Hiring Designers Who Think in Systems
After years of building design teams, we've learned that the most impactful designers share a common trait: they think in systems, not screens.
The Screen Trap
It's easy to evaluate designers by their visual output. Beautiful mockups, polished prototypes, impressive Dribbble shots. But screens are just artifacts. What matters is the thinking behind them.
Designers who focus on screens often create:
- Inconsistent patterns across different parts of the product
- Solutions that work in isolation but break in context
- Designs that are beautiful but impossible to implement
- Experiences that don't scale as the product grows
Systems Thinking Defined
Systems thinkers understand that every design decision exists within a larger context. They ask questions like:
- How does this pattern relate to existing patterns?
- What happens when this component is used in different contexts?
- How will this scale as we add more features?
- What are the second-order effects of this decision?
What We Look For
When evaluating designers, we look for evidence of systems thinking:
1. Component Libraries and Design Systems
Has the candidate contributed to or created design systems? Do they understand the principles behind atomic design? Can they articulate the tradeoffs between flexibility and consistency?
2. Edge Case Awareness
When presenting work, do they proactively address edge cases? What happens with long text? Empty states? Error conditions? Loading states? The best designers have already thought through these scenarios.
3. Cross-Functional Collaboration
Systems thinkers understand that design doesn't exist in a vacuum. They collaborate closely with engineering to understand technical constraints. They work with product to understand business requirements. They talk to users to understand real-world contexts.
4. Documentation and Communication
Can they explain their decisions? Do they document their work in ways that help others understand and build upon it? Systems thinking requires clear communication.
Our Interview Process
Our design interviews are structured to reveal systems thinking:
Portfolio Review: We ask candidates to walk us through a project end-to-end, focusing on the decisions they made and why. We probe for edge cases and ask "what if" questions.
Design Exercise: We give candidates a realistic problem and ask them to think through the solution. We're less interested in the final output than in their process and the questions they ask.
Systems Challenge: We present an existing design system and ask candidates to extend it for a new use case. This reveals whether they can work within constraints while maintaining coherence.
Collaboration Simulation: We pair candidates with engineers and product managers to work through a problem together. This shows how they communicate and incorporate feedback.
Red Flags
We've learned to watch for certain warning signs:
- Pixel perfectionism without purpose: Obsessing over visual details while ignoring usability
- Resistance to constraints: Treating engineering limitations as obstacles rather than design inputs
- Inability to explain decisions: "It just looks better" isn't a reason
- Siloed thinking: Designing in isolation without considering the broader product
Building a Systems-Thinking Culture
Hiring systems thinkers is just the start. You also need to create an environment where systems thinking thrives:
- Invest in design systems and give designers time to contribute
- Include designers in technical discussions
- Celebrate coherence, not just creativity
- Create feedback loops between design and implementation
Conclusion
The best designers we've worked with don't just make things look good—they make things work well, at scale, over time. They think in systems.
If you're a designer who thinks this way, we'd love to talk. And if you're building a design team, we hope these insights help you find the right people.