Empowering managers through UX Ops
When people think of UX Ops, they usually picture systems and templates that make designers’ day-to-day work smoother: peer review and critique formats, onboarding guides, process templates, research guidance and frameworks. All of which is incredibly important, but if Ops only focuses on IC workflows, you’re missing half the picture: managers.
Managers aren’t just senior ICs with direct reports. Their work is completely different. They’re scaling people, building culture, running reviews, and representing design across the business. And they need operational scaffolding just as much as ICs do, sometimes more.
Sometimes Ops support for managers gets lost in the shuffle, written off as “interference,” “telling them how to run their team,” or simply overshadowed by an over-rotation on IC-only support. But this is backwards.
Ops for managers isn’t about control. It’s about empowerment. It gives managers the tools and consistency they need so they can focus on leadership, not logistics.
And here’s the truth: the majority of managers welcome this kind of support. For the few that don’t, that’s a coaching problem (a post for another day). One way to build trust and get better outcomes is to involve managers directly in creating these programs. In this case, they are the user, and their insight, feedback, and buy-in make the systems stronger.
So let’s break down what this means in practice.
What Ops for managers looks like
Here’s where Ops can have an outsized impact by creating systems for managers, not just ICs:
Interviewing and hiring processes and templates
Managers are often left to invent their own way of handling interviews and candidate communication. This creates inconsistency in candidate experience and introduces bias across teams. Ops can help by creating reusable structures.
What to include
Structured interview guides with behavioral and skill-based questions clearly aligned to the growth framework. To take this further and make it more meaningful, break down each growth framework facet and map it to appropriate questions for each, then map those to the type of answers you’re looking for or not looking for.
Evaluation rubrics that make scoring transparent, consistent, and comparable.
Communication templates for both candidates and internal teams. For external, include outreach, rejections, and follow-ups to ensure professionalism and fairness. For internal, include invite content and candidate overview guides.
Panel checklists for who should be involved, what roles they play, and how and when to debrief.
A shared internal communication mechanism, like a dedicate Slack channel, that all panel members can access during the interview cycle. Be sure to have clear naming conventions for the these channels so panel members can locate them easily.
Onboarding playbooks
Just like a new hire needs an onboarding checklist, managers need the companion guide for onboarding, so new hires have a consistent experience no matter which manager they report to. Ops can standardize the first 90 days.
What to include
Manager checklists for introductions, systems access, rituals, and commonly asked questions.
Context packets and presentation templates that explain org mission, structure, process, team details, and key partners.
30/60/90-day check-in templates for feedback and expectation setting.
Team announcement templates for welcoming new hires internally and externally.
Performance and promotion rubrics and templates
Performance reviews are stressful enough without each manager reinventing the process. Ops can build the backbone that ensures equity and reduces bias drift and bias, while making managers’ jobs easier when it comes to evaluation.
What to include
Role-based rubrics with clear levels and expectations that match the growth matrix.
Self- and peer-review templates that create consistency in input.
Calibration guides to align managers on how to evaluate fairly.
Promotion case templates and examples to help managers build strong, consistent submissions.
Design review and demo frameworks
Reviews and demos can either be energizing rituals or a waste of time. Ops can help managers by standardizing cadence and structure.
What to include
Facilitation guides for running effective critiques with best practices for feedback, framing, and organization.
Cadence recommendations (weekly critique, monthly demo, quarterly showcase).
Templates for agendas and outcomes so managers capture action items, not just comments.
Demo deck frameworks to help teams present work in a clear, consistent story.
Presentation kits and training
Managers spend a lot of time representing design to execs, stakeholders, cross-functional partners, or at external events. Ops can give them the tools and training to show up consistently and confidently.
What to include
Deck templates aligned with org branding and storytelling structures.
Guides for framing design work in business terms stakeholders understand.
Presentation coaching sessions for managers new to presenting at scale.
Highlight reel templates to showcase progress over time.
Communication and meeting guides
Not every manager is a natural communicator, but every manager is responsible for communication. Ops can provide scaffolding so messages are clear, consistent, and timely.
What to include
Templates for common announcements (new hires, promotions, org changes).
External response playbooks for job seekers, vendors, and recruiters.
Invite and update frameworks for team meetings, all-hands, and async channels.
Stakeholder mapping guides to clarify who to inform, when, and how.
Manager mentorship programs
One of the biggest gaps in design orgs is preparing ICs to step into management. Too often, someone gets promoted into a manager role and is left to figure it out through trial and error. That’s bad for the new manager, their team, and the org. Ops can close it with structured mentorship.
What to include
Program overview. Clear goals, intended outcomes, and a general schedule so participants know what to expect.
Week-by-week checklist. Activities, discussion prompts, and goal tracking for both mentors and mentees. This ensures the program is consistent across participants.
Training materials. Curated resources on topics like feedback, delegation, conflict resolution, and career conversations.
Recommended reading. A shared reading list (books, articles, podcasts, internal materials) that creates common language across the org.
Tracking and feedback loop. A simple way to measure progress and gather feedback to improve the program over time.
Why it matters
Managers are the operating system of your design org. If they don’t have dedicated Ops support, you end up with a dozen different ways of doing things, and a fragmented culture as a result.
Ops for managers isn’t about policing leadership styles. It’s about making sure every manager has the scaffolding they need to run the parts of the job only they can do: hiring, onboarding, people management, team growth, manager-specific communication, and mentorship support.
And here’s the thing: much (not all) of IC ops and manager ops are two sides of the same coin. When you identify these particular areas (for example: onboarding processes or critique frameworks), and build them in tandem, and you get a full body of work that scales smoothly. Consistent systems for managers empower ICs, and vice versa.
All of this matters because when managers are empowered with consistent systems, ICs benefit, too. The entire design org runs smoother, faster, and fairer.
