Design Ops Transformation
Scaling a design organization from 8 to 32 designers while maintaining quality and velocity.
Role
Head of Design
Team
32 designers, cross-functional leadership
Duration
18 months
8 to 32
Team Growth
91%
Retention
3 weeks
Onboarding
4.7/5
Quality Score
The Problem
Rapid company growth demanded quadrupling the design team within 18 months, but existing processes were informal and founder-dependent.
No design critique framework, inconsistent handoff practices, and no career ladder existed.
New hires took 8+ weeks to become productive due to lack of structured onboarding.
Senior designers were spending 40% of their time on operational overhead rather than craft.
Design quality reviews were ad-hoc with no consistent standards or measurement.
The Action
Developed a structured hiring pipeline with portfolio review rubrics, design challenges, and panel interviews.
Developed a structured hiring pipeline with portfolio review rubrics, design challenges calibrated to role level, and panel interviews.
Created a design career framework spanning IC1 through IC6 and management tracks, with clear competency matrices and promotion criteria.
Established design operations including standardized critique protocols, handoff templates, and a shared research repository.
Implemented a mentorship program pairing new hires with senior designers and created an internal design academy.
The Outcome
Successfully scaled from 8 to 32 designers with a 94% offer acceptance rate, establishing a design culture recognized across the organization.
91% year-one retention rate for new design hires.
Designer onboarding time reduced from 8 weeks to 3 weeks.
Senior designers reclaimed an average of 12 hours per week for craft work.