dragoon0x Design Career Planning
Career Paths
IC Track: Management Track:
Junior Designer Junior Designer
↓ ↓
Mid Designer Mid Designer
↓ ↓
Senior Designer Design Lead
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Staff Designer Design Manager
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Principal Designer Director of Design
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Distinguished VP of Design
Specialization
| Specialty | Focus |
|---|---|
| Product Design | End-to-end product experience |
| Visual/Brand | Visual identity and aesthetics |
| UX Research | User understanding and evidence |
| Interaction Design | Behavior and motion |
| Design Systems | Components and tooling |
| Content Design | Language and information |
| Design Engineering | Code and design intersection |
Skill Development Strategy
- T-shaped: Deep in one area, broad in adjacent areas
- Deliberate practice: Work on weaknesses, not strengths
- Build in public: Portfolio, writing, speaking develops your thinking
- Seek feedback: From people better than you, not just peers
- Teach: Mentoring juniors accelerates your own growth