The article discusses the challenges junior designers face in today's fast-paced workplaces, particularly in technical startups where the emphasis is on rapid delivery and scalability. The author reflects on their experience, contrasting it with their time at American Express. There, they had the opportunity to learn through mentorship in a supportive environment, unlike the current landscape where junior roles are diminishing. Modern product design demands advanced skills that juniors typically don't possess because they lack the necessary experience and guidance, making their growth difficult in many contemporary settings.
I've seen the flip side of this, too. My first design role was at American Express, on a 20-person team. I got to contribute immediately.
That environment was primed to support junior talent, with clear paths for growth and mentorship built into the workflow.
In the industry as a whole, the modern product designer role has evolved into something inherently non-junior. It requires strategic decision-making.
These abilities only develop through direct experience with product development cycles. Experience that juniors, by definition, don't yet have.
Collection
[
|
...
]