Design Engagement Levels

Joins as a core part of the product team & participates in team rituals. Leads discovery, research, prototyping, concept testing, usability testing and design delivery. Shapes the problem, customer understanding, and timeline alongside you.

Provides time-boxed input at specific phases. Reviews early work (mockups, layouts, data visualizations). Advises on research or testing plans. May co-create lightweight assets, if scoped and resourced.

Provides one-time or occasional feedback on nearly finished work. Reviews visual designs, dashboards, or research plans. Flags usability issues or suggests improvements.

The project has an ambiguous scope, multiple user groups, or needs major redesign or consolidation. The work is high-impact and high-value. Early thinking and long-term quality matter more than speed alone.

The project is in progress but still adaptable. Design and research input can sharpen usability, clarity, or direction. Used when design help is needed for something specific, not ongoing.

The project is mostly complete. Used when design input is needed before finalizing. No major changes or rework are expected. DDS guidance has already been referenced.

Involve design before kickoff & planning. Make space for design to build deep product context early on. Co-plan scope, timeline and user focus. Collaborate on product and UX decisions and milestones. Facilitate introductions to stakeholders and identify priority user groups. Share existing customer insights and takeaways. If none, clarify key research questions.

Come with clear questions and project context, sharing relevant background or existing decisions that affect the work. Align on the number and timing of consultations; additional time requires agreement based on capacity. Own all design and research work unless design time has been confirmed. Share what feedback was applied and be open to iteration.

Share the work with clear questions or focus areas. Own all research and design decisions. Apply feedback at your discretion. Limit to one structured review.

Shares ownership of success with the product team. Accountable for shaping the solution and user outcomes.

Contributes expert input at agreed points. May co-create assets if capacity is available. Design is not accountable for project direction, delivery, implementation, or outcomes.

Provides expert input one-time. Design is not accountable for project direction, delivery or outcomes.