Unified Design Processes at Servicerocket
Involvement
Leadership
Design Ops
Design Empowerment
Organization
ServiceRocket
Summary
Inherited a design chaos at ServiceRocket. Within a year, I led a process overhaul – design system, foundations, streamlined listings.
322
%
Increase in design team delivery output
75
%
Increase in individual designer productivity
Leadership isn't always a choice, but an act. It's a philosophy I've embraced since my high school days, where I found myself leading projects by recommendation rather than self-nomination. This innate drive to improve and build something better translated perfectly into my design career.
Design Landscape in Silo
When I joined ServiceRocket in 2021, our design team was a bit of a free-for-all. Each project was a unique adventure, with designers often reinventing the wheel. We needed a system, a process, a design revolution.
Inefficient Workflows
Designers were spending too much time figuring out where to start.
Inconsistent Design
Lack of standards led to a fragmented user experience.
Slow Delivery Times
Projects were taking longer than necessary.
2 weeks
Average delivery time before my leadership
14 tasks
Per designer annual before my leadership
A Foundation Built on Three Pillars
While my initial role was not explicitly a leadership position, I recognized the urgent need for change and proactively initiated improvements. My approach centered on building a robust framework encompassing People, Process, and Tools:
Crafting a Infinite Design System
The problem I observed was designers tend to design from scratch which is a giant NO NO. I championed the development of a platform-based design system with Kelvin, my designer that could be seamlessly integrated across various tools, such as Atlassian, Miro, etc. This saved designers countless hours reinventing the wheel and ensured visual consistency across all our projects.
Streamlining Processes
There is a lot of automation in place such as reminding designers of missing requirements and auto-assigning respective members from different departments for sparring. By eliminating unnecessary steps and focusing on what truly mattered, we significantly reduced our delivery time.
Along the path of improving the design process, I was promoted to leadership spearheading the entire Design department after a year of joining ServiceRocket as a designer.
A Framework for Continuous Growth
Recognizing that a high-performing team requires continuous development and a shared understanding of expectations, I championed the creation of a comprehensive Growth Framework. This framework, built upon a clearly defined skills matrix, empowers individual designers and strengthens the collective capabilities of the team.
Our skills matrix is organized into four main categories:
Manage
Systems Thinking, Project Management
Strategise
Business Acumen, Strategic Thinking
Research
Technical Literacy, Testing & Research
Make
Interaction Design, Aesthetic Language
These categories are then further aligned with our team's distinct disciplines: Design, Content Development, Design Ops, and UX Research. By outlining different levels of expectations within each category, the skills matrix provides a solid foundation for our growth framework. It does not prescribe specific roles or positions but rather establishes clear guidelines for skill development across various domains.
Systems Thinking
It is crucial for understanding and navigating complex systems. It involves considering the broader context and ensuring consistency and efficiency. At lower levels, contributors should operate effectively within existing systems. At higher levels, senior members define design systems and best practices, aligning everyone's work with organizational goals.
Project Management
Project Management ensures efficient team functioning. Entry-level members must accurately estimate and complete tasks. Senior members break down larger requests into smaller tasks and optimize processes.
Business Acumen
Design teams must understand how business requirements impact user experience. Senior members align team activities with business strategy, collaborating to establish a comprehensive strategy with measurable outcomes.
Strategic Thinking
Considers how to meet user expectations, fulfill business needs, and adapt to technological limitations or opportunities. Junior contributors create presentations and visualizations for strategy communication, while senior members define strategic plans alongside other leaders.
Technical literacy
Enables collaboration with engineers. Entry-level designers need enough knowledge to ask relevant questions and produce platform-appropriate work. Experienced designers confidently question technical compromises and identify new possibilities based on emerging technologies.
Testing & Research
Seeking and integrating feedback is crucial for design success. Everyone should understand informal feedback gathering. As experience grows, Testing & Research demands a more formal process and strategic approach.
Interaction Design
Focuses on understanding and implementing design patterns. Beginners should recognize and employ successful examples. Experienced practitioners possess a vast understanding of design patterns to justify choices and inspire trust, especially when user testing is not feasible.
Aesthetic Language
Encompasses visual appeal, auditory pleasure, and emotional satisfaction. Initially, it involves producing error-free deliverables. Senior members produce work that surpasses quality expectations, contributing to industry standards and expanding the Design Language System.
Efficiency Soars, Delivery Takes Flight
The impact of these initiatives was undeniable. The newly established design foundations and processes provided a roadmap for all designers, eliminating ambiguity and streamlining workflows. Our platform-based design system became a game-changer, allowing for faster iteration and implementation.
The numbers spoke for themselves. This translated to a significant increase in the volume of high-quality design work we could produce, ultimately contributing to Servicerocket's overall growth and success.
322%
increase in design team efficiency
75%
increase in individual designer productivity
57%
increase in individual designer efficiency
"Our team loves having him around and he's always been at the top of my mind when it comes to new initiatives. "
A Culture of Collaboration
But the benefits extended far beyond mere efficiency. The unified design processes fostered a stronger sense of collaboration within the team. Designers started sharing knowledge, best practices, and creative ideas more readily. This open communication and teamwork environment fueled innovation and led to the creation of even more impactful designs.
It's Not About Titles, It's About Impact
Leadership can take many forms. It wasn't about seeking a title; it was about identifying a problem and taking action to solve it. By focusing on building a strong foundation, creating practical tools, and fostering collaboration, I was able to empower our design team to achieve remarkable results.
It is more than just a success story; it's an invitation. An invitation to embrace leadership, even if it comes unexpectedly. It's an invitation to see challenges as opportunities and to continuously strive to improve the processes around you. Ultimately, the design journey isn't just about creating beautiful products; it's about building a foundation for success, one well-defined process at a time.
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