"I expected a dated management primer. What I found instead was a playbook that's become more relevant, not less, as AI reshapes what it means to lead design teams. The timing felt accidental but perfect. As we close out 2025 - a year that Zalando's design community calls full of "AI-fuelled 'aha' moments" and "unexpected shifts" - Julie Zhuo's framework for purpose, people, and process has evolved from helpful guidance to survival strategy."
"For the past two decades, we've organized around specialization - product designer, engineer, PM, researcher, data analyst. Clear career ladders. Industry standards for what makes a junior designer versus a principal. But in a recent conversation on Lenny's Podcast, Zhuo crystallized what many designers are feeling but haven't named: "Let's not think of ourselves as these predefined roles. Let's just actually think of ourselves as builders.""
AI advances are collapsing traditional product specializations and compressing the workforce needed for many tasks. Management fundamentals remain centered on enabling teams to achieve better outcomes collectively than individuals alone. Leaders must prioritize helping people create impact amid shifting or disappearing job titles by cultivating adaptability, transferable skills, and continuous learning. The purpose-people-process framework continues to guide effective team coordination. Hiring, assessment, and career ladders require redesign to reward cross-functional capability and outcomes. Coaching, clear goals, and outcome-oriented measurement are essential for teams to leverage AI and sustain long-term impact.
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