Campfire #51: Key differences between junior & senior product designers
When I speak of "Junior" vs. "Senior" levels, I refer to lower levels vs. higher levels as two independent buckets. These buckets make drawing generalizations and using metaphors easier.
I've not mentioned it explicitly yet. Still, when I speak of "Junior" vs. "Senior" levels, I refer to lower levels vs. higher levels as two independent buckets. These two buckets make drawing generalizations and using metaphors easier, which is what we'll do next.
You'll notice the following key distinctions when comparing Junior and Senior levels. These distinctions result from a designer's expertise in the six design dimensions. They are the result of becoming a better product designer. We'll start with Project Scope.
Project Scope
Junior designers are frequently assigned to smaller-scope projects. Because they have fewer variables to consider and are more self-contained, these projects are more bite-sized and doable for new designers.
On the other hand, senior designers frequently oversee complex projects with several factors to consider and stakeholders to maintain on track. Senior designers with experience will know how to manage the variables of a large project while being organized (and relatively sane 😂).
As junior designers advance in their careers, their projects' scale grows larger and larger until it reaches massive proportions. This shift in scope is an ideal opportunity to meet with your manager and request a promotion.
Suppose you demonstrate that the scope of your project has grown while you have remained a good contributor. In that case, you are a strong candidate for advancement to the next level.
Influence Radius
The ability of a designer to persuade others is the next significant difference. The junior designer first influences their actions and knowledge. Then, as junior designers advance to higher ranks, their influence spreads.
The first source of external influence is inside their immediate team. The opinions and designs of junior designers are heard and adopted by the people with whom they work closely. At some time, a designer's external impact will permeate the company where the team is housed, establishing them as someone of Senior caliber. Members of partner teams will seek the advice of these more senior designers.
A designer's influence will eventually transcend the organization, and their impact will reach the whole company. This is the point when a designer transforms into a mythological unicorn and soars off into the sunset. However, influencers of this level are few-and-far-between, which is why they are referred to as unicorns. Not to add how arbitrary this company's tier of influence is. But I'm getting ahead of myself.
If you're constantly sought after by various teams within or outside the company, chances are you're a Senior designer. This effect is just another reason to talk to your boss about a promotion.
Truth Seekers
Feedback is an essential input for designers and is considered "a gift" in our business. It's a big motivator for how we iterate on our designs and determine whether we've succeeded, which is why we collect so much of it.
Early in a designer's career, they will listen to and treat all comments equally. Inexperienced designers have not developed the skill of separating valuable signals from noise in the input they receive. The mistake of employing feedback noise as directed input for design iteration can lead to inaccurate design solutions in junior designers.
Senior-level designers embrace "the gift" of feedback but have developed a method to separate feedback noise from meaningful signals. They ask pointed questions and seek objective truths to inform their design choices. They understand that not all feedback forms are equally helpful and prioritize design decisions appropriately.
Truth seekers are domain specialists who are frequently asked for advice and guidance. If this describes you, speak with your boss about it.
Embrace Failure
Failing may be highly unpleasant. It might either slow you down or cause you to quit your job as a designer. The second quality that distinguishes Junior designers from Senior designers is resilience.
Senior designers are rough and have developed a resistance to failure. They've overcome many design difficulties, but not without failing numerous times. This resilience can only be gained by experience and a strong desire to succeed.
Furthermore, senior designers learned to fail faster. They go as quickly as possible towards failure in the hopes of discovering success because they are constantly chasing successful design solutions. As a result, they become more aware of what reasonable design solutions entail and gradually gain confidence in their work.
Designers who can show this frequently outperform others in terms of design output. If you fail less often than your peers and consistently arrive at successful solutions at breakneck rates, it's time to discuss a promotion with your manager.
Concrete vs. Ambiguous Projects
Well-defined problems that competitors have often addressed are excellent projects from which junior designers can learn and progress.
These projects have specific problems with specific answers. Furthermore, young designers might use current product playbooks to bring a product to market. E-commerce is a perfect illustration of this, as many great design examples are already out there.
Senior designers flourish in uncertain and unknown-issue environments. Data automation, wearables, risk management, and other platforms are examples of these platforms. Because these problem spaces are relatively new to the design community, pioneering and experimenting is the only way to generate great concepts. Furthermore, unclear problem spaces necessitate a designer's proficiency in a wide range of design skills. Because of this breadth of knowledge, it might be challenging to get into these new design environments as a junior designer.
Campfire #37: The more senior the designer — the more abstract the problem they should be solving
Assume you find yourself in unfamiliar design territory with no explicit instruction, and you constantly build successful solutions. It's time to talk to your boss about a promotion in that situation.
Autonomy
This may seem apparent, but it needs reminding. At the start of their careers, junior designers frequently follow as they learn how things work.
They are followers because they still develop essential design competencies and rely on others to help them succeed. Every designer needs some guidance at the start of their profession, and they won't be able to lead until they have gained enough expertise.
On the other hand, senior designers have extensive expertise and are not afraid to lead others to success. They are adaptable and can coordinate large groups of individuals and efficiently cooperate with their team. Others seek assistance and accept their viewpoint since they have complete ownership and comprehend a problem space.
They look for ways to foster community and frequently advise junior designers to help them advance. You will soon get promoted if you possess any of the above qualities.