Company

Ro

Role

Product Design Director

Year

2021

Evolving The Levels Matrix

When I joined Ro, the Product Design org was growing quickly, but clarity around roles and expectations wasn't keeping pace.

Designers often ask: What's expected at their level? What does growth look like here? Without clear answers, it wasn't easy to set goals, provide feedback, or build confidence across the team.

Three Recipe Designs

Project Story

I partnered closely with Design Leadership and peers across Product and People Ops to update the levels matrix. We started by gathering feedback—listening to how designers at all levels described their work, frustrations, and aspirations. From there, we identified gaps in the existing framework and aligned on what needed to be changed.

The collaborative process gave everyone a voice, while also grounding the matrix in Ro's evolving product and organizational needs. Together, we clarified expectations at every level, sharpened the distinctions between roles, and added examples that made the framework actionable on a day-to-day basis.

Project Story

I partnered closely with Design Leadership and peers across Product and People Ops to update the levels matrix. We started by gathering feedback—listening to how designers at all levels described their work, frustrations, and aspirations. From there, we identified gaps in the existing framework and aligned on what needed to be changed.

The collaborative process gave everyone a voice, while also grounding the matrix in Ro's evolving product and organizational needs. Together, we clarified expectations at every level, sharpened the distinctions between roles, and added examples that made the framework actionable on a day-to-day basis.

My Contributions

  • Co-led collaboration with Product Design leadership and People Ops to evolve the levels matrix

  • Gathered feedback through listening sessions with designers at multiple levels

  • Identified gaps in the existing framework and facilitated alignment on needed changes

  • Helped clarify expectations and distinctions between levels, making them more actionable

  • Supported rollout and adoption, ensuring the matrix became a tool for growth, feedback, and career planning

High-Level Titles and Pathways
Levels Document
Screenshot of the design file
Screenshot of the design file

My Impact

Rolling out the updated matrix gave the team a shared language for performance, growth, and career planning. It became a tool not just for managers, but for designers advocating for themselves and shaping their own development.

Project Stats

  • 30+ designers and managers aligned on clearer role expectations after rollout

  • 4 distinct levels clarified with updated responsibilities and growth paths

  • 2x increase in promotion readiness conversations reported by managers post-implementation (placeholder metric — you can replace with actual if you have it)

Sketches of WW explorations

‹ Facilitating Product Strategy

Design Team Management ›