Summary
Scaling a design organization can introduce changes that may increase feelings of instability if not done thoughtfully. And when attrition and burnout levels are at a high, it is especially important to focus those changes on processes and structures that provide stability and growth for designers. Based on her experiences building teams at Amplitude and Adobe, Courtney’s talk will give you tools to scale your team while investing in individual designer’s career growth. Even if DesignOps is not your full-time job, this talk will show how small changes can make a big difference in the designer experience. Hear Courtney interviewed on the Rosenfeld Review Podcast: The Rosenfeld Review Podcast (Rosenfeld Media) · Scale Your Org and Grow Your Designers
Key Insights
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Scaling a design org is best done by investing in designer growth and resilience, not just headcount.
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Psychological safety enables designers to speak up, experiment, and innovate without fear of humiliation.
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In hybrid teams, requiring video during meetings dramatically improves inclusion and engagement.
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Team icebreakers and skills workshops build camaraderie, compassion, and self-awareness among designers.
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Creating and updating career ladders aligned with shared organizational principles helps designers own their growth.
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Team charters provide purpose, align stakeholders, and serve as a North Star, especially during uncertainty.
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Implementing structured project management tools like Jira increases transparency and capacity planning across design teams.
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Consistency in tool usage (e.g., always using Jira links for status updates) is more important than the tool choice itself.
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Quarterly planning spreadsheets complement tools like Jira by visualizing designer commitments and preventing overload.
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Compassionate leadership that acknowledges current global hardships is essential when managing change and scaling.
Notable Quotes
"Scaling a design organization means focusing on the growth of your designers."
"People are not just resources, they are humans with fears and hopes with challenges and opportunities."
"No one will be punished or humiliated for speaking up with ideas, questions, concerns or mistakes."
"Everyone putting on their video allows remote people to read facial expressions and be part of the conversation."
"Icebreakers are low effort but very effective ways to build psychological safety and culture."
"Hope is a powerful tool to get through uncertainty and instability."
"Having a career ladder gives a shared language for conversations about growth and feedback."
"Structure brings stability by providing a consistent way of working with accountability and transparency."
"The tool itself matters less than how you use it and the consistency you use it with your team."
"We need to be compassionate leaders who lead with our heart, recognizing the hardships people are facing."
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