InvestEngine
The design department I managed communicated daily with 3 product teams: Mobile, Web-1 and Web-2. The teams were subsequently restructured into Platform, Growth and Pension, with dedicated designers assigned to each. The Platform team was then split into two. The Mobile team remained. I also devoted considerable attention to working with a communication designer from the Marketing team, as well as with other marketers. Within the design department, a Design System team was set up. Depending on how you count them, there are 4–5 product teams.
To ensure effective collaboration between teams, I set up weekly meetings where designers, analysts, developers and testers discussed upcoming projects and potential risks. I also established a rule requiring designers to conduct design reviews and respond to any questions from developers within 24 hours. In the event of a designer’s absence (due to holiday or illness), a temporary representative was appointed.
Overall, my design team worked on 3 products: a mobile app, a web product and a marketing website.
Open Investments
When our design director left the company and we were waiting to hire a new one, I, as the most experienced lead designer in the company, took on this role. To be honest, the previous design director had been paying less and less attention to day-to-day operations over the last couple of months and had gradually been handing over responsibility to me. As a result, I coordinated the work of a team of 14 people, which included not only designers but also analysts and a writer. Of course, the lead designers did not need my constant support, but complex issues relating to collaboration with developers, product managers and analysts were resolved through me.
The level of trust I built across the organisation extended well beyond the design function. Thanks to my background in software design, I was frequently involved in technical discussions with engineering teams, contributing to solution design and helping identify the most effective implementation approaches. The Head of Analytics also entrusted me with mapping the company’s entire product ecosystem, a responsibility that extended well beyond my formal remit. This broad understanding of both technical and business domains enabled me to coordinate the work of the design department while acting as a link between design, engineering and analytics.
Ingos Investments
I led the design of the mobile apps and oversaw the website. To coordinate the overall work, I communicated daily with 30 colleagues from all departments.
