The piece highlights the importance of strategic guidance, which is often lacking in design education. It emphasizes the need for designers to understand business goals, perform data analysis, and measure the effectiveness of their work.
The author’s career progression is used as a case study, revealing the challenges faced when starting as a solo designer in early-stage startups. The dip in the author’s career progress is attributed to a lack of mentorship, trying to do too much at once, and not being intentional about finding a mentor.
To help aspiring designers navigate their careers, the author provides a framework with specific recommendations for different stages. For juniors, the focus is on mastering the basics, joining a larger design team, and finding a good mentor. Mid-level designers are encouraged to deepen their key skills, learn facilitation and presentation skills, and understand the business side of design.
