Navigating UX Design Career Levels
and how to leverage them to land your dream UX role
In my last Youtube video, I delved into the intriguing topic of why UX titles don’t hold as much weight as we might think. Today, let’s shift our focus to what truly matters when kickstarting your journey in UX design. And what’s that, you ask? Well, it’s something we fondly refer to as “levels”.
Yes, levels — the guideposts in the UX career ladder that navigate us from junior designers to design leaders, each level carrying a distinct set of responsibilities. In this article, we’ll explore why levels are a superior indicator than job titles, and we’ll journey through the UX career landscape, from junior roles to leadership positions. However, if you prefer video as medium, feel free to check out my YouTube video for this topic below:
Unveiling the UX Levels: Your True North
What exactly are these levels? At Google, where I work, they represent the breakdown of UX design roles across the spectrum — from entry-level juniors to seasoned design leaders. Every level comes with a unique set of duties that signify your readiness to progress further. This often means that you’re already performing at the next level within your current role, acting as a gateway to promotions at larger tech companies like Google. Essentially, you have to demonstrate your competence at the next level before you can enjoy the corresponding compensation.
Why Levels Trump Job Titles
The question arises: Why should we place more emphasis on levels than job titles? Well, the dynamics of titles differ significantly between smaller and larger companies. Smaller startups often feature fledgling design departments, while larger corporations boast more mature ones, leading to well-defined roles and promotion paths. Consequently, smaller companies might hand out inflated titles to reflect roles with greater stature than they actually entail. For instance, the first UX designer at a 10-person startup could be crowned the “Director of Design”, even though they’re the sole designer in reality.
This distortion makes translating startup titles to mammoth entities like Google or Amazon a tricky endeavor. The variance is why professionals transitioning from small startups to larger corporations sometimes feel downgraded, as their titles can’t directly align. This incongruity stems from the title inflation often witnessed in startups. Hence, titles prove less dependable indicators.
However, this isn’t to suggest that individuals from smaller startups lack the competence for higher roles in larger corporations. They can undoubtedly prove their mettle through portfolios and interviews. The concern arises when inflated titles mismatch the actual level of expertise. This is where large company levels shine, as they are grounded in specific criteria for promotion, making them more reliable indicators of a designer’s capabilities compared to the relatively malleable startup titles.
Deciphering the UX Levels: A Glimpse into Each Stage
With this understanding of why levels matter, let’s delve into the different UX levels through examples, grasping the distinctions between each rung of the ladder. A quick disclaimer: we’ll keep things high-level to avoid turning this into an extensive tome.
Junior Level (L3): Navigating Tactical Tasks
Picture this as the starting point, the L3 — akin to the junior level. It’s where many fresh junior designers find themselves when they join companies like Google. At this stage, you’ll require some guidance to execute your tasks. As you progress from junior roles to leadership positions, you’ll often hear terms like “tactical” and “strategic”. “Tactical” means managing specific tasks within a broader strategy or project. Juniors often engage in these tactical project areas under the supervision of senior designers.
Intermediate Level (L4): Embracing Independence
The L4 phase introduces the intermediate UX design role. At this point, you’re expected to work autonomously, handling end-to-end journeys on your own. While you’re not formulating strategies or crafting product roadmaps yet, you’re entrusted to manage projects independently. In contrast, L3 designers still require supervision and focus on smaller aspects within comprehensive journeys.
Senior Level (L5): Expertise and Strategy Emerge
The L5 milestone signifies seniority as a UX designer. You’re considered an expert within your domain and might take ownership of specific product areas. Here, you could devise strategies for parts of the product. The pivotal juncture arrives — do you continue as an individual contributor (IC) or embark on the management route with subordinates? This decision bifurcates the career trajectory into manager and IC paths.
Leading the Way (L6): Navigating Ambiguity
L6 introduces a role that embraces ambiguity — emerging areas, projects with unclear problems and solutions. You collaborate with cross-functional partners to develop strategies aligning UX, product, and engineering. Now, you’re a leader shaping a product’s direction, potentially overseeing others in executing the strategy. Acting as a liaison between teams, you’re the filter ensuring your team aligns with the company’s priorities.
The Pinnacle of Influence (L7): Owning Multifaceted Outcomes
As you reach L7, you’re no longer managing a single program — you’re accountable for multiple. You’re a strategic partner with substantial scope. Overseeing managers and potentially managing other managers, you’re responsible for aligning your team’s OKRs with the organization’s vision. At this level, you’re interacting with leaders, an authority within your domain, setting the course for your team to execute top-tier company objectives.
The Takeaway: Trusting Levels Over Titles
In conclusion, these levels offer clear benchmarks for measuring capabilities. You can be confident that UX designers at a specific level possess the proficiency required for that title. While smaller companies might lack well-defined levels, you have the chance to shape them as part of a growing design team. This option, however, materializes as design departments mature.
I hope this article illuminated the importance of levels in comparison to titles and that, armed with this knowledge, you’re better equipped to interpret job descriptions and find the perfect fit for your next UX role. If you enjoyed this insight, don’t forget to show your support and sharing your thoughts in the comments. Until next time, take care!
