Process: Lefler starts with a thorough examination of the problems and opportunities she’s tasked with solving. She draws upon her previous experiences as a designer, collaborator, and observer. She then translates these findings into a high-level vision or strategy, making sure to include parameters (e.g. technical constraints). Finally, she iterates in concert with her team, using data and feedback from customers to refine the solution.
Career: Lefler studied Graphic Design at the Rhode Island School of Design, where she developed an affinity for “problem solving through visual communication” and the concept of “design as a way of thinking—not just a way of drawing or making.” While at RISD, she worked as a freelance designer for local clients and eventually landed a design internship at Pentagram. After graduation, she joined a small branding firm in San Francisco, where she worked with some of the largest tech companies in the world. In 2013, she joined Airbnb.
2. John Maeda, Lyft Design Partner
Process: Maeda believes design is all about problem-solving. His design process starts with clearly defining the problem, taking into account the context of the user, client, technology, culture, and market. When he’s happy with the problem definition, he iterates on possible solutions, constantly testing, evaluating, and refining his ideas until he arrives at a solution that best solves the problem.
Career: Maeda studied Computer Science at MIT and earned his PhD from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Media Lab. He founded the Aesthetics and Computation Group at the MIT Media Lab in 1995 and served as its director until 2008. In 2008, Maeda joined Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers as a Design Partner, where he invested in and advised design-driven startups. He also taught design courses at Harvard, New York University, Rhode Island School of Design, and Tokyo’s Tama Art University. In 2015, he joined Lyft as Design Partner.
3. Jen Simmons, Google’s Design Lead of Identity Systems
Process: Simmons places utmost importance on understanding her users and their desires. She gathers insights about users through research and observation. She then creates a narrative about those users, focusing on their problems, needs, and desires. In parallel, she brainstorms ideas and crafts several quick visual sketches. With her users in mind, she evaluates how each idea supports or detracts from the narrative and selects the best ones.
Career: Simmons received a BFA from the University of Kansas, where she studied printmaking and graphic design. After graduation, she moved to New York and landed a design internship at Vignelli Associates. She then joined the firm as a full-time designer, working on a variety of projects for large clients, including IBM and American Express. In 1995, Simmons moved to San Francisco and joined the design studio of Landor Associates. In 1999, she joined Google, where she has since held several design leadership positions.
4. Doug Bowman, Apple’s VP of User Interface Design
Process: Bowman believes design is about creating products that are easy to use and enjoyable. His process starts with defining the user experience, taking into account the user’s needs, goals, and capabilities. He then creates a series of prototypes, iterating on them until he arrives at a solution that is both functional and delightful.
Career: Bowman studied Mechanical Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley. After graduation, he joined Apple in 1989 as a software engineer. He quickly moved into design roles and eventually became VP of User Interface Design. In his current role, Bowman oversees all aspects of user interface design for Apple’s products, including hardware, software, and services.
5. Julie Zhou, Facebook’s VP of Product Design
Process: Zhou emphasizes collaboration throughout her design process. She starts with gathering insights about the problem space, involving users, researchers, and engineers in the process. With these insights in hand, she leads brainstorming sessions to generate as many ideas as possible. She then evaluates these ideas, taking into account feasibility, user needs, and business goals. Finally, she iterates on the most promising ideas, working closely with her team to refine them into a final design.
Career: Zhou studied Computer Science at Harvard University. After graduation, she worked as a software engineer at Facebook. She quickly transitioned into design roles and eventually became VP of Product Design. In her current role, Zhou oversees all aspects of product design for Facebook’s core products, including Facebook, Messenger, and Instagram.
6. Margaret Gould Stewart, Microsoft’s General Manager of Design
Process: Stewart follows a user-centered design process that starts with research to understand users’ needs. She then iterates on prototypes, collecting feedback from users at each stage and incorporating that feedback into the final product.
Career: Stewart received a BFA in Graphic Design from Virginia Commonwealth University. After school, she worked at several small design firms before joining Interbrand in San Francisco. At Interbrand, she worked on a variety of projects, including brand identities for companies like Visa and Target. In 2011, she joined Microsoft as the Design Director for Windows Phone. In 2014, she was promoted to General Manager of Design, where she oversees all aspects of design for Microsoft’s products and services.