Lead Product Designer

As the Lead Product Designer at Chartbeat, you will be responsible for leading the design for Tubular, our social video analytics product. This includes defining the design strategy, creating user-centered solutions, and collaborating cross-functionally with product management and engineering. You will also own the design system across the tool, contribute to cross-product integration efforts, and assist in conducting research to inform design decisions, ultimately helping media companies turn audience insights into actionable content strategies.

To qualify for the Lead Product Designer role at Chartbeat, candidates must have at least 7 years of experience designing digital products, particularly in B2B SaaS or analytics-driven tools. Proficiency in Figma for design and prototyping is essential. Additionally, candidates should possess strong UX and UI skills, experience in user research and usability testing, and a detail-oriented mindset that prioritizes high-quality, functional, and delightful design solutions.

The Lead Product Designer at Chartbeat promotes effective teamwork by closely partnering with product managers, engineers, and other designers to shape the product vision and ensure high-quality design execution. You will drive collaboration across various disciplines, facilitate design reviews, and engage in feedback sessions, fostering a culture of shared knowledge and continuous improvement. This role plays a vital part in creating a cohesive and impactful user experience across our product suite.

In the Lead Product Designer role at Chartbeat, you will primarily use Figma as your design tool for creating interfaces, prototypes, and design handoffs. Familiarity with other tools for user research and usability testing, such as Pendo or similar platforms, is also beneficial. Your expertise will help drive the creation and management of reusable design components and patterns that enhance the user experience.

Candidates can expect a positive and inclusive company culture at Chartbeat, where diversity, equity, and inclusion are foundational values. The team thrives on collaboration, supportive feedback, and the pursuit of innovative design solutions. With a strong emphasis on work-life balance, flexible work hours, and a commitment to employee well-being, Chartbeat fosters an environment where creativity and productivity coalesce, allowing employees to be their authentic selves.

When answering this question, focus on outlining a clear and structured design process. Discuss how you start with user research to understand needs, sketch ideas, create prototypes, and involve stakeholders for feedback. Emphasize your ability to iterate based on input while ensuring alignment with user-centered principles and business goals, showcasing how this approach has led to successful outcomes in your previous projects.

In your response, select a specific challenge that highlights your problem-solving skills. Discuss the context, the obstacles faced, and the strategic actions you took to find a resolution. Be sure to convey how your solution not only addressed the immediate challenge but also contributed to the overall project success and improved user experience.

Explain how you assess project requirements, deadlines, and impacts to prioritize effectively. Talk about utilizing project management tools or frameworks, collaborating with cross-functional teams, and maintaining clear communication to align priorities. Illustrate how your organizational skills have enabled you to stay on track and manage workload efficiently.

Discuss the importance of user feedback in your design process and provide examples of methods you use to gather insights, such as user interviews, surveys, and usability tests. Highlight how you analyze feedback and iterate design based on findings, showing your ability to integrate user perspectives to refine and enhance the final product.

Share your understanding of design systems, their importance in maintaining consistency, and your experience in creating or managing one. Talk about defining components, documenting guidelines, and how you involve team members in the process to ensure that the design system evolves alongside product needs and user expectations.

Choose a specific instance where you effectively communicated the value of user-centered design to stakeholders. Describe how you presented data, user insights, and design rationale to support your decision. This showcases your advocacy skills and ability to align user needs with business objectives, demonstrating your commitment to creating impactful designs.

Discuss how collaboration is integral to your design process. Highlight how you engage with product teams, developers, and other stakeholders through regular touchpoints, brainstorming sessions, and feedback loops. Provide examples of how collaboration has led to better design outcomes and fostered a culture of shared ownership and creativity in projects you have worked on.

Explain your commitment to designing for accessibility by outlining specific practices you follow, such as employing ARIA labels, ensuring sufficient contrast ratios, and following accessibility guidelines. Discuss how accessibility checkers and user testing with diverse groups are part of your workflow, emphasizing the importance of inclusivity in design for all users.

Share your methods for staying updated on design trends, tools, and technologies. Mention following thought leaders, attending webinars, participating in design communities, and continuously learning through courses and resources. This showcases your proactive approach to professional development and your commitment to bringing fresh ideas and innovations into your design work.

Discuss specific metrics that align with your designs, such as user engagement rates, task completion times, or user satisfaction scores. Explain how you establish baselines before implementing design changes and track performance post-launch. This highlights your analytical skills and the importance of data-driven decisions in evaluating design effectiveness.