Design Team Charter
In 2018, I began managing my first design team. At that time I had been peers with 2 of the folks on the team and was given the ability to hire a new teammate.
During this transition, I received valuable advice from my previous manager, who emphasized the critical nature of the first 90 days in any new leadership role. Understanding the significance of this period, I was determined to set the team and myself up for success.
And so, I introduced the concept of a "Design Team Charter."
What is it?
It is a document that establishes clear expectations between the team, the organization, and their manager. By creating this charter early on, I could articulate the team's core values and set a standard to which we all held ourselves accountable. (When paired with a “User Manual” - a document that promotes transparency and trust - team dynamics significantly improve).
Since my initial experience as a manager, I have consistently employed the Design Team Charter with every team I lead. Now, let me share what my charter includes:
📜 Team Charter
This particular charter contains real information from my charter leading the visual design team at Reforge.
What is visual design for?
The visual storytelling portion of the insights team. We support business objectives and growth through cross-functional problem-solving aimed at conceptualizing, designing, and building consistent content visuals. We are critical thinkers that are building a product that impacts our member’s memorability and actionability of insights.
What is the team capable of?
Conceptualizing memorable frameworks and slides that align with our content design system
Pitching ideas to strategy leads and SMEs
Asking good questions that lead to smart design solutions
Willing to receive feedback to improve our work
Come up to speed on concepts quickly and can turn those into effective visuals for understanding
Ownership of how the information in a Reforge program is communicated through its structure, visuals, and copy
Who are we?
Designers, writers, animators, illustrators, communicators, champions, shippers
Empathetic listeners seeking to understand the problem we need to solve. Majoring in the “soft skills”.
Our posture as a content design team
eager participation in decision making
speak with authority
work in teams
seek, see, and speak the truth
inspire others
do more than we’re asked (picking up additional work as the team needs it)
caring and willing enough to change things
Visual Design Pillars
External
Bring concepts to life for members is at the heart of everything we do.
Strike several balances. *note: some of this doc made more sense internally
Constraints help us ship.
Deeply impact the company through our design thinking
Internal
Make commitments and deliver on them
We are a team, as such, we hold each other accountable to deliver on our promises. Our commitment is to finish the work but also to help our team. We do more than we’re asked and pick up additional work as the team needs it.
Communicate early, often, and with intent
Ask more questions and seek out the underlying problem that is needing to be solved. If you are missing information or vision, ask for it. If you are the designer on the project it’s your responsibility to become an expert on that project.
Knowledge in your head ≠ team knowledge. If you think something is important to share proactively, tell the team.
Make time for exploration.
Our best ideas usually aren’t our first ideas. Allow yourself space to try and fail before going live or critiquing.
What are the expectations of the team?
Make commitments and deliver on them.
Own your projects.
Show your work. (any problem that you're facing creatively or interpersonally should have some amount of "work" already done that shows what you’ve already tried or are thinking might be a solution).
Try the ridiculous, pitch the unexpected.
Seek out inspiration. Draw, write, read, watch a video to find it.