Owl-Listener/design-leadership-skills

design-strategy-doc

Write a design strategy document that connects vision to action.

design-vision

Articulate a compelling design vision for a product or org.

investment-case

Make the case for investment in design.

org-design-principles

Define org-level design principles that guide decisions.

prioritisation-at-scale

Prioritise design investment across a portfolio of teams.

change-leadership

Lead a team through change with clarity and care.

conflict-resolution

Resolve conflict within or between teams.

leadership-ethics

Navigate ethical tensions in design leadership.

mentorship

Mentor designers and emerging leaders.

self-leadership

Manage your own time, energy, and focus as a leader.

decision-framework

Choose decision rights and frameworks like DACI.

delegation-model

Delegate clearly and develop owners.

design-review-at-scale

Run design reviews across many teams consistently.

operating-rhythm

Design the leadership team's own operating rhythm.

planning-cadence

Design a planning cadence (quarterly and annual).

design-advocacy

Advocate for design's role and value across the org.

executive-narrative

Build an executive narrative that earns design a seat and a budget.

influence-map

Map and plan influence across the organisation.

managing-up

Manage up effectively to your own leadership.

securing-resources

Secure headcount and budget for the design org.

career-ladder

Define or apply a design career ladder and levelling expectations.

difficult-conversation

Prepare for and hold a difficult conversation with care and clarity.

feedback-delivery

Deliver specific, actionable feedback using SBI and clear examples.

growth-plan

Co-create an individual growth plan with a designer.

one-on-one

Run effective, recurring 1:1s that build trust and surface problems early.

performance-review

Write a fair, evidence-based performance review.

hiring-loop

Design a fair, signal-rich interview loop.

job-spec

Write a compelling, inclusive design job specification.

onboarding-plan

Build a 30/60/90 onboarding plan for a new hire.

portfolio-review

Evaluate a design portfolio against a clear rubric.

psychological-safety

Build and protect psychological safety on a design team.

team-topology

Structure a design team to match the shape of the work.