MY PHILOSOPHY
DESIGN • LEADERSHIP • MANAGEMENT
Stephanie's philosophy defines what she values and what drives impact for her team and company. These tenets shape her decision-making, guiding how she designs meaningful products, leads high-performing teams, and collaborates effectively with colleagues.
DESIGN
Good design is...
User-centered
Good design solves real user problems and helps them achieve their desired outcome. The design process should be iterative and evolve continuously based on feedback to ensure the solution is effective and resonates with users.
​
Backed by research
Good design is supported by multi-layered user research, combining quantitative and qualitative insights within a design thinking process. It's essential for targeting user needs, uncovering behavior patterns, and identifying opportunities for product improvement.
​
Accessible
Good design meets accessibility standards, ensuring all users can meaningfully engage. Applying Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles helps create inclusive experiences that support diverse needs and learning styles.
​
Diverse, Equitable, and Inclusive
Good design is diverse, equitable, and inclusive, representing a wide range of backgrounds, identities, and perspectives and allowing all students and educators to see themselves reflected in their learning experience.
​
​Clear and consistent
Good design is grounded in clear and consistent visual hierarchy and apply the laws of visual perception to help users navigate information and calls to action with clarity – without feeling
overwhelmed or confused.
​​​
Simple and easy to use
Good design strives for simplicity and ease of use – balancing form and function – to enhance usability, engagement, while creating a frictionless, intuitive user experience.​​​​​
​
Delightful
LEADERSHIP
Strong leaders provide...
Mentorship
Strong leaders understand the power of mentorship and the importance of cultivating teams that can navigate challenges, ask thoughtful questions, think strategically, and solve problems independently. They lead with guidance over explicit direction, which supports each individual's growth, confidence, and long-term success.
​
A​ solution-driven mindset
Strong leaders approach problems with a solution-driven mindset and accelerate progress by focusing on possibilities rather than limitations.
​
Opportunities for growth and autonomy
Strong leaders create opportunities for career growth by empowering designers with autonomy, enabling them to develop their skills, build confidence, and find fulfillment, while adding value for the company.
​
Recognition
Strong leaders champion their team, highlighting their contributions rather than seeking credit for themselves. They showcase the hard work, great ideas, and achievements, which fosters a culture of appreciation and recognition.
​
Empathy
Strong leaders show compassion and assume positive intent which builds a sense of trust and respect. This creates an environment that encourages open and honest communication.​
​
MANAGEMENT
Effective managers ensure...
​Team alignment
Effective design managers understand the balance of user needs, technical feasibility, and business goals in product development. Clear definition and alignment around these objectives ensures teams understand the problems to solve, desired outcomes, and success metrics, so they can align on solutions and priorities.
​
Clarity of communication
Effective design managers achieve team alignment through clear, consistent communication of expectations and decisions, along with well-defined roles and responsibilities. They are proactive and decisive, yet open to new ideas and differing opinions.
Organization
Effective design managers are resourceful, organized, and process-driven, ensuring efficiency while managing multiple projects, budgets, schedules, and resources.
Collaboration
Effective design managers are champions of cross-functional collaboration, ensuring all disciplines (including design, product, engineering, content, and marketing) have a voice and a seat at the table. They promote design best practices and strategic partnerships that help teams thrive.