Growing Designers at Every Level
A team is measured by how its people grow. That means building paths for every level, not only for the strongest performers.
PlayStation · Talent development
FY24 to FY26
UX Manager, mentor, and program lead
7 to 9 designers plus apprentices; a 175+ designer mentorship program
The situation
The team ranged from apprentices to staff designers, and growth conversations tended to happen only at review time. Two designers wanted to rebuild consistency in their work, and access to mentors varied across the wider organization.
What I decided
A curriculum, not just a ladder. I built a development curriculum with named focus areas: accuracy, cross-functional collaboration, strategy and problem solving, pace, quality, and autonomy, later adding presence in meetings, influencing design direction, presenting, and navigating ambiguity.
Coach consistently. With the two designers rebuilding consistency, I held weekly one-hour development sessions for about six months, starting with soft skills and leading with questions rather than answers.
Open doors beyond the team. I brought in the company's first UXD apprentice and led a global mentorship program, pairing mentees with mentors by goals and expertise.
100%
Growth-plan coverage (FY25-26)
175+
Designers in the mentorship program
3
Mentees promoted or highly rated in one year
How the team carried it
Designers chose their focus areas and owned their plans. Senior designers mentored apprentices, and I coached them on how to mentor.
What changed
Every designer on the team had a growth plan in FY25 and FY26. About four months into the weekly sessions, stakeholders noticed the change; one designer was later requested for a high-visibility project, and the other regained consistency. One designer credits the curriculum for his turnaround. The first UXD apprentice was later hired, and in one year, three designers I mentored outside my team earned high performance marks or promotions.
Stack
Workday · Figma · CliftonStrengths
“I watched her take a junior designer on the team and, through steady, specific feedback, grow them into someone leading their own projects, and eventually into a senior role.”
Amy Chien
Worked with Julie on the same team at PlayStation
"As my mentor, she essentially put me through a personalized UX design bootcamp while also teaching me the soft skills that are just as important for long-term success."
Rose Lou
UX Designer I, mentee
What it taught me
Not every problem is mine to solve for someone, but I can help guide them. Steady, specific attention changes careers more than any single big moment.