Optimizing design quality

Background

In 2023, we rolled out some new processes to optimize pain points in our design workflow. Through team discussions, surveys, 1:1’s & retros, several common themes emerged:

❓Who makes the final decision on designs?
❓How do we stay consistent and create a great product?
❓How can we get better at communicating and selling our ideas?
❓What do I need to do to get promoted?

These themes were grouped into three areas for improvement:

 

Quality Control

Consistency across the app is lacking because design reviews are optional and final decisions are left to the triad.

Learning and development

Limited visibility and accountability in design decision-making hinder opportunities for learning and raising quality.

Design vision

There is a significant opportunity to strengthen the design pillar in the triad and align strategic design problem-solving.

 

“how might we elevate our design review process to maintain quality and drive strategic impact while creating opportunities for growth?”

 
 

Goals for improving our process

 

Individual outcomes

  • Receive structured and clear design feedback

  • Develop strong decision making skills

  • Build up presentation skills

  • Gain visibility into designers’ work

  • Create a path for promotions

Team outcomes

  • Deliver high-quality design work

  • Ensure consistency with a shared vision

  • Increased visibility into the design process company-wide

  • Design a more user friendly product

 

Optimize our feedback loop process

Our design review process has always been treated as an optional space for designer collaboration. Reviews help provide guidance and suggestions when a designer is stuck. However, final solutions are resolved amongst the triad.

Old Process

 
 

New process

After speaking to other leaders across the industry I rolled out a new process.

 
 
 

Design Critique

A revamped meeting held 2x a week to receive suggestions and ideas for improvement.

Presenter

  • Brings multiple explorations

  • Shares insights, data and pros/cons for solutions

Critiquers

  • Think creatively and critically

  • Ask a lot of whys

  • Encourage alternatives and disruptive ideas

Design Review

A new meeting to get final approval over your design work before its considered dev ready.

Presenter

  • Shares a comprehensive presentation

  • Tells the story of your design decisions and tradeoffs

Reviewers

  • Ask clarifying questions

  • Leadership discusses presentation and aligns on any feedback

 

Roll out strategy

 

Phase 1:

  • Present ideas to the product design team

  • Document the process and answer any outstanding questions

  • Set milestones for crit sharing, receiving feedback and scheduling their first review

Phase 2:

  • Present the new process to the larger R&D org

  • Each designers performs 1 design review

  • Have a retro

Phase 3:

  • Optimize the process

  • Transition director out of crit process

 

Learnings

After implementing these changes, we’ve seen an increase in the quality of work shipped. We catch more inconsistent solutions and raise issues on product requirements. Designers now have a stronger voice to push back on tradeoffs that aren’t best for our users. However, cross collaborators initially perceived design as a blocker.

To address this, we

  • Created more visibility into the crit and review processes for cross-team partners allowing to join crit to see what happens

  • Created a matrix for different types of reviews when projects are different sizes and priorities so that smaller work could move more quickly

  • Staff designers worked with designers to know when and how to unblock engineers from starting their work before reviews

  • Kicked off an initiative to set more standards across page layouts and design patterns, so there were less unknowns and quicker time to value.

Since these optimizations, the design process has vastly improved and been fully integrated into our team processes and norms.