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Design leadership · Expert · Lesson 89 of 99 · 1 h 6 min video, then about 1 hour of practice · Optional
Calibrating the bar: reviewing portfolios and interviewing designers
After this you can review a design portfolio against an explicit level bar and give a hiring recommendation you can justify in writing.
Why it matters
Leaders shape a team most durably through who they hire. The skill is calibration: knowing what evidence distinguishes a mid, senior and staff designer, reviewing portfolios for reasoning rather than polish, and writing a recommendation that cites evidence rather than impressions. Watch the portfolio reviews below as an interviewer would: pause before each piece of feedback and write your own assessment first, then compare. Trap: hiring for 'culture fit', which in practice means hiring people like yourself. Use a written rubric agreed before the interviews. Free material on running a design interview loop from the interviewer's side is close to non-existent; this is a known gap.
How to use this resource
A long, detailed critique of a staff-level product designer's portfolio. Use it as a calibration exercise: assess each case study yourself before hearing the reviewer's view.