Are you talking about when we're discovering new features or products to implement? Hopefully I answer the right question!

The process I currently use is based on the collaboration of ideas validated by a lot of user testing. We come up with ideas based on data, pain points of our users, and previously poorly designed, outdated features.

Solutions to problems are shaped by design studios, which use the minds of our designers, engineers, marketers, copy, and anyone else who would like to join in. We come up with how a product should feel, what the voice of our copy is, basic wires, or extra features to the product in a short span of time to get as many ideas as possible to solve our problem.

From then, designers pick and choose solutions based on our design studios. We make prototypes and user test the shit out of our ideas. We validate what works or what could be better and iterate on a first version that we can complete. We also understand that not every solution will work, and we might have to go back to the drawing board. All in all, we make prototypes and ship products to learn from, not every product is perfect.

I think this is a work in progress in terms of our process, but right now, this works!

Hello! I was immediately hooked after reading your first paragraph, since I feel like I'm in that transition period too and am looking for advice on managing design teams.

I do love this idea, but I am the type who needs lists and goals to feel accomplished and aligned with everyone on my team, but I do have a few questions regarding this.

• How did you start the conversation of adding goalfests to your team?

• Do you ever feel like these goalfests become more of a situation where people judge themselves and others? Especially since there is a scale you've introduced and everyone can see what each person has accomplished.

• How do you create the feeling that a goalfest is a fun exercise compared to another meeting about alignment and "stuff we need to do?"

Maybe you've answered most of this in your post, and I didn't pick up on it, but this is definitely something I want to float to my team and see if it sticks! Thanks!

What kind of fertilizer do you use?

Thank you for your process! It's interesting and very much aligns with what I believe helps mentor and grow designers.

Can you clarify on what tools you give them to help them figure things out? I live by examples, so any would help me understand how to give people advice and a way of figuring out a solution.

I've heard that MT was acquired by GoDaddy, do you think it's changed somewhat over the past couple years? Have you had to change servers or anything?

Do I need to know any command line or code in order to use DigitalOcean?

Not sure if you'd like to use noise canceling when on a bike, but I use Bose QuietComfort 20i. I love that they are small, keep out unwanted noise on my commute to work, and fit comfortably in my ears.