There’s this subtle but significant tension that I’ve been thinking about a lot lately. It’s about how companies deal with expertise, particularly in the world of UX and design. As designers, we tend to get better at our craft over time. We sharpen our skills, get more refined in our thinking, and develop a deeper understanding of how to create better experiences for users. But there’s a fork in the road that many of us encounter as we progress: you either stay as an individual contributor (IC) or you’re nudged into management. And for a lot of us, the management route doesn’t always make sense.

I’ve experienced this firsthand. After spending years honing my design skills, I now find myself at a crossroads. Do I keep making real things—things that users can interact with, products that make an impact—or do I move into management, where I’ll be less involved in design and more focused on people, processes, and reports? It’s a tough choice because, as much as I love helping people grow, I still have this burning passion for making things.

The disconnect between expertise and management

It’s easy to see why companies push experienced ICs toward management. They look at someone with years of design experience and think, “This person knows how things work. They can help scale their expertise by managing a team.” The problem is that being an expert designer and being an effective manager are two very different skill sets. Yet, the only path to career growth often involves taking on a role that pulls you away from the very thing you’ve spent years perfecting.

As a designer, I thrive in the details. I enjoy the intricacies of solving problems, understanding user needs, and crafting experiences that feel seamless and intuitive. But as you move up the career ladder, even in companies that have an IC track, there’s a shift. Suddenly, you're spending more time presenting vague, high-level ideas to leadership and less time actually designing. You become a messenger, trying to get alignment across different teams and execs, spinning your wheels to get everyone on the same page. It’s exhausting, and frankly, it’s not what I signed up for.

The illusion of the IC track

In big tech, there’s this notion that you can keep progressing as an IC, but it’s often just that—an illusion. Even in companies where there’s a senior IC track, you’re eventually pulled out of the work you love. You end up crafting concepts and presentations instead of products. You stop making real things and start selling ideas to people who may never fully understand or appreciate them. The job becomes about getting buy-in and navigating office politics, rather than creating something tangible and impactful.

This disconnect is where I feel most frustrated. I didn’t become a designer to create decks or manage teams. I became a designer to make things, to solve problems, and to improve people’s lives through the products I help build. But it feels like the system is rigged against that. If I want to keep advancing, I have to step further away from what I love doing.

Rethinking design career paths

So, where do we go from here? The answer starts with acknowledging the disconnect and actively working to reshape career paths for designers. Instead of nudging experienced ICs into management roles, companies should create alternative routes that allow designers to continue growing without sacrificing their passion for creating.

Domain Ownership as a Framework: Companies need to adopt a “domain ownership” model, where senior ICs can take charge of a product or specific aspect of design, retaining autonomy while also contributing at a strategic level. This isn’t about creating org charts or teams—it’s about giving ICs the authority to shape direction, stay connected to hands-on work, and influence product decisions without being tethered to management duties.

Separate Leadership from Management: Leadership should be recognized for what it truly is: vision, influence, and expertise. Companies can start promoting ICs to leadership positions that don’t require them to manage people. This means providing senior designers with the platform to shape high-level strategy, collaborate across departments, and impact key decisions, all while remaining involved in actual design work.

IC-Led Innovation Programs: Establish innovation programs where senior designers can work on high-impact projects independently or with small, nimble teams. These initiatives would focus on solving specific problems or exploring new ideas, giving designers the chance to flex their expertise while remaining hands-on.

Executive Alignment for ICs: Give ICs access to the same level of influence as managers by including them in executive conversations, product roadmaps, and business strategy discussions. The goal is to elevate their voices without forcing them into roles that move them away from their core strengths.

Mentorship without Management: Designers who enjoy helping others grow should be given the chance to mentor up-and-coming talent without taking on formal management responsibilities. This allows them to share their expertise, foster the next generation of designers, and remain engaged in the craft they love.

Career Growth Beyond the Ladder: Finally, compensation, recognition, and title should reflect an individual’s impact, not their position on the ladder. Designers should have a clear path to success that doesn’t involve climbing into management, but instead emphasizes mastery of their craft, ongoing contribution, and the ability to influence outcomes at scale.

By taking these steps, companies can unlock the full potential of their design teams. They’ll create an environment where ICs can thrive, lead, and innovate—without losing touch with what brought them into design in the first place: the desire to make great things.