Where are conversation designers now?

"There comes a time in every designer's life when "winging it" simply stops being a practical career growth strategy. Personally, I've hit the limit, not with the work itself, but with the idea that my title should define my future. Titles, as it turns out, are a terrible mapping device and conversation design offers no obvious career path. Design excites me, but I don't know what my options are."

"To everyone that has proclaimed, conversation design is "the next big thing" I say, conversation design is an imaginary destination that recedes as you approach it. This field doesn't come with a visible career ladder, but that's not unique to conversation design. It's 2025. It's tech. The ladder doesn't exist. I say this in case there's anyone out there wondering if the grass really is greener on the other side. The grass will never really be greener, but the fences might be taller."

Conversation design lacks a visible career ladder and job titles provide a poor map for future progression. Many practitioners are self-taught and community-raised, often entering the field without tech backgrounds or role models. Career planning feels uncertain because the field's endpoint is ill-defined and conventional ladders are absent in modern tech. A focused review of LinkedIn profiles gathered 146 data points from seniors, peers, and juniors to identify common transitions and outcomes. The data collection aimed to determine whether conversation design can sustain long-term careers and to reveal common next steps or exits.

Read at Medium