Equitably Growing Diverse Design Teams

Imagine a world where you can hire people based on skills, not inherent biases. A place where you can match designers to projects based on where they are in their career path and their personal skills. As businesses get better at prioritizing equity and diversity in the technology we design, teams need a framework to demystify how to manage people objectively.

Blink UX has crafted tools for reducing subjective bias across its design practice — hiring, onboarding, staffing, professional development, promotions, and yes, raises — all while taking advantage of each team member’s unique background, skills, and lived experiences. The result? Team members who want to stay because they feel seen, supported, and have a clear path for growth.

In this workshop, you’ll:

• Understand the importance of creating an environment that is both equitable and welcoming to your current team, as well as future hires.
• Learn an overall framework that promotes equity and empowerment for your current (and future) design team.
• Customize a set of measurable skills to your team’s needs.
• Draft the beginnings of a rubric for measuring those skills.
• Practice the “leveling” conversation.
• Translate high-level skills to designer-specific growth and promotion plans.
• Discuss challenges and successes in putting the plan into action.
• Draft criteria for recruiting the team you want to manage.