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NOTION
This guide is to help you navigate when your stakeholders struggle to understand the value of design when there are clear pain-points from both sides with the current ways of working.
Leading or working in a design team with a strained environment requires a mix of diplomacy, structured research, and a clear path toward alignment. This is how I’ve approached the situation and seen positive results.
It'll help you
Identify and address common collaboration breakdowns between design and other functions
Diagnose the root causes of friction in your team’s ways of working
Communicate the value of design in a way that resonates with cross-functional stakeholders
Facilitate alignment without forcing consensus or overstepping
Establish shared rituals, artifacts, and expectations that improve collaboration over time
Take a strategic, step-by-step approach to improving team dynamics and delivery
This guide is for you if…
You’re a lead or senior designer tasked with improving collaboration across product, engineering, or other functions
You feel stuck in a cycle of unclear ownership, misalignment, or reactive design work
You’ve tried suggesting changes but face resistance or lack of follow-through
You want practical tools, not just theory, to navigate messy team dynamics
You’re ready to take initiative but aren’t sure where to start or how to make change stick
What you get
A step-by-step framework for diagnosing and improving collaboration between design, product, and engineering
Stakeholder interview guides with tailored questions for designers, PMs, and engineers
A repeatable process for uncovering team pain points and hidden tensions
Guidance on presenting your findings constructively to drive alignment
A playbook for piloting process improvements and building long-term trust
A Notion template you can duplicate and adapt to your team’s context
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career progression
What
Will teach you... but
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