Building The XD Team

Role:

Senior Design Manager and Director

Objective:

Built a dedicated Experience Design (XD) team to address gaps in the agency’s digital capabilities, resolving challenges in execution, user experience, and design efficiency. Introduced user-centered, innovative solutions while creating a collaborative and growth-focused environment for designers at all levels.

Starting from zero

Transforming the agency’s digital capabilities meant building a robust XD team from scratch. Through thoughtful planning, strategic hiring, and a focus on growth, we established a user-centered discipline that delivers innovative and impactful digital experiences.

The Need for XD

The agency needed a dedicated team to focus on user-centered design and improve digital outcomes. Without XD, inefficiencies, missed opportunities, and subpar executions became common challenges.

Key Challenges Without XD:

  • User disconnect: Designs lacked user research and behavioral insights, resulting in poor user experiences.

  • Inefficient workflows: A lack of defined processes led to disjointed efforts and delays.

  • Missed innovation: Without XD expertise, creative opportunities and emerging technologies were often overlooked.

  • Project risks: Inconsistent execution increased the risk of errors and budget overruns

  • Client dissatisfaction: Suboptimal digital solutions affected client trust and satisfaction.

Defining our Purpose and Goals

We didn’t just define the XD team’s purpose—we shaped it together. By engaging in collaborative workshops and exercises, the team played an active role in crafting a shared mission and principles.

This approach fostered a deeper sense of ownership and investment from the team, setting us apart from traditional agency disciplines with a focus on user-centered innovation and impactful digital experiences.

Our Collaborative Approach:

  • Team Workshops: We hosted exercises where the team collectively brainstormed what XD meant to us and how we could uniquely contribute to the agency.

  • Purpose Discovery: Together, we identified gaps in the agency’s current workflows and how our expertise could fill those gaps with a focus on user-centric solutions.

  • Role Differentiation: We ensured the XD team was distinct from other disciplines, focusing on research, usability, accessibility, and interaction design rather than solely visual or brand-driven work.

Our Mission Statement:


"Provide thoughtful and creative digital work by balancing the goals of our users with the goals of our clients, ensuring that solutions add value, are intuitive, and drive success."

Our Guiding Principles:

  • User-centered

  • Objective

  • Efficient

  • Solution-oriented

  • Tech-minded & beyond

  • Forward thinking

  • Team-oriented

  • Detail oriented

  • Quality Work

  • Thought Leaders

We defined key roles and responsibilities to ensure the team was equipped to handle the agency's diverse needs while fostering growth and collaboration and creating reporting structures and giving every advancing designer the opportunity to lead and mentor the next generation of designers.

Building the Team Structure

Key Roles:

  • Design Directors and Associate Directors: Leading strategy, mentoring, and ensuring alignment with goals.

  • VP and Lead Designers: Overseeing day-to-day execution and cross-functional collaboration.

  • Senior Designers: Driving projects, contributing to strategy, and mentoring junior staff.

  • Designers: Supporting creative production and developing foundational skills.

Agency hiring often centers on art directors, copywriters, and strategists, but the XD team needed specialized talent. We focused on hiring multidisciplined designers in UX, visual design, strategy, platform knowledge, and development backgrounds to build a team ready to create and innovative.

Hiring Approach:

  • Developed detailed job descriptions emphasizing creativity, collaboration, and technical expertise.

  • Sought a mix of seasoned professionals and emerging talent for fresh perspectives.

  • Prioritized candidates with varied backgrounds, problem-solving skills, and relevant industry experience.

Providing Resources and Support

Equipping the team with tools, systems, and resources was critical to their success. We focused on consistency, creativity, and continuous growth.

Key Initiatives:

  • Design System: Created a centralized UX design system to ensure consistency and efficiency.

  • Best Practices: Formalized agency standards for quality, accessibility, and workflow integration.

  • Training Programs: Regular workshops and sessions to keep the team updated on trends and skills.

  • Mentorship: Established a mentorship program to guide junior staff and foster knowledge sharing.

  • Inspiration Sharing: Curated a series showcasing innovative digital work to spark creativity.

Operationalizing Processes

To ensure seamless collaboration, we developed workflows that integrated with other departments, including PM and Art.

Key Processes:

  • Standardized XD Workflow: Step-by-step guidelines for user research, prototyping, and design.

  • Collaboration with PM: Focused on direct communication and shared ownership of project success.

  • Technology Adoption: Introduced tools like Figma and Zeplin for efficient design handoffs.

  • Continuous Improvement: Regularly refined workflows to enhance efficiency and output quality.

Measuring Success

The XD team’s success is seen in stronger project outcomes, happier clients, and a thriving team. It's measured not just by revenue, but by industry awards, client feedback, and high team satisfaction and retention.

Streamlined workflows and reduced project timelines.

Higher-quality creative recognized by industry awards.

No XD team resignations for more than five years, signaling full team satisfaction.

Contributions to agency growth through expanded capabilities and offerings.