and mentored a junior designer, helping her develop ownership of her decisions and seek guidance when needed.
No Framework for Design in the Company
I stepped into a company without a design function, working across diverse client projects while balancing hands-on delivery with system building. There were no established processes for how the team collaborated with designers, leading to unclear expectations and inconsistent ways of working. The challenge was to introduce structure and maintain high design quality in a fast-paced environment where speed often outweighed process.
Strategy vs Tactics: Shaping a Sustainable Design Function
My strategic vision focused on building a sustainable design function within the company and elevating the reputation of design both internally and with clients. The goal was for every designer to deliver high-quality work reliably, without the lead designer becoming a bottleneck. My tactical vision was to transform design from a collection of isolated tasks into a stable, predictable process with clear quality standards, consistent workflows, transparent communication, and the development of designers into autonomous contributors.
Collaborating With People To Drive Culture And Processes
I began by taking on managerial responsibilities while continuing to work hands-on, balancing execution with system building.
Process & Tools
In a data-heavy, rapidly growing SaaS product, I reorganized the Figma workspace and introduced functional requirement documentation for complex features, capturing edge cases and constraints upfront. Pre-sprint review sessions, scope clarifications, and lightweight ideation practices became routine. These measures reduced confusion, minimized rework, and improved alignment across the team.
Mentorship & Team Development
I created a matrix of competencies and conducted regular 1-on-1s with the junior designer to review progress and define next steps. Through critique sessions and pair-design exercises, I moved from directive support to guided autonomy as confidence and capability grew.
Culture & Internal Branding
I actively participated in client communication from the start, setting clear expectations and presenting design rationale. I initiated adoption of an existing design system with a roadmap toward a company-specific system, while highlighting team achievements to strengthen design's credibility across PM and engineering.
From Zero To Functioning Design Discipline
I established a functioning design discipline in a company without a formal design function. The junior designer grew into a reliable middle-level contributor with ownership and autonomy. Reorganized processes and lightweight pre-sprint practices enabled the team to manage complexity while maintaining quality, and client-facing design communication helped strengthen design's reputation internally and externally.
Learnings
Design Strategy & Business Connection
Aligning design with business goals is essential. Limited authority and time taught me the importance of advocating for design's strategic impact.
Autonomy & Ownership
Pushing the designer to take responsibility and ownership created a reliable contributor and reduced dependency on constant oversight.