ABCDEFGHIJKLMN
1
LevelsTitlesRoles available Individual achievement Team collaboration Company alignment
2
PrivatePrivateHigh level indicatorsKnowledge & execution depth=> Design specificPrioritization & proactivityLearning & growthFeedback & coachingBuilding effective partnershipsCommunication & influenceCustomer & future orientationAlignment & productivityPositively representing MUI
3
IC1 - AssociateAssociate DesignerJunior Designer
4
IC2 - JuniorJunior DesignerJunior DesignerYou may still be early on in your career and/or field. You are less focused on impacting the entire team and more focused on developing your own skills.• You possess broad, generalist knowledge of core elements and concepts within your field.System: You know the fundamentals of system design and apply them in your work.

UX: You are familiar with common industry interaction patterns and reference them in your projects.
You explore different ways to solve problems, identifying pros and cons, questions, and implications

Visual: You effectively use our design system and follow fundamentals of good UI design to create polished interfaces.		• You take on well-defined tasks; and complete basic requirements within specified timeframes.• You show awareness of and a desire to improve your development areas.

• You gather feedback from colleagues or supervisors to understand the impact of your work. Example: by keeping simple records of customer-related insights or observations.		• You regularly ask for feedback on your working style and on the work itself to improve.• You actively participate in group discussions, volunteer for tasks, and take initiative to build good working relationships. • You use a consistently positive and proactive tone, making sure that your interaction with the team is open and effective.• You understand the basics of how your work impacts your customers (whether they're internal or external). You focus on shorter-term goals and achievements.• You share work regularly to support team alignment, and ask for feedback on your working style + the work itself in order to improve.

• You ask questions to better understand the company goals, context, and how your role contributes to the big picture.		• You positively embrace our ways of working and seek to establish personal work habits that increase your personal productivity.
5
IC3 - Mid-levelMid-level DesignerDesigner• You demonstrate a higher level of expertise in your field and the ability to operate independently.System: You design coherent systems, not just interfaces, that integrate with the rest of the product.

UX: You narrow down to the best solution using strong rationale.

Visual: You design holistic flows, not individual screens.		• You take on tasks and projects; and go beyond basic requirements to ensure they're completed to a high standard.• You set personal goals that contribute to your professional growth and skill development.• You effectively integrate feedback to improve. You're staring your journey in coaching, assisting and guiding junior team members when needed, elevating their skills and enhancing their contribution to the team.• You actively promote good team dynamics, intentionally building relationships and taking on more significant collaborative tasks.• You ensure clarity in your communications across all channels. You contribute to discussions and productively engage others. You model an openness to having your views challenged and changed.• You seek out opportunities to communicate with customers or stakeholders to gather feedback, and propose small improvements based on their feedback. You plan mostly in terms of months-quarters.• You work to help others understand your direct team’s goals and how they relate to company goals. • You exhibit behaviors that reflect the company's values and serve as a positive example to peers.
6
IC4 - SeniorSenior DesignerDesignerYou are more experienced and confident in your domain. You’re more likely to be owning projects independently and be trusted to deliver with minimal oversight. You may gain your first direct report(s).• You possess near-mastery of your domain and an ability to apply your knowledge to resolve challenges.You don’t require oversight, because your work has few issues and you possess solid skills in all aspects of design expertise: system, UX, and visual design.

You can quickly and effectively diverge and converge, applying first principles thinking when necessary.

You pay attention to details to achieve a high level of polish, ensuring your work is well-thought-out, simple, beautiful, and delightful.		• You take the lead on projects and tasks, demonstrating your ability to influence and drive outcomes within your direct team.• You consistently refine existing and develop new skills; and look for opportunities to coach junior team members.• You actively create feedback loops, coach and buddy with others to promote learning and a culture of feedback.
• You're routinely collaborating with different people and teams, embracing more collaborative roles, frequently acting as a coordinator on projects in your team and sparking cross-functional collaborations.• You set an example in how to communicate concisely and effectively. You are able to present information in a way that enables people outside your domain to understand and take desired action.• You lead customer-focused projects that directly contribute to improved customer experiences. You’re beginning to focus more long-term and plan in terms of quarters-years.• You lead or facilitate cross-functional efforts to improve company alignment, productivity, or team morale.

• You help shape team and company-level goals to ensure they’re delivering value for the community.		• You advocate for the company's values and seek ways to positively represent them in your daily interactions, both internally and externally.
7
IC5 - StaffStaff DesignerStaff Designer (IC) or Lead Designer (manager)You have broader influence outside of your direct team and projects. You’ve built strong internal partnerships and may be leading multiple projects. You likely manage several direct reports or are the primary leader for an MUI product.• You possess a mastery of your domain, applying deep knowledge to resolve challenges and innovate.You are considered exemplary at least ​​in two aspects of design expertise: system, UX, or visual design.

You hold a high bar for yourself, others and the work you ship.

You drive improvements to the overall design of our product.		• You lead high-impact projects that result in measurable and meaningful outcomes within your direct team.• You're committed to growth - both personal and for others. You actively coach team members, sharing your knowledge and experience.• You look for opportunities to lead broader feedback and coaching efforts, like organizing company workshops, surveys, or trainings.• You consistently collaborate beyond your direct team, initiating and coordinating projects that bring multiple teams together for shared goals.• You're a trusted source of guidance for both more junior team members but also in high-level discussions, collaborating with leadership on strategic initiatives.• You lead initiatives that involve a deeper understanding of customer needs and preferences, and aim toward long-term impact. You may begin supporting on multi-year planning and strategy.• You push for greater productivity at a company level by cultivating a focus on customer experiences and key metrics. Example: referencing, measuring, and interpreting KPIs over time.• You wear MUI's values proudly, your company's values are synonymous with your professional identity.

• You proactively identify opportunities and threats to achieve our desired culture.
8
IC6 - PrincipalPrincipal DesignerPrincipal DesignerYou lead the work for a significant area and handle complex projects with overlapping organizational lines from start to finish. It is more likely that you will lead multiple teams.• You not only posses a deep level of mastery, but you're also the go-to expert everyone relies on for insights and advice.You are considered exemplary in all aspects of design expertise: system, UX, and visual design.

You design and rationalize our most foundational systems.		• You own and steer cross-functional initiatives that deliver significant impact to the teams involved. You step up to lead when required, even if not explicitly asked to.• You show impact not just internally but also externally, taking the stage at industry events, authoring insightful articles, and leading the conversation in your domain.• You share your recognized expertise generously, coaching across departments, guiding peers, and collaborating with senior leaders, always fostering a culture of mutual support and growth.• You're a role model for collaboration within the organization as well as outside of it. i.e. when creating new business partnerships, engaging with third-parties, industry groups, or regulators.• You actively set the tone for a more collaborative culture and improve communication channels company-wide. Peers frequently turn to you for guidance, and your input shapes leadership-level choices.• You shape the organization's overall customer-centric vision and strategy, influencing decision-making at the highest level. You implement multi-year strategies to future-proof MUI.

• You act as a customer value thought leader, both within and outside the organization.		• You improve shared alignment and productivity at a company level, repeatedly showing the connections between the team’s work and improved key metrics. • You're on the front lines, leading the charge on cultural realignments and making sure everyone's on board and feeling good about the changes.

• You play an instrumental role in aligning our strategic direction with our values.
9
10
Additional resources
11
Design philosophy
12
Design levels
13