Egor Krasnoperov · June 4, 2025 · 7 min read

The beauty of this framework lies in its actionability. Each criterion comes with specific verification questions designed to help you honestly assess your current level. These aren’t abstract concepts—they're concrete experiences you can recall and evaluate.

When conducting your self-assessment, be brutally honest. It’s tempting to inflate your contributions or focus only on your successes, but real growth comes from acknowledging gaps. If you can’t recall instances where you’ve demonstrated a particular skill at your desired level, that’s valuable information, not a failure.

Remember, professional growth isn’t always linear. You might demonstrate senior-level problem-solving skills while still developing middle-level leadership capabilities. This is completely normal and actually provides a clear roadmap for your development priorities.

As designers, we often find ourselves wondering where we stand professionally.

Are we truly ready for that senior role?
Do we have what it takes to lead a design team?

The good news is that you don’t need to wait for your next performance review to get clarity on your professional level. By honestly evaluating yourself against key criteria used by industry giants like Google, Apple, Amazon, and Netflix, you can gain valuable insights into your current standing and identify areas for growth.

The five pillars of design excellence

Leadership extends far beyond having "Lead" in your title. True design leadership involves setting vision, mentoring teams, collaborating across functions, and driving innovation.

Verification question
Reflect on how you help other designers in your team or company develop professionally.

Junior
Actively seek feedback and focus on personal growth as a team member.

Middle
Mentor junior colleagues, contribute to team success, and demonstrate leadership in projects.

Senior
Lead key projects, influence cross-functional decisions, and drive design excellence.

Lead
Cultivate a design-driven culture across the organization, make strategic decisions, and effectively manage and inspire design teams.

The ability to effectively address identified problems. Problem solving Is where your design thinking truly shines.

Verification question
Can you remember examples where you had to find an unconventional solution due to technical or business constraints?

Junior
Propose solutions for simple tasks under mentor guidance.

Middle
Develop well-structured approaches to address complex user needs.

Senior
Implement innovative solutions that are both scalable and impactful.

Lead
Develop strategic solutions that transform the product and business.

The ability to identify and articulate problems that require solutions. Anyone can solve a problem once it’s clearly defined, but can you uncover the hidden issues that others miss? Separates good designers from great ones.

Verification question
Can you recall cases where you discovered a hidden user problem that no one had previously noticed?

Junior
Recognize obvious design inconsistencies and usability issues.

Middle
Use research and analysis to uncover hidden or less apparent problems.

Senior
Identify systemic challenges affecting both product and business performance.

Lead
Anticipate future challenges and proactively develop strategies to mitigate them.

The ability to influence not just pixels and prototypes, but real business outcomes. The most telling question here is whether your design solutions have ever significantly exceeded initial expectations.

Verification question
Remember any cases where your design solution significantly exceeded initial expectations? Which product or business metrics were impacted by your design solution?

Junior
Contribute to improving individual product elements.

Middle
Enhance user experience and product metrics.

Senior
Influence product strategy, improve key business indicators.

Lead
Set product development direction, impact the company’s business strategy.

Forms the foundation of professional growth. This isn’t just about completing assigned tasks — it’s about your capacity to take ownership and drive projects to successful completion.

Verification question
Recall instances where you took on more responsibility than initially expected.

Junior
Execute tasks under close supervision, contributing to small parts of a project.

Middle
Independently manage small-to-medium projects, making decisions within their scope.

Senior
Drive complex initiatives, taking strategic decisions that shape product direction.

Lead
Define overall design strategy, manage teams, and ensure design efforts align with business goals.

Professional design evaluation goes far beyond portfolio aesthetics or software proficiency. The most successful design organizations evaluate talent across five critical dimensions that reveal your true contribution to both product and business success.

Taking action on your assessment

Understanding your current level is just the beginning. Use these insights to have more productive career conversations with your manager, identify specific areas for skill development, and set realistic timeline expectations for advancement.

The design industry rewards those who can contribute beyond pure design execution. By evaluating yourself against these comprehensive criteria, you're taking the first step toward building a more impactful, fulfilling design career. Your professional journey is unique, but the destination—creating meaningful impact through thoughtful design—remains constant.

If you're looking for a comprehensive evaluation based on these exact five criteria, Mockin offers assessment interviews that provide detailed feedback on your responsibility, impact, problem finding, problem solving, and leadership skills. Getting professional insights can help validate your self-assessment and provide targeted recommendations for your career growth.

Don’t just dream — prepare!
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May 24, 2025

June 8, 2025